Located near the quaint and cozy village of Rossport, Ontario, Rainbow Falls Provincial Park is in an advantageous location to explore Lake Superior’s North Shore. It has a bit of everything that makes a camping trip great, in our opinion, close by. That includes lakeside camping, stunning Canadian Shield scenery, waterfalls, hiking, kayaking in the Rossport archipelago, and swimming in the warmer Whitesand Lake.
Though this small provincial park might not seem like much on a map, there’s enough to see and do here for several days.
The North Shore of Lake Superior, including the lands and waters of Rainbow Falls Provincial Park, are in the Robinson-Superior Treaty. These lands and waters are the traditional territory, home and gathering place for the Annishinaabe peoples of Netmizaaggaming Nishnaabeg, a signatory to the Robin-Superior Treaty of 1850.
In Ojibwe, Lake Superior is called gitchi-gami, which means “large body of water” or “great sea.”
Rainbow Falls Provincial Park Information
How to get there
This Ontario Park is made up of two sections within a few minutes’ drive from one another, between Rossport and Schreiber, Ontario, on Highway 17. The closest major centre is Thunder Bay, which is located about 230 km to the east.
Camping at Rainbow Falls Provincial Park
Campsites at Rainbow Falls Provincial Park are reservable. Reserve with Ontario Parks.
Rossport Campground
Rainbow Falls Provincial Park – Rossport Campground is located right on Lake Superior, alongside the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area. It’s a small campground, with only 36 sites (23 have electrical service). Most of the campsites offer privacy, as it’s located in a grassy birch grove, but you can see the lake from almost anywhere in the park.
It has a comfort station, complete with washrooms, showers and laundry facilities. It also has a day-use area by the shore, a picnic shelter, and you can purchase firewood and ice from the registration booth at the gate. There is a water refill station for your RV, but you’ll have to use the sani-dump at Whitesand Lake Campground to empty your tanks.
If you’re lucky enough to snag a beachside campsite, you’ll enjoy epic views of the lake while sitting around your campfire. If not, we suggest choosing one of the wooded campsites on the outside of the main loop. While they are not serviced, they’re the most private and still only steps from the beach.
Whitesand Lake Campground
Rainbow Falls Provincial Park – Whitesand Lake Campground is just up the road on the north side of Highway 17. This is where you can access the trail to Rainbow Falls. It’s a larger campground in the forest, with 100 sites (about half have electrical service), and includes pull-through sites.
It has a centralized, barrier-free access comfort station with washrooms and showers. There are pit toilets located throughout the park for easy access from all camping loops. It also has a playground, boat launch and sandy beach with a swimming area.
The Whitesand Loop is the most private, as the sites are all tucked into the trees. However, the Lakeside loop is on a hill and offers views of the lake through the woods.
Things to do at Rainbow Falls Provincial Park
Rainbow Falls
- Length: 2.2 km return
- Difficulty: Easy to moderate. There are stairs.
- Time: 1 hour
The hike to see the Rainbow Falls is easy and family-friendly. It leads through a dense forest, along boardwalks (there are a few stairs) to view several different falls. You’ll cross a bridge that is directly over the water, so you can watch the water cascade over rocky ledges. The trail leads to a scenic lookout, but you’ll enjoy the river and various-sized waterfalls along the way.
If you keep going, you’ll find yourself on the Casque Isle Hiking Trail to the Schreiber Channel.
Paddle on Whitesand Lake
We spent a morning paddling on calm Whitesand Lake. Canoe and kayak rentals are available; book yours and pay at the registration booth at Whitesand Campground. The lake is surrounded by dense forest, with a few cabins on the far shore. There are also several bays and inlets to explore, which makes for an interesting paddle.
Beach Day and swimming at Whitesand Lake
East Beach has a fantastic day-use area, which is perfect for visitors who are camping at the Rossport Campground and coming into Whitesand Lake for the day. It has a little sandy beach, a dock and a boat launch. You’ll also find pit toilets, a picnic shelter and several picnic sites.
The water at Whitesand Lake is clear and much warmer than Lake Superior. It’s the perfect place for little kids to build sand castles and wade in the water, and for taking a refreshing dip on a hot day!
Explore the shores of Lake Superior
The beach at the Rossport Campground is both sandy and pebbly, flanked by Mclean Creek on one side and stunning rock formations on the other. You could easily spend a couple of hours relaxing on the beach, and if you’re brave enough on a hot day, taking a dip in Lake Superior.
