Our Offbeat Life contains affiliate links & participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program & other affiliate programs. If you buy something using an Amazon or other link, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. See our Disclosure for more details.
Searching for a True Hidden Gem for Fishing and Hiking? Bet You’ve Never Heard of Rock Lake Ontario!
Wondering what there is to see and do at Rock Lake Ontario? You’ve come to the right place!
My family vacationed at the same rental property on this lake in South-central Ontario, Canada for decades. It started with my grandparents bringing my mom and her siblings in the 1960s!
Rock Lake Ontario has fishing, hunting, hiking and all the outdoors activities one could want while unplugging from every day life for a while. So let’s jump in and talk about where to stay and what to do at Rock Lake Ontario!
Rock Lake Ontario Overview
Rock Lake in Ontario, Canada is a hidden gem rarely mentioned on websites or social media. It’s located outside Bruce Mines, which is a small town of about 750 people an hour’s drive east of Sault Sainte Marie.
Rock Lake was created by the recession of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. The Great Lakes in the Midwestern US were formed by the same massive glacier.
Things to Do at Rock Lake Ontario
From canoeing and fishing to napping or watching the lake, a variety of activities are available. There is never a shortage of ways to pass the time for any age or inclination.
Even my grandfather looked forward to the annual family vacation, possibly more than we did. After all, he had all his grandchildren in one place for a solid week.
Maybe it was just the availability of head cheese and dill pickle chips, neither of which could be easily found in the US until much more recently.
☑️ Fishing
One of my favorite fish stories is my grandfather’s obsession with the picnic-table-sized sturgeon in Rock Lake. Sturgeon fishing is a full season in early spring each year!
Unlike a “the one who got away” story, I saw this one. We weren’t even fishing either. From shore, we saw a sturgeon the length of a picnic table jump out of the water!
Even David heard the story when he came with me to Rock Lake in Ontario the first time in 2004. No one believed my grandfather or me until several years later.
Finally, someone actually caught that thing and brought it to shore for a photo op before releasing it back into the lake. No fish that beautiful deserves to be eaten or hung on a wall.
☑️ Hiking
The bluffs surrounding Rock Lake in Ontario are awe inspiring. I’ve been hiking them since I was a preteen and still get breathless seeing the beautiful, panoramic views each time I reach the summits.
No amount of photography can truly do justice to the natural tranquility up there. One trail has gotten popular enough to earn a website mention and naming sign.
We’ve always called the hiking path the blueberry bluffs because it’s where we’d go to pick wild blueberries for muffins. However, it’s now known as the Rock Lake Overlook. If you’re ever in the Bruce Mines area, add this to your must-see list.
When hiking the Rock Lake Overlook, make sure to take ample drinking water as well as your cell phone and a personal GPS. The trail isn’t always well marked, and once you’re up on the bluffs a lot of it looks the same.
You may even get cell service up on the overlook to make a couple phone calls! At the very least, you’ll want your cell phone for selfies and panoramas.
Where to Stay at Rock Lake Ontario
Although the vacation cabins where I grew up staying are no longer open to the public, there is one cabin with basic amenities listed on Airbnb. It’s also in fairly close proximity to the Rock Lake Overlook hiking trail.
If you travel with tents or RVs, this campground is now open to the public. I have never stayed there, so I cannot vouch for how great it is. Apparently they also offer weekly cabin rentals, but be forewarned they are likely very rustic.
That said, the location is in close proximity to one of the two public boat ramps on the lake. This makes it excellent for fishing.
The closest boat ramp is also at the public beach, so traveling families can let their kids enjoy the water safely while adults launch the boat. Just take your own drinks and snacks to the beach because there aren’t any formal amenities there.
Final Thoughts on Rock Lake Ontario
If you choose to visit Rock Lake, and hunt down my favorite hiking trails, be prepared to give up cell service. Reception with any carrier is spotty at best because the lake is nestled down in a valley surrounded by old, dense rocky bluffs with few cell towers.
Disconnecting is worth the time, though, because you’ll get to reconnect with unspoiled nature. Watch out for black bears and bobcats roaming the woods.
I’ve seen both, and they’re breathtaking, too…although more for the fear and shock than beauty at first glance. Just hope you have a car separating you from nature on those dusty dirt roads.
