St. Raphael Provincial Park

St. Raphael Provincial Park is a wilderness area in Northern Ontario featuring many connected lakes, granite rock formations, and large forest areas. The park spans multiple lakes including Churchill, De Lesseps, and Vincent, surrounded by glacial landscape features.

The park received its official protection status in 2003 as part of Ontario's initiative to preserve wild areas in Northern Ontario. This action came as the region sought to maintain its natural landscape.

The land holds deep meaning for the Ojibway Nation, the Saugeen Band, and the Mishkeegogamang First Nation, who have known this territory for generations. Visitors today can experience a landscape that remains culturally important to these communities.

Visitors reach the park by boat from Minchin Lake or via the Payne River to Medcalf Lake, both accessible from Highway 599. It is important to prepare for wilderness conditions and check local access information before visiting.

Eight lakes including Churchill, De Lesseps, and Vincent form a distinctive pattern within the park, surrounded by glacial landforms like esker ridges and drumlin hills. This pattern reveals traces of the ice age that shaped the region thousands of years ago.