Artillery Range

N 47°03.457’ W 084°45.667’

47.05761 -84.76111

 

Originally, when I found this spot exploring, four years ago, it was a little rougher and hadn’t been posted by the ministry. This year, free camping allowed, posted with an admonition about maintaining the cleanliness. A beautiful and horridly rugged piece of Lake Superiors basalt shoreline. Loose rocks and basins are everywhere to explore. Other travellers informed me it was the Mamainse point anti-aircraft practice range in WWII. If you’re there for a bit you’ll see members of the Sault Ste. Marie diving club come there looking for relics while practising their diving. The Royal Canadian Army's 40th AA Battery (heavy) took up post in Steelton August 1942. They practised with 3.7-inch AA guns over Lake Superior until being withdrawn only two years later. If you poke around in the super thick brush, you might trip over the rock platforms with the bolts the used to anchor the armaments down. I’ve been here watching the orange lichens blaze in contrast to the blue waters on a sunny day. Swarms of swallowtail butterflies all feeding in a field right by the water. There are a couple of large openings along the shore with a few sites and there is almost always someone there. There are also numerous established campsites set off down the dirt trails too. The dense foliage separates you from the highway muffling the sounds of the traffic. I’ve never seen it messy yet, although some people leave ropes and other accoutrements up. There are zero facilities, just fire pits and fields. I hope that if you do stay over you do your part to help keep it that tidy, if not even better. Carry out all your garbage and minimise your own footprint when you leave. As a side note, I had no reception but my neighbour was streaming videos. You will need shoes for swimming.