Exploring the shoreline is also fun, especially for kids, as they’ll love climbing and hopping around the rocks. They might even find tadpole pools in crevasses filled with lake and rainwater. Hiking along the rocky shoreline is my son’s favourite thing to do here.
Paddle on Lake Superior
The Rossport Campground is located near the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area and Rossport Archipelago, a series of islands that help protect the area from the wind and waves that can churn up this inland sea. It provides a sheltered and beautiful place to explore in a sea kayak.
We took a guided half-day tour with S.A.N.D. Adventures (Such a Nice Day Adventures), a local kayaking outfit in Rossport. Our knowledgeable guide took us through some of the closer islands, sharing some of the natural and cultural history of each island. You can read about that adventure and what you can expect in this post: Kayaking the Rossport Archipelago of Lake Superior.
S.A.N.D Adventures also rents sea kayaks and includes drop-off and pickup at the Rossport Campground. If you’re experienced and would like to take a self-guided trip, this is a great option.
Note: Lake Superior is unpredictable, and weather, wind and waves can change drastically and without warning. It is not suitable for recreational kayaks, and you should only attempt a self-guided trip if you have a sea kayak and paddling experience.
Hiking at Rainbow Falls Provincial Park
Rainbow Falls Provincial Park is along the 52 km Casque Isles Trail section of the Voyageur Trail that runs between Rossport, Schreiber and Terrace Bay. The Rainbow Falls Trail is part of this trail, but the park also offers other hiking trails you can check out.
Back 40 Lookout Trail
- Distance: 3.5 km return
- Difficulty: Moderate with challenging sections
- Time: 1.5 hours
Climb a decommissioned road up to views of Whitesand Lake and the surrounding hills. Check out the view!
Superior Trail
- Distance: 2.2 km return
- Difficulty: Moderate with challenging sections
- Time: 1 hour
This hike takes you up to the top of a granite ridge with lovely views of vast Lake Superior.
Schreiber Channel Section – Casque Isle Trail
- Length: 13 km
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Time: 5-6 hours
This section of the famous Casque Isle Trail, part of the Voyageur Trail, is accessible from Whitesand Lake’s trailhead to the Rainbow Falls Trail. Follow the trail along the cascades and continue on to find several lookouts with exceptional views. These include the Selim Lookout, Twin Harbours, Flint Island and the Winston Point Lookout.
Things to do a short drive from Rainbow Falls Provincial Park
Kayak Tours and Rentals
As mentioned, you can rent kayaks from Rossport or take a guided half-day, day or even multi-day tour. Such a Nice Day (S.A.N.D) Adventures offers tours and rentals and can drop off kayaks and gear at the Rossport Campground. They also offer sea kayak training and education.
Artisan Shopping in Rossport
Rossport is a charming coastal village and home to a few artisan galleries. You could spend some time visiting the galleries and get something to eat or drink at the friendly Serendipity Gardens Café. You can support local artists and get a meaningful souvenir.
Island Pottery: Find beautiful pottery handmade by Tim Alexander at this unique indoor-outdoor pottery gallery. Everything is fired in a two-chambered Japanese-style climbing kiln, and there is a good selection of mugs, plates, bowls, teapots, serving dishes and more. View Island Pottery.
Painter by the Lake: Inspired by the magnificent landscapes of the North Shore that surround her, artist Beverley Turpin creates beautiful paintings and displays them at her outdoor gallery. The gallery is open most sunny spring-summer-fall days, or can be viewed and purchased by appointment. Contact Beverley for details!
Schreiber Discovery Centre & Railway Museum
If you have a little (or big) train fan, take a 10-minute drive to the town of Schreiber and check out the rail museum. The museum showcases Schreiber’s unique history as one of the oldest railway communities along the North Shore. You can view model trains, CP Rail antiques, train-related treasures and check out two refurbished train cars. There are also a few places in town to grab a bite to eat.
Plan your trip to the Schreiber Discovery Centre & Railway Museum.
Aguasonbon Gorge
A little further towards Terrace Bay, about 20 minutes from Rainbow Falls Provincial Park, you’ll find the Aguasabon Falls and Gorge. It is a park-and-look type stop, with a short boardwalk from the parking lot leading you right to a viewing platform that looks directly down the gorge and at the 100-foot water fall.
Rainbow Falls Provincial Park is the perfect home base for exploring the North Shore of Lake Superior. There are plenty of activities in and near the park, and the campgrounds make for a peaceful and relaxing holiday.
