Here's everything you need to know about visiting Potholes park!
I scoured all kinds of blog posts and news articles, compiling the coolest bucket list ever - and we’ve been actively picking away at that list, ever since we bought our RV in 2023.
Potholes Provincial Nature Reserve was one of the first places to make it to that list.
It’s a day use only park area, with a location - about 35 minutes east of Wawa, or about 3 hours north of Sault Ste. Marie - that
doesn’t exactly make for a nice convenient picnic stop, though!
This tiny provincial park is known for its short interpretive trail, which is basically the entirety of the attraction.
It’s a gorgeous little walk through a vibrant Boreal forest, before quickly coming upon the main attraction - an area of glacial potholes, miniature waterfalls, and just some really cool rock formations in general.
While it’s pretty much a quick, roadside attraction... it’s definitely one of the cooler ones we’ve been to, and well worth the drive to go see it!
Let us tell you all about it!
The Basics:
Location Name: Potholes Provincial Park / Potholes Provincial Nature Reserve
Address: No street address, coordinates are Latitude: 47.958493, Longitude: -84.26831 (Click Coordinates for Google Maps location)
Website: www.ontarioparks.com/park/potholes
Price Ontario Provincial Parks uses a pricing matrix across all their parks. See 2025 Day Use Fees for more details.
Reservations: Ontario Parks Reservations
Park Classification: Nature Reserve
Season: May 16, 2025 to September 21, 2025
Logistics
Planning a visit to Potholes Provincial Park was incredibly frustrating - the address given is for the park office, an hour away from the park.
If you put “Potholes Provincial Park” into Google Maps, NOTHING comes up. Zooming into the area where it SHOULD be doesn’t help, either - it’s just not on the map at all.
So, I took the park map and made note of where the bends in the main highway were, relative to where it said the park was. Then, I opened Google maps to see where - based on those particular bends in the highway - Potholes Provincial Park *should* be located.
We took off in that general direction, hoping that there would be obvious highway signage.
In the end, it turned out that my estimation based on rod bends was really accurate - I got us to less than a km before the park entrance!
For reference, it’s just past km marker 54, when coming from Wawa.
Also of note: A sign at the highway says that the park is 1km in... the parking lot is a block off the highway, nowhere near a km in.
Registration and Check In
We had a camping permit from Rabbit Blanket Lake on the day we visited, so we weren’t overly concerned about the logistics of reservation fees and such at Potholes Provincial Park.
(A current, valid Provincial Parks camping permit acts as a day use permit / daily vehicle permit in MOST cases!)
We were assuming that - as an actual, operating park - there’d be either a gatehouse or something like either Oxtongue River-Ragged Falls Provincial Park or Lake on the Mountain Provincial Park, where there was at least a sign with a QR code.
We didn’t see anything at all like that - not even a sign telling you that you’d need a permit.
So, when we got back to our campsite, we looked into it. The park isn’t an option through the Ontario Parks reservations portal, so I guess parking is just free!
As you can imagine, there’s no check in process, in this case. You just pull in, park, and go about your visit.
Parking
As I mentioned, the parking area was about a block off the highway. It’s a large loop, but doesn’t have any marked parking spaces.
That said, there’s a wider area in front of the embankment with the washrooms, so I think you’re supposed to park there.
There was no one there at the time of our visit - on the Canada Day long weekend - so there was plenty of room for parking. You could definitely bring a large RV or trailer through there easily.
Whether or not you could actually PARK is going to depend on whether there are a bunch of other people there - but you won’t get stuck going in to check it out.
Washrooms
There are two vault toilets / pit toilets / outhouses right at the parking lot. They’re up a fairly steep incline, with several short trails leading up there.
They were clean and well maintained at the time of our visit.
Maps and Signage
The park map on the website is a fairly vague map of the area, with the park itself represented - very little detail.
There’s no trial head or standalone map sign at Potholes Provincial Park, but there was a small trail map on one of the educational sign cylinders.
It’s very straightforward, and the trail was mostly obvious the whole way.
That’s a good thing, because there was absolutely no directional signage or trail blazes anywhere, so far as we saw!
Accessibility
Potholes Provincial Park is not a very accessible park, so those with mobility issues should consider the following before visiting.
First of all, wheelchair users probably have access to one of the two picnic tables, but that’s about it. Neither the vault toilets nor the trail are wheelchair accessible.
