Your Perfect Fall Day is Only 25 Minutes Away from Thunder Bay
Amanda Bay
October 14, 2026
There’s a very specific kind of fall day in Thunder Bay! You know the one… when the sky is that crisp (almost too blue), the air smells like leaves and someone’s wood stove, and you wake up with this feeling that if you spend it inside folding laundry, you’ll regret it by January. So our advice, listen to that feeling and get in the car.
Kakabeka Falls is a 25-minute drive west of the city, which is roughly the length of one good playlist. And in the fall? It’s by far one of the best little day trips around here. Waterfall, trails, crunchy leaves, baked goods, and a legendary burger….that’s the plan. Our tip: Take Harstone Road to get there for some really pretty fall views, lined by fiery red and orange trees and ponds.
Before you even think about the falls, swing into the Metropolitan Moose Beanery & Café. It’s right in the heart of the village, directly on your way to the park.
The Moose has been feeding Kakabeka since 2004, and walking in feels like visiting a relative (who owns a log house). They do homestyle cooking, baking, grow veggies and herbs in their own garden, and make a ridiculous amount of stuff from scratch.
Have you heard about the cookie pies? These things are stuffed with homemade fall fillings like apple, pecan, maple walnut, and caramel. If you don’t get one, will you think about it later? Absolutely.
Grab a Maple Latte for the road and before you leave, check out the shelves of canned preserves. Baba’s pickles are a must. The Extra Garlic and the Sweet Heat are our go-tos, and yes, you should buy two jars, because one won’t make it home.
Kakabeka Falls, AKA the “Niagara of the North,” is one of the highest and most powerful waterfalls in Ontario, dropping 40 metres into a rugged gorge on the Kaministiquia River. Standing there with your coffee while it roars below you is a great way to start your walk (the nice part is you don’t need to be a hardcore hiker to enjoy it). The park has a network of boardwalks and viewing platforms that get you right up to the action from multiple angles, on both sides of the falls. Some decks sit further down the gorge too, so that you can take in the full sweep of the river. Interpretive panels along the way share the area’s geology, its place in Indigenous history and the fur trade era, so you’ll leave with at least one fact to drop at dinner.
Okay, here’s the part people miss. Little Falls is tucked inside the park, and in the fall it’s magical. It’s a short-ish trail that winds through towering trees with leaves crunching under every step (the most satisfying sound of the season). Mid-loop, you’ll find a smaller cascade surrounded by quiet forest. Way fewer people than the main falls, so it feels a little like you’ve found a secret. Take a minute here and let the season actually sink in before you have to go back.
If you’ve still got some gas in the tank, there’s another “secret” Tbay spot right in Kakabeka: Cedar Falls Conservation Area. This one is all about pretty, cascading waterfall tumbles. The rapids of Cedar Creek are clear and almost soothing (it’s the kind of place where you stop talking without meaning to).The loop trail is just 1.7 kilometres, with stairs and railings that make it easy to get up close to the rapids safely. The forest floor is a whole world of mosses, mushrooms and lichens.
To get there, from Highway 11/17, turn left onto Highway 590, then left onto Garbutt Road, then left again onto Broome Road. The trailhead is at the turnaround. (Yes, that’s three lefts. No, you’re not lost.)
Finally: you earned a big, greasy lunch
After all that fresh air, you deserve a burger. Not a salad… a burger. Head just down the road to the Stanley Tavern. Fun fact: the community of Stanley shares its name with Lord Stanley, the same guy behind a certain hockey trophy you may have heard of. Fitting, because hockey team photos cover the walls at the tavern, and there’s a solid chance you’ll spot someone you know (or someone you went to high school with).
It’s a charming, no frills, hole-in-the-wall kind of place, and that’s exactly why people love it. Look out for their hours before you head out (open Thursday – Sunday). You’re here for one thing… the famous Stanley Burger. It’s a double-patty situation, and there’s just something about it. What makes it so good? Don’t ask. The recipe is in the vault, and nobody’s talking (our money’s on the relish). It looks like a lot for one person, but you can do it; we believe in you. Get the Frings on the side. That’s fries AND onion rings, because it’s too hard to choose.
Then stick around for a bit. There’s shuffleboard, pool tables and a jukebox, so if you’ve got a quarter and strong opinions about music, your afternoon is complete.
