Red Rock, Ontario: History, Things to Do and Travel Guide
Red Rock is a small Lake Superior township on Nipigon Bay, west of Nipigon and northeast of Thunder Bay. The town is compact, but its setting is large: sheltered freshwater harbour, pulp-mill history, a wartime prisoner-of-war camp story, and road-trip access to the north shore of Ontario.
How Red Rock Started
Red Rock’s modern townsite grew from forestry, transportation, and pulp and paper development. Northern Ontario Travel’s Red Rock history material traces the town’s industrial start to 1936, when Lake Sulphite Pulp and Paper Company bought land for a mill on what became Red Rock.
Site clearing and construction followed in 1937, and the Red Rock Inn was built by the paper company that same year. The mill project did not move in a straight line. Lake Sulphite Pulp and Paper went bankrupt in 1940, leaving buildings and work-camp infrastructure in place.
The Second World War added a distinct chapter. In 1940, the abandoned Lake Sulphite site became Camp R, a Canadian prisoner-of-war camp. POWs in Canada lists Camp R as opening in July 1940 and closing in October 1941, with a capacity of 1,200 civilian internees and enemy merchant seamen. The same site notes that interpretive signage now marks the history of Camp R and the Red Rock mill.
What Red Rock Is Like Today
Red Rock had a 2021 census population of 895. The town is small enough to understand quickly, with the waterfront, marina, municipal services, and residential streets close together. Its travel identity is tied to Nipigon Bay more than to highway traffic.
The community sits in the Lake Superior north shore corridor, so it can be paired with Terrace Bay, Schreiber, Nipigon, and Thunder Bay. It is quieter than the region’s larger service centres, but the marina gives it a clear visitor role for boaters, anglers, campers, and people following the shoreline.
Things to Do and Places Nearby
Red Rock Marina is the main visitor anchor. The township describes it as a full-service facility on Nipigon Bay with seasonal and transient docking, fuel, power, water, pump-out service, a launch ramp, showers, laundry, washrooms, fish cleaning, parking, and camping. The marina park area adds a boardwalk, pavilion, splash pad, green space, and picnic areas.
The Marina Interpretive Centre is the best local stop for people who want context without a long detour. The township describes exhibits on Lake Superior’s natural and cultural history, along with information on local trails, paddling routes, wildlife, fishing, geology, and tourist attractions.
Red Rock also works as a base for day trips along the north shore. Nipigon is close by for river and highway services. Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, and Thunder Bay can be worked into a longer drive when time and weather allow.
Quick Facts
- Province: Ontario
- Region: Northwest Ontario
- Municipality type: township
- Population: 895 in the 2021 Census
- Setting: Nipigon Bay on Lake Superior
- Nearby communities: Nipigon, Terrace Bay, Schreiber, Thunder Bay
- Visitor focus: marina services, waterfront walks, interpretive centre, boating, camping, and Lake Superior road trips
Travel Notes
Red Rock is most useful from late spring through early fall, when the marina, camping, boating, and waterfront time are at their strongest. Confirm marina hours, fuel availability, camping details, and interpretive centre access before relying on them. Lake Superior weather changes quickly, even in summer, so boaters and paddlers should treat Nipigon Bay with real caution.