French River Provincial Park, Ontario

Once a major travel corridor for native Americans, the French River flows for 105 kilometres from Lake Nipissing to Georgian Bay. The park’s landscape consists of rugged hills and dense forests, channels, bays and many lakes that interconnect along this expansive waterway system making it a favourite destination because of the variety of water-based recreational activities such as kayaking, canoeing, sailing and angling.

French River Provincial Park is a nice place to stop if you are on your way to either Killarney Provincial Park or Sudbury. There is a Visitor Centre just 2 minutes off of Hwy 69 with a gift shop and many interpretative displays that provide a history of the area and its geology. From the visitor centre be sure to hike the short trail to the scenic Recollet Falls nearby. It’s a short hike roughly 30-45 minutes return and is a good place to have lunch. Don’t miss the view of the French River Gorge from the 300 ft suspension bridge that crosses it. This cable supported bridge was built by the local snowmobile club. Its span is 300 ft and rises 50 ft above the French River.

 
View of the French River from the snowmobile bridge

 
View of Highway 69 and bridge from snowmobile bridge

 


 
French River snowmobile bridge

 
View of typical Canadian Shield cliffs while hiking along the French River to Recollet Falls.

 
Recollet Falls


 
Recollet Falls

   
Recollet Falls

French River Provincial Park can be assessed by Hwy 69 about 70 kms south of Sudbury.