Ontario park has breathtaking landscapes formed by 450 million-year-old meteorite

If you're looking for a getaway with a celestial connection, look no further: Slate Islands Provincial Park has some of the best views of any Ontario Park. 

And it's all, apparently, thanks to a giant, prehistoric crater. 

Slate Islands, just outside of Terrace Bay, Ont., is a tranquil and picturesque wonder, situated in the far northern part of Lake Superior. The impact of a meteor that struck the area 450 million years ago forged the Slate Islands, an Ontario park like no other. 

The islands form a seven-kilometre-wide archipelago with two main islands and five smaller ones. Ontario parks with rugged shorelines and clear blue waters are plentiful, but this park is unique in a very different way. It happens to be the best-preserved, medium-sized meteor impact structure on Earth, according to the Ontario Geological Survey. 

Most of the crater's impact can only be seen underwater, although some of it peaks from above. Photo: Ontario Geological Survey 

The Slate Islands, among other things, boast dramatic cliffs and serene beach scenes — but its geological history is most definitely "the selling point," says Peter Hollings, Professor of Geology at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. 

According to him, that meteor formed a crater that's estimated to be about 30 km across, with most of the crater under Lake Superior. 

Other evidence of the meteorite is determined by shatter cones, including one measuring 30 feet, on the shore of one of the islands. 

"It's an amazingly beautiful spot with this series of smallish islands in the middle on the edge of Lake Superior," he said. "Just a beautiful spot."

Slate Islands is mainly accessible by water. Photo: Terrace Bay Tourism 

Lisa Harrington, a superintendent with Ontario Parks, says the Slate Islands has always been known "for its fascinating geology," she said. 

"It is truly a one-of-a-kind park," said Harrington, who added that the experience of the vast wilderness and rock formations interests visitors looking for a unique adventure."

Hollings himself has co-led tours to the islands for some years as well, through the Institute on Lake Superior Geology. You can also take tours of the island via kayak through Naturally Superior Adventures, as well as Sail Superior.

In addition to its natural beauty, the Slate Islands offer an outstanding supply of wildlife, so animal lovers will be keen to find themselves here too. 

See all kinds of wildlife on the islands. Photo: Bluebird Charter Boat 

The park is home to caribou, beaver, hare, fox and all sorts of shorebirds. If you need a break from the ordinary, it’s definitely the right place for nature wanderers and adventurers alike. 

Terrace Bay Tourism says there are an estimated 100 caribou on the islands — although shy by nature, according to their website. But if you're lucky, they do make appearances from time to time and have been seen around campsites. 

On the islands, there are also remnants of two Indigenous settlements and an "unusual collection of rocks," said Hollings, which include rocks that are billions of years old. 

So, if you're searching for a kayaking expedition or an unforgettable escape in the wilderness this summer, then the Slate Islands might be unlike anything else on your bucket list. 

Slate Islands Provincial Park is open year-round and is a non-operating, natural environment provincial park.