Pukaskwa National Park

Pukaskwa National Park
Parc national Pukaskwa
IUCN category II (national park)
Southern Headland Trail
Location in Canada Show map of Canada Location in Ontario Show map of Ontario
Location	Ontario, Canada
Nearest city	Marathon
Coordinates	48°14′44″N 85°53′18″W / 48.24568°N 85.88821°W / 48.24568; -85.88821
Area	1,878 km2 (725 sq mi)
Established	1978
Visitors	17,285 (in 2022–23[1])
Governing body	Parks Canada

Pukaskwa National Park (/ˈpʌkəsɔː/ PUK-ə-saw)^[2] is a national park located south of the town of Marathon, Ontario in the Thunder Bay District of northern Ontario, Canada. Established in 1978, Pukaskwa is known for its vistas of Lake Superior and boreal forests. The park covers an area of 1,878 square kilometres (725 sq mi), and protects a part of the longest undeveloped shoreline anywhere on the Great Lakes.

The Hattie Cove Campground is located at the north end of the park and can be accessed via Highway 627, the only road access into the park. There are also a number of backcountry campsites located along the 60 km Coastal Hiking Trail which follows the north shore of Lake Superior. The Coastal Hiking Trail has two suspension bridges; one across the White River at Chigaamiwinigum and one across the Willow River. The Coastal Hiking Trail is part of the long-distance Voyageur Hiking Trail. Backcountry campsites are also located along the Coastal Paddling Route, the White River, and the Pukaskwa River. In 2017, the 24 km Mdaabii Miikna ("go to shore trail" in Ojibwe) was opened as a shorter backcountry alternative to the Coastal Hiking trail. It follows the coastline of Lake Superior in the sheltered Picture Rock Harbour.^[3]

Puskaskwa is an Indigenous word with a debatable meaning. Its possible meanings include "eaters of fish," "something evil," or "safe harbour." However, the Ojibway and Cree nations maintain "Pukasu" is the correct spelling. "The word "Pukasu" describes what people do when they cook the marrow inside the bones of animals. Remnants of a carcass are thrown into an open fire and left until any remaining meat has all burned away leaving the marrow cooked.^[4]