Rossport, Ontario is a wonderful community in Northwestern Ontario with the best views of Lake Superior. If you’re looking for more information on what to do, where to eat, and places to stay in Rossport, I’ve got you covered. Or if you’re driving from Toronto to Thunder Bay, Rossport is a great place to stop. Having lived 10 minutes from Rossport for over 5 years, I have spent lots of time in the community and the surrounding areas. We also still have family who live here so they keep us updated on any new developments.
Things To Do In Rossport
Rossport Coastal Trail
If you’re travelling through and would like to enjoy the views of Lake Superior and stretch your legs, the Rossport Coastal Trail is a great option. It’s a fairly easy and flat trail that takes you right along the shores of Lake Superior. You can park at the rest area just outside Rossport and walk towards the town or you can park at Wardrope Park and walk towards the rest area. Either way it’s a gorgeous easy hike that’s popular among local and road trippers.
Casque Isles Trail
If you’re looking to do more hiking and want to really explore all that the area has to offer, I recommend the Casque Isles Trail. The Casque Isles Trail is a popular hiking trail that spans around 53km along Lake Superior and travels from Rossport to Schreiber and Terrace Bay. Many people travel to the area to complete sections of the hike or if they’re really ambitious, the entire trail.
Nicol Island
Nicol Island is an island right next to Rossport. Many would consider this a part of the community of Rossport but technically it is its own community. There isn’t any public space on the island but if you are visiting in the summer, I recommend visiting the pottery studio of Tim Alexander which I talk more about below.
Island Pottery
Island Pottery is a Canadian pottery studio run by Tim Alexander. He has a studio in Thunder Bay but during the summer months, he lives and works on Nicol Island. I highly recommend visiting his studio in the summer. It’s a great place to grab a new piece of pottery and see where it’s made. If you’re visiting in the winter, you can visit him in his studio in Thunder Bay.
Kayaking
Northwestern Ontario, including Rossport, is known for its incredible lakes and scenery. If you’re looking to do some kayaking, canoeing or paddle boarding there are a few lakes close to Rossport that are perfect. Whitesand Lake is about 10 minutes from Rossport and has a beach that you can easily launch your kayaks from. Whitesand Lake is quite a large lake but it does feed Rainbow Falls so make sure you know where the falls are when you start.
If you plan to kayak on Lake Superior, I highly recommend going with a guide who knows the lake well. Such A Nice Day Adventures is a great kayaking tour company that operates out of Rossport.
Lake Superior Boat Tours
There is a tour company that offers boat tours that launch from the Rossport marina. This is a great way to see Lake Superior with an experienced guide. Sail Superior offers 3 hour zodiac boat tours to Battle Island.
Lake Superior is known for its ever changing weather which can be perfectly calm one minute, then huge waves or dense fog rolls in. I definitely recommend going with a tour guide who knows the lake well.
Battle Island
Battle Island is located approximately 10 km from the Rossport marina. It’s a popular destination for locals and tourists to visit. Battle Island is open to the public and it’s definitely an experience I recommend.
Once you park your boat or kayak, there’s a trail that leads towards the lighthouse. Along the trail you’ll notice a few interesting things, most notably – an old pick up truck that’s slowly getting covered in moss.
As you walk along the path, you’ll also see what was the lighthouse keepers home.
Battle Island Lighthouse
The Battle Island Lighthouse is a really incredible thing to see in person and if you do get the chance to visit, I highly recommend it.
In previous years, some visitors were even lucky enough to meet the lighthouse keeper and get a private, personal tour of the Battle Island lighthouse. The lighthouse keeper still had access to the home and lighthouse even though the lighthouse had not been in use for years. My parents happened to be some of those lucky visitors. He told my parents a story of a time the windows at the top of the lighthouse had been broken from the waves. Which just goes to show how powerful Lake Superior can be on a stormy day.
Climbing up the lighthouse is now closed to the public.
Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Falls is one of the best waterfalls in Northwestern Ontario. It’s located within the Rainbow Falls Provincial Park and only about 5 minutes from Rossport. I definitely recommend visiting Rainbow Falls. You can read more about it here.
Where to eat in Rossport
Serendipity
The Serendipity Cafe & Restaurant has been a staple in Rossport for over 30 years. They serve a range of food including locally caught fish, chicken, quiche, stir frys, and prime rib.
The closest other restaurants are in the surrounding towns of Schreiber which is 15 minutes away or Terrace Bay which is 25 minutes.
Where to stay in Rossport
AirBnbs
As with any small village, there aren’t a lot of options for places to stay in Rossport, Ontario but some locals have opened up their camps (cottages) to rent. Most of them allow pets.
Below are a few options:
I’ll keep adding to this list if I see or hear of anymore places to stay in Rossport, Ontario.
If you get a chance to visit Rossport, Ontario and take in the incredible views of Lake Superior it’s really a beautiful quaint community to visit.