For those with other mobility issues, it’s a maybe.
On the day of our visit, my knee was doing terribly. I managed to do the trail, but it was difficult and I paid for it later.
Also, I’m a figure skater - I’m not entirely sure I would have been able to handle it, were it not for my balance/reflexes/etc.
There are some steep inclines, rough rock faces to climb up, etc. The rocks were wet, and many were coated in lichen - which makes for a slippery go of things.
I definitely wouldn’t have been able to do it had I been in a walking boot, and wouldn’t recommend it for anyone using crutches or any kind of a rolling mobility aid.
A cane could work, if you’ve got generally good mobility/balance beyond the reason for using the cane.
Pets
There is absolutely no official information about pets at Potholes Provincial Park - not on the website, nor signage at the park.
So, where they don’t specifically ban dogs, it’s probably safe to say you can walk your dogs on the trail.
You’ll definitely want to keep them close by you and leashed in the area of the potholes, as it could be dangerous for them.
Beyond that, we’re assuming the standard rules apply: Leashed at all times, not allowed to harass other visitors and/or wildlife. Pick up after your dog, and properly dispose of the droppings.
Park Store
There is no park store at Potholes Provincial Park.
Visitor Centre
There is no visitor center at Potholes Provincial Park.
Day Use Area
There’s a small picnic area right next to the parking lot - one picnic table pretty much at the level of the parking lot, then another one a short way up the trail (before the trail splits off to go towards the washrooms.
It’s a SUPER cute area - both are easily accessed from the parking lot, but manage to feel kind of secluded at the same time. They’re surrounded by boreal forest, and have kind of a magical look & feel to them.
A really pretty place for a picnic!
Connectivity
Most of the highway between Wawa and Potholes Provincial Park had NO cell reception - we’re on Rogers Wireless.
So, we weren’t surprised to see that we didn’t have any cell reception at all in the parking lot.
That said, we were DEFINITELY shocked to see that we had fantastic coverage at the end of the trail, near the “The Boulders” display.
Porter ran a speed test and said that it was so fast, we could have streamed a movie there!
Miscellaneous
Due to the aforementioned lichen-covered rock face, we DEFINITELY recommend you wear appropriate hiking boots for this trail - ones with good traction.
Also, don’t skimp on the bug spray. In late June, we were definitely getting eaten alive on the trail!
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Entertainment and Activity
This is a very small park - with an even smaller area that’s publicly accessible - so the outdoor recreation opportunities are a bit limited.
Here’s what you’ll need to know:
Hiking
There is a single, short walking trail in the park - really, it IS the park:
The Potholes Trail
The park’s site says it’s 350 metres long, but it came out to 450 metres for us (one way)... and that’s without going off trail for closer looks at the unique rock formations and other natural wonders.
Anyway, it’s generally an easy-moderate trail - nothing too hardcore, but there are some steep-ish areas and rock face to navigate. If the area is wet, it gets really slippery - especially with all the lichen on the rocks.
Basically, everything we love about that type of scene, just... amped up, somehow. It looked MAGICAL!
After a short walk, you come to the main attraction, where the trail crosses the Kinniwabi River. This is where all the glacial potholes, miniature waterfalls, rock pools, etc are.
It was unique and VERY cool to see - curvy rocks forming different levels of visual interest, the rushing water around a curve reminding us of a waterslide, etc.
Just a lot of interesting and beautiful natural features to look at, in a very small area!
This area is known as “The Boulders”, and it’s a nice enough view of some of the upper area of the Kinniwabi River.
According to the trail map on one of the interpretive signs at the beginning of the trail, this is THE end of the trail. That said, the trail continues on, further into the park.
It gets more narrow shortly after passing the official end of the trail, and we have no idea what happens much beyond that point.
We were absolutely getting eaten alive by mosquitos at this point, so we decided to call it, and headed back to the car.
Really, a gorgeous little trail - and SUPER ADHD friendly!
Biking
Potholes Provincial Park doesn’t seem like a great place for biking, and the cycling icon is not highlighted on the park’s website.
Swimming
Potholes Provincial Park doesn’t seem like a great place for swimming, and the swimming icon is not highlighted on the park’s website.
Also, on the alerts page, it notes:
“There are no beaches in this park, or beaches that are tested for bacteria levels.”
Birding, Wildlife, and Nature
The park’s website mentions that Potholes Provincial Park is summer home / nesting grounds to hundreds of different species of songbirds, especially along the river.
