Monalisa Dash Dwibedy
It’s one of most beautiful trips to experience the fall colors of Northern Ontario, Canada.
We have been planning to see the northern Ontario fall colors since last two years. This year, we went ahead with our autumn trip to Sault Ste. Marie, a northern Ontario city which is 700 kilometers away from Toronto.
When you travel to a new place, the first thing you learn is how to pronounce the name of the city correctly. Sault Ste. Marie is pronounced as “‘Shu Saint Marie” and you will not know it until you hear it from the local people.
The city name originates from “Saults de Sainte-Marie”, archaic French for “Saint Mary’s Falls”, a reference to the rapids of Saint Mary’s River. Situated at the heart of the Great Lakes, along the banks of the St. Mary’s River, Sault is a leading producer of Northern Ontario’s steel, forestry products, renewable energy and much more.
The Agawa canyon tour train starts from 87 Huron street, downtown of Sault Ste Marie. As you get cozy in your coach, let the train leisurely take you back to an era where the beauty of the autumn never ends.
Along with breathtaking fall colors, on this 114 miles train journey you view a lot of small lakes of Algoma County still carving their path to Lake Superior. As most of these small lakes are excellent spots for fishing, you will learn why northern Ontario lakes have won the hearts of fishermen and hobbyists alike.
As the Algoma landscape changes through the tinted glass windows of the train; from brilliant red to golden yellow and fiery orange , you marvel at the beauty of nature and the science behind it .
When the green chlorophyll pigment fades as the weather gets colder and the daylight shortens in autumn, that’s when two other chemicals – caratinoids and anothocyanin – which give leaves yellow and red colors, become more visible.
You never know what a train trip can do to you. It helps you reflect on the force of nature and history human beings of the land. It also makes you ponder how the summer’s greenery gives way to warm hues of fall. The trees which contribute to the spectacular fall colors are primarily maples and oaks.
Especially Red Maple and Sugar Maple trees. Red maple is the most abundant native tree in eastern and central North America. Red oaks get a deeper wine-colored red. Sugar maples make stately trees with unparalleled hues of red, orange, and yellow—sometimes all on the same leaf!
As the train pulled to a stop at mile 114, we had an hour and half to explore the jewel of the tour, the Agawa canyon park which is only accessible by rail .The park is home to many hiking trails, mountain lookout sand two very beautiful waterfalls called Bridal veil falls and Black beaver falls. There is no Mobile network at the park.
When you visit a place like Agawa canyon, you leave a piece of yourself there and acquire a piece of the ecstatic nature. It’s the part of the nature that remains in your breath and in sparkle of your eyes for years to come.
