Ride the rails of the Agawa Canyon Train Tour through Northern Ontario’s pristine wilderness for a unique Canadian train experince.
The Agawa Canyon train tour
It is one of Canada’s most scenic train trips. Starting in Saute Ste Marie, the route takes you 114 miles/183 kilometres to the Canadian Shield.
Along the way, you will view forests, lakes, rivers, valleys, canyons and waterfalls. The Agawa Canyon train route is noted for its incredible burst of fall colours in the last few weeks of September and the first two weeks of October.
This breathtaking scenery inspired the famed Canadian Group of Seven artists to develop a unique Canadian style of painting not found anywhere else in the world. See a photo gallery of the area’s spectacular scenery.
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Discover the inspiration found by Canada’s famous Group of Seven artists when you travel on the Agawa Canyon Train Route. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Agawa Canyon Train Route
The train descends 500 feet/152 metres over 10 miles/16 kilometres, opening into Agawa Canyon. The canyon was formed and shaped by rock faults more than 1.2 billion years ago and then by the glacier ice retreat about 10,000 years ago.
Agawa Canyon Park is on the canyon floor. The train stops here for 1 1/2 hours, which allows you to wander along the trails to see the three waterfalls, climb more than 300 steps up to the viewpoint, or just relax and enjoy a quiet picnic.
The onboard train commentary explains the history and notable scenic areas along the Agawa Canyon train route.
Agawa Canyon Trails
River Trail
The River Trail on the east side of the tracks heads to Bridal Veil Falls. This trail will take 30 minutes round trip or you can return along the Talus route to North and South Black Beaver Falls for an added 10 minutes to the walk.
Video: Stunning Bridal Veil Falls the Canyon Park
The Talus Trail
The Talus Trail on the west side of the park leads to the viewing areas for North and South Black Beaver Falls. This will take 30 minutes round trip. Or continue further along the route to Bridal Veil Falls, which will make it a 40 minutes round trip. Some travellers will take the River Trail on the return trip.
Lookout Trail
The Lookout Trail climbs over 300 steps, 250 feet/76 meters to the viewing platform. This route can take 40 minutes for a return trip from the topmost lookout point.
Video: North Black Beaver Falls
Video: South Black Beaver Falls
The Group of Seven
- Various members of Canada’s Group of Seven painted here from 1918 to 1923.
Group of Seven inspired by the unique Canadian landscape of Agawa Canyon. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
- Some Group of Seven members who painted in this area included Lawren Harris, A.Y. Jackson, Franz Johnston, J.E.H. MacDonald and Arthur Lismer.
- A few members of the Group of Seven rented a rail boxcar outfitted to provide living quarters.
- The boxcar was unhooked in various areas along the Agawa Canyon train route, allowed the artists to remain close to their painting locations. This practice enabled them to concentrate on creating sketches for their soon-to-be world famous artwork.
- Group of Seven artists painted in the areas of Batchewana, Hebert and Agawa Station.
Unleash your inner artist on the Agawa Canyon Train Tour
On the return trip train back to Sault Ste. Marie, local watercolour artist Eileen Halfpenny provided a painting kit, encouragement and a postcard representing the artwork of one member of the Group of Seven. We were inspired to create from the natural beauty of our surroundings. The art we produced may not have been gallery-worthy, but we sure shared a lot of laughs through the whole process.
This painting experience is not part of the Agawa Canyon Train Tour. Artist Eileen Halfpenny offers this service to groups for an additional charge.
Wendy Nordvik-Carr and Cat Lin, travel and food writers have fun learning to paint like famous Canadian painters, The Group of Seven.
Fast Facts
- The granite bedrock in the Agawa Canyon train route is one of the oldest rocks in the world. It dates back almost 2.5 billion years.
- The glacier ice shield once covered this area about 10,000 years ago, and the ice was up to one mile deep at that time.
- The first rails of the Algoma Central Railway were laid in 1900, with plans to run the railroad as far as Hudson’s Bay eventually.
- In 1952, the Algoma Central Railway became the first Canadian railroad to switch from steam to diesel.
- Agawa Canyon Park opened in 1952.
- The dedicated Agawa Canyon train route started in 1972.
Plan Your Trip
- Use plenty of high-quality bug spray or a bug jacket during early summer. There are many biting mosquitoes and black flies.
- Wear comfortable, sturdy walking or hiking shoes.
- When walking along the track, pay attention to train activity and always keep an eye on the children in your group.
- Be mindful of the time. The train must leave on schedule, but depending on the movement of other trains using the same track, the stop can be cut short.
- During the tour season, the Agawa Canyon Tour Train departs from the Sault Ste. Marie station at 8 a.m. and returns at 6 p.m.
- The ticket prices (subject to change) are as follows: Adults, $100.88; seniors, $91.15; and youth under 18, $54.87. Each ticket includes a $10 voucher that can be used to purchase food and non-alcoholic beverages onboard.
- Buy train tickets online. Reserve early to avoid disappointment during the peak season if you want to experience the fall colours in the last few weeks of September and the first two weeks of October.
- The tour is available in six languages: English, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Mandarin.
Getting There
Use Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario as a base to explore the area. This adventure will take a full day with eight hours of train travel. More information about “The Soo” (as locals call it) can be found here.
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About the Author:
Wendy Nordvik-Carr is a highly regarded travel writer who produces quality, well-researched articles with stunning photography and video.
She seeks out authentic experiences showcasing the people, culture and history that make each destination unique. Her focus is on solo, couple and multigenerational travel through cruising, air and road trip adventures.
Wendy is the editor & writer for LifesIncredibleJourney.com, an award-winning travel site that encourages exploration of destinations near & far.
She is a TMAC Director, Chair, National Governance Committee and Chair of TMAC's BC & Yukon Chapter, as well as a member of SATW, IFWTWA and NATJA.
Stunning photography. Keep sharing more interesting blog posts. I hope too see you very soon on my blog.