The day we went was drizzly and overcast, though... so we kind of struck out in the birding department.
We didn’t really see ANY wildlife, but we heard Blue-Headed Vireo, Nashville Warbler, Red-Eyed Vireo, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, White-Throated Sparrow, and Yellow-Rumped Warbler.
I guess we had exhausted all of our wildlife viewing luck on the way in - between Rabbit Blanket Lake Campground and Potholes Provincial Park, we saw 3 moose - and one was a BABY!!
The first moose actually crossed the street in front of us, and right in front of a moose warning sign. We were so stunned, neither of us got a picture.
The second two moose were up on a ledge at the side of the road, and ran into the woods as we pulled over... so no pic there, either. The baby was SO cute though!
Anyway, we did see a ton of wild flowers, mosses, and lichens, though.
I kept up my streak of finding wild orchids (Lady Slipper / Mocassin Flower) pretty much everywhere lately, and there were some interesting circular growths on the rock face at the glacial potholes.
Boating
At least in terms of the easily-accessible areas - the trail and the potholes area - Potholes Provincial Park doesn’t seem like a great place for boating of any kind.
None of the boating / canoeing / kayaking / etc icons are highlighted on the park’s site, either.
Fishing
The park’s website has the fishing icon highlighted, so apparently you CAN go fishing at Potholes Provincial Park...
... There’s just no information about doing so, whether on the park’s website, or at the park itself.
Discovery Program
There’s no ACTIVE Discovery Programming offered at Potholes Provincial Park, but there is a series of 5 interpretive panels along the trail.
This self guided educational tour has information on everything from the Algoma Circle Tour and the Potholes Trail itself, to all kinds of information on how this ancient glacial valley, and how the glacial meltwaters formed the various potholes and such in the park ... 10,000 years ago.
There was a panel about “The Survivors” - the plants of the area - and how they had adapted to grow in the sub-optimal conditions left by that glacial erosion.
They seemed really well done, and were interesting to read!
Niantic Games
We didn’t have enough cell reception to even open the apps in the parking lot, so we didn’t bother - and we forgot to check them, when we ran into good reception at the end of the trail.
So, I checked Ingress Intel when we got back to the campground - apparently there are NO portals, Pokestops, gyms, etc there - at all.
I would have submitted something, if I’d thought about it at the time!
Final Thoughts
LOVE this park. As Porter says, “It’s concentrated EVERYTHING”!
It’s a short trail, but one with a high concentration of lush Boreal forest, cool views, educational panels, etc.
Sure, it’s not super conveniently located - about an hour from the Rabbit Blanket Lake campground, and close to 2 hours from Agawa Bay Campground - but that might actually contribute to its charm.
Wandering that trail, just the two of us? It was ... ethereal. I don’t know if it would have had quite that “fairytale forest” feeling, had there been a bunch of other people at the time.
Even the picnic area was cute!
We’ll definitely be back!
More Northern Ontario Provincial Parks & Places to See
Want to read some more about the parks we've camped and at places we've seen in Northern Ontario? Here are some more posts!
Northern Ontario Campground Reviews:
Aaron Provincial Park
Agawa Bay Campground, Lake Superior Provincial Park
Blue Lake Provincial Park
Caliper Lake Provincial Park
Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park
MacLeod Provincial Park
Neys Provincial Park
Ojibway Provincial Park
Pakwash Provincial Park
Pancake Bay Provincial Park
Pukaskwa National Park
Quetico Provincial Park
Rabbit Blanket Lake, Lake Superior Provincial Park
Rainbow Falls Provincial Park
Rushing River Provincial Park
Sandbar Lake Provincial Park
Sioux Narrows Provincial Park
Sleeping Giant Provincial Park
White Lake Provincial Park
Northern Ontario Places to See:
Aguasabon Falls & Gorge
Amethyst Mine Panorama
Batchawana Bay
Chippewa Falls
Kakabeka Falls
Mink Creek Falls
Old Woman Bay
Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park
Roy Wilson Suspension Bridge
Sand River Falls
Scenic High Falls
Temagami Fire Tower
Terrace Bay Beach
Want to explore beyond Northern Ontario? Check out our full list of Campground Reviews, Ontario Waterfalls, and other Places to See.
We also have a ton of Camping Recipes to cook up, while on your adventures!
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