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Daytripper: A river runs through it

Every week BayToday.ca contributor Bill Walton will be writting about daytrips it's possibile to take in the area. This week Walton looks at River Valley.
Every week BayToday.ca contributor Bill Walton will be writting about daytrips it's possibile to take in the area.
This week Walton looks at River Valley.


A sojourn to River Valley is more of an outing to see and enjoy the great northern outdoors than a trip back in history. In fact, Google could not come up with any pages of interest for either River Valley or Field. Most of us can remember the big flood at Field a few years ago, and that flood seems to have flushed much of the history of this old lumbering town down river. Before that there was the summer tornado that hit the town on its way across the region. The wind was calm on my trip and the river was well within its banks.

My trip followed Hwy 11 north from the city, with a turnoff planned at Hwy 64, (map rv1) just north of Marten River. But first a stop at an old fishing hole, Wickstead Lake. The right turn onto Marten Lake Road will take you across two narrow bridges.
Marten Lake looks very inviting and might be a good spot for a cool wade on the sandy beach if the kids or hubby are getting restless after only 50 kms. Just past the second bridge is a trail to the Wickstead Lake launch site.

I met a young couple on this one-lane trail from southern Ontario who had heard that Wickstead was a great place to canoe. I confirmed this, recommending a paddle up the east side of the lake that would take them away from the power boats that travel up the westerly side to avoid rocks and shallows. Judging from the number of cars parked in the bush, the fishing must be under a lot more pressure than in my days when you could fish Wickstead and not see a soul. There is a control dam at the foot of the lake and recent rain has kept the water flowing well.

Back on the highway, I was admiring the pines that are prominent in this area. I had not thought much about their size until I compared them to the hydro poles running along the road. If the poles are 45 feet tall, these pines were running close to 125 feet! I stopped at Red Cedar Lake picnic ground to take photo of the two giants that stand there. One measured 115 inches around the butt!

A loon out on the lake made a comment about the rumble of the motorcycle so I headed on out south on Hwy 64.

This trip would be a great way to introduce your southern friends to the north. All along Hwy 64 are outcrops of the Canadian Shield– places where amateur rock hounds could collect samples of some of the oldest rock in the world. I thought I found gold at one point, but my wife said the rock was appropriately named ‘fool’s gold.'

This is moose country so keep an eye for these large critters. There are numerous beaver ponds along the road and these may interest novice explorers. Spotted this day were one bald eagle and a woodcock that exploded out of the grass at the beaver dam.

Just before you come to Field you pass under a bridge where you turn right onto Hwy 539 to River Valley and Desaulniers. I remember Desaulniers as a siding from my days working for the CNR – the tracks are long gone, the rail bed now part of the Canada Trail system. As you approach River Valley the terrain changes back to hills and bush and you are now in lumbering country.

River Valley is a small town that boasts a new school, modern church and a large outdoor rink that must be the centre of attraction during the winter. There were signs indicating a Blue Grass Festival at the park but I heard no banjos. This is 4-wheeler country so watch for these ubiquitous machines along the roadway.

Just north of the town, the Temagami River shows its spirit with a set of rapids that would challenge those canoeists I met earlier in the day.

Hwy 539 continues north for a few kilometres where in turns into Hwy 805, a gravel road that leads to Obabika Lake. I left that trip for another day and began to retrace my steps towards Field. If you have already seen Field you may want to take 539 South to Warren to explore new territory. Back into open land, I came across a sheep farm whose inhabitants needed a good trimming with the sheep shears.

Field has a couple of chip stands that always seem to have truckers parked outside, so I assume the fresh chips are good. I am not allowed poutine, but the pickerel and chips smelled awfully good at Demers.

I know there is a Tim’s in Sturgeon Falls, so depending on the state of your passengers' tummies, you may have to make a serious choice.

A side trip to Crystal Falls is an option. This is an old lumbering town that has morphed into tourism as its main business. A hydro generating station is also located at the namesake on the river, but you cannot get near the falls because of OPG fenced property.

Highway 64 is in excellent condition. Highway 539 is in good condition with a few short stretches of rougher paved surface that reminded me of Jane Street.
Total Distance: 200 kms round trip. Time for the trip – all the time in the world.

Next week's Daytripper: South River.

Do you have any local daytrips to recommend? Submit them
with comments to [email protected] and we'll run them following the article.