Modern Travel: A Northern Ontario Weekend Road Trip in a Mazda CX-9

“But I do know that the second I see this rocky, northern landscape, my heart tells me I’m home even if I haven’t lived here for decades.“

Photographs by Jennifer Merrick.

Driving north on Highway 400, I’m never sure of the exact moment when the rolling farmland begins morphing into granite outcroppings. But I do know that the second I see this rocky, northern landscape, my heart tells me I’m home even if I haven’t lived here for decades. 

And on this August long weekend, my heart was even happier because it was my first time home in a long while. Double vaxxed, I returned once more to Northern Ontario to cherish time with loved ones. Admittedly, I’m biased, but this glacially-sculpted wilderness is on par with any I’ve seen in my travels across Canada and around the world. 

Here are just a few places you can see for yourself on this route that takes you from Highway 400/Highway 69 and then up Highway 144.

French River Provincial Park

Located just off Highway 69, north of Parry Sound, French River Provincial Park is a revered paddling destination with its white water and interconnecting rivers, lakes, and bays. We often stop to hike the 4-km Recollect Falls Trail that winds through the forest until it brings you to the edge of a rumbling falls. The visitor centre houses an award-winning Voices of the River exhibit that showcases the history, geology and the ecology of the regions from different perspectives. 

Another scenic option for a hike is the nearby Grundy Lake Provincial Park. On this trip, we hiked the Swan Lake Trail that took us through wetlands and a pine forest to a granite-covered lookout point. Other hiking trails include Gut Lake Trail, Beaver Dams Trail and Pakeshkag Trail.

Lake Ramsey, one of the largest city-contained lakes in Canada, is Sudbury’s focal point. Take a cruise or walk along the boardwalk that takes you on a scenic route from Bell Park to Science North.

A.Y. Jackson Lookout, named after the Group of Seven artist who painted there, provides a view of High Falls, a dramatic winding waterfall. Located on Highway 144, about a 20-minute drive from downtown Sudbury, it’s easily accessible from the road. There are picnic tables and a visitor centre, and hiking trails bring you up close and personal to the falls, providing view after spectacular view of this natural wonder. 

Further along Highway 144 is Windy Lake Provincial Park with its sandy beaches and shallow waters that are just perfect for swimming. Keep driving another 30 minutes to reach Halfway Lake Provincial Park, which encompasses over 5000 hectares of the Boreal Forest. Features of the park include a periglacial boulder field, rocky ridges and numerous lakes and ponds. Wildlife species that make their home here include moose, deer, wolf, fox and bears. Hiking trails, canoe routes and 215 camping sites are available for visitors.

When we dropped in that August weekend to do some hiking, I was surprized to find out that all the campsites were booked

“This is the busiest year we’ve had,” a staff member told us.

It turns out mine wasn’t the only heart craving the beauty of the Northern Ontario wilderness this year.

The Drive

The last time we test drove a CX-9 was in 2017, when we circumnavigated Lake Superior. Though this trip was much shorter, we put on considerable milage in a three-day period and were grateful to have such a smooth, safe and comfortable ride in the Mazda 2021.5 CX-9.

Like I remembered, the radar cruise control worked beautifully, and once set, we didn’t have to touch the brakes or the accelerator even in the stop/go traffic leaving the city on a long-weekend Friday. But this wasn’t the only feature contributing to the effortlessness of the driving. Mazda’s mandate to pursue ‘Jinba-Ittai’, which is described as a feeling of unity between the driver and vehicle, has led to the development of new technologies, including the G-Vectoring Control (GVC). A series of load transfers that initiate as soon as the driver begins to steer increase responsiveness and reduce the size and frequency of steering corrections. Though minor steering adjustments may seem inconsequential, the cumulative effects over long distances result in more driver fatigue. With less steering, there’s less tiredness. GVC also works to suppress head and body movements, so even on winding, hilly roads there’s less body roll or swaying in the Mazda. All of this perhaps explains why our drive felt ‘easy’ despite the distance we covered.

When we’re travelling with our kids (even when they’re kids no longer), safety is always on the top of our minds, so I appreciated the CX-9’s standard features, like the Advanced Blind Spot Monitoring System, Pedestrian Detection and Smart Brake Support Front. I also loved the heads up display (HUD), which is the transparent display that shows information just below the driver’s line of sight in the windshield. This technology originated in jet fighters, so pilots could keep their eyes focused on the battle action and not the cockpit instruments. Though not battling enemy targets, I loved being able to know my speed, the speed limit and even if there’s a car in my blind spot without having to look away from the road. 

Lastly, the interior was comfortable and spacious with plenty of room to stretch your legs. The captain chairs had an armchair feel to them and were available for both the front and back seats so we all could enjoy the luxury. The front seats had an extra feature -- ventilated cooling seats --which were heavenly after a summer hike.  A third row of seats was available, but we folded it down to pack our supplies. With ample space to hold our fishing gear, inflatable paddle board and coolers, packing was easy. 

And the word ‘easy’ describes almost everything about the CX – 9. It was easy on gas, intuitive to use its features, and effortless to park with its 360-degree view monitor cameras. Most importantly, it was relaxing to drive. The only part of the drive that took effort was returning the vehicle.