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Travelling east from North Bay along Hwy 17 takes you along the original route of the Voyageurs. On the way are historical markers pointing out the actual La Vase Portage used by Brûlé, Champlain and the multitude of Voyageurs during the 16th and 17th centuries. This waterway highway, used continually by waves of explorers, fur traders and early missionaries in the travels westward, took these earlier travellers up the Ottawa River, down the Mattawa River, across Talon and Trout Lakes, into Lake Nipissing and down the French River into Georgian Bay.
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Click the map to enlarge, then close the small window when finished viewing. |
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The Lake Nosbonsing Tourist Area can be accessed by Nosbonsing Road, from Callander Bay Drive or Hwy. 11. Situated on the southwestern tip of beautiful Lake Nosbonsing, Astorville offers boat rentals, a launch ramp, tennis and the East Ferris Community Centre & Arena.
Trails in the Nosbonsing area provide excellent hiking in spring, summer and fall. In winter the snow transforms the trails to an ideal playground for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing enthusiasts alike.
Secondary roads run all around Lake Nosbonsing, leading to the communities of Corbeil and Bonfield .
Lake Nosbonsing is a clean, spring fed lake, with excellent fishing winter and summer . Pickerel (walleye), pike, smallmouth bass and herring can be caught, as well as the huge muskie. The lake provides a prime muskie habitat, with numerous bays, dropoffs, shoals, points and weed beds. |
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J.R. Booth "Canada's Greatest Lumberman" had operations throughout this area. The best known was on Lake Nipissing and the rivers flowing into the lake where he took out millions of logs. Various boats including the 43 metre long "J.R.Booth", the largest boat to work on the lake transported his logs. Logs were transported down the Mattawa and Ottawa rivers. Unfortunately, the Mattawa River stopped several kilometres short of Lake Nipissing.
Booth built a railway from Wasi Falls on Lake Nipissing to Lake Nosbonsing near Astorville where the logs were towed to Bonfield by boat and taken into the Mattawa-Ottawa River system. The railway operated for 30 years beginning in 1885. The rail bed became the Wasi and Lake Nosbonsing Roads, and to this day many local people still call it the "Booth Track".
Lumbering was the backbone of the economy in those days and provided the work that drew early settlers and helped them establish their homesteads. Lumbering history is recorded in area museums and and in historical accounts of the area. |
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