Atikokan: Culture, Canoe Trips and Winter Sports

Atikokan combines cultural history with opportunities for outdoor activities. The museum, a walking tour of murals and mining exhibits, and the Pictograph Gallery offer different insights into the town and its art. Wilderness areas and natural attractions are also nearby. When planning your trip, you can choose between cultural attractions in Atikokan, canoe trips and other activities in the region.

Cultural History and Art in Atikokan

The Museum of Atikokan is set up for self-guided tours, with interpretive labels explaining the significance of the exhibits. The Atikokan Museum collects and preserves records and artifacts relating to the history of Atikokan and the surrounding area, and makes them accessible to the public. The museum’s Historical Park features outdoor exhibits on the forestry and mining industries. This gives visitors two different ways to explore the museum’s themes: a tour with interpretive labels and the outdoor exhibits.

The Downtown Atikokan Walking Tour also features murals and mining exhibits. The Pictograph Gallery showcases works by local and regional artists and craftspeople. It offers a different focus from the museum and walking tour, putting the creators and their work at the centre. The gallery also holds an annual Christmas sale featuring works by local artists and craftspeople. Check the dates and public access arrangements for this sale before your trip.

Canoe Trips, Water and Scenery

Quetico Provincial Park, a wilderness park and a destination for backcountry canoe trips, is near Atikokan. More than 2,000 lakes and 460,000 hectares of remote wilderness give a sense of the scale of this area. The Path of the Paddle is a 1,200-kilometre water trail for canoes and kayaks. It passes through the Heart of the Continent and Quetico Provincial Park, ending in Atikokan. The Museum of Atikokan’s Historical Park is a landing point on this route. This offers different ways to explore the water: a nearby destination for backcountry canoe trips and a longer water trail that ends in Atikokan.

Little Falls, a 50-foot-high waterfall with a picnic shelter, benches and a boardwalk, is in the area around Atikokan. Little Falls Golf Course is a nine-hole course. From the seventh hole, you can enjoy a scenic view of the namesake waterfalls; views of the Atikokan River can be seen throughout the course. At the 50-foot-high waterfall, there is a picnic shelter, benches and a boardwalk; the nine-hole Little Falls Golf Course offers views of the waterfalls from the seventh hole and of the Atikokan River throughout the course.

Activities and Recreation Facilities

Charleson Recreation Area has mountain biking trails for all skill levels. In winter, the Beaten Path Nordic Ski Club maintains 35 kilometres of groomed cross-country ski trails for skating and classic skiing in Atikokan and the surrounding area. The Atikokan Snowmobile Club maintains more than 500 kilometres of wilderness snowmobile trails across the wider region of Northwestern Ontario. The 35 kilometres of groomed cross-country ski trails extend across Atikokan and the surrounding area; the Atikokan Snowmobile Club’s snowmobile trail network is in Northwestern Ontario.

Curling and other recreational facilities are also available locally. The Atikokan Curling Club has a four-sheet facility at Little Falls Recreation Centre. Club offerings include mixed doubles, league play, the Little Rockers Curling Program and a Learn to Curl Program in partnership with local school sports. The Town of Atikokan’s Recreation & Wellness Centre includes a 14,580-square-foot ice surface, a 25-metre swimming pool and multipurpose rooms.

Practical Information

The Quetico Provincial Park office in Atikokan has a park store that sells park souvenirs. Permits for Quetico Provincial Park entrances controlled by the Atikokan Entry Station can be purchased at one of the entry stations. Atikokan’s Travel Information Centre is open every summer and provides information about restaurants, accommodations, events and things to do in the area. This seasonal information service complements the range of cultural and recreational interests that can shape a stay in Atikokan throughout the year.

Discover more destinations: Rainy River

Return to the main travel overview: Rainy River District.