Timmins is a northern Ontario city shaped by more than a century of gold mining, surrounded by the forests and lakes of the Canadian Shield. Explore its mining heritage, reclaimed green spaces and walking trails.
Our Timmins guide brings these experiences together in a one-day itinerary, with details to help you plan your visit.
Table of Contents
Timmins One Day Itinerary
- Learn about Gold mining at the Timmins Museum.
- Visit the Hollinger Open-Pit Lookout.
- Enjoy a picnic at nearby Hollinger Park, a mine reclamation project.
- Visit Gillies Lake Conservation Area for wakeboarding or a relaxing walk around the lake.
- Visit the Porcupine Memorial and McIntyre Mine Headframe in Schumacher.
With a second day in the area, spread out the first day activities, add some hiking or visit Kettle Lakes Provincial Park.
Timmins Map
Check our map for all of the Timmins attractions.
Gold Mining: The Industry That Built Timmins
Gold mining is at the heart of Timmins’ history and identity. From the mines that built the community to the reclaimed landscapes they left behind, the industry continues to shape the city today.
History of Gold Mining in Timmins
The 1909 discovery at Porcupine Lake launched the Porcupine Gold Rush. Prospectors flooded to the area, discovering the Hollinger and McIntyre gold deposits and opening the Hollinger and McIntyre mines. The villages of South Porcupine, Timmins and Schumacher grew around these mines. Over the years they grew larger and, in 1973, they amalgamated with a number of the local townships becoming the city of Timmins.
The Timmins area is one of the richest gold-producing areas in the world and has produced more gold than any other Canadian mining camp. Gold mining remains an important part of the Timmins economy. The area is home to both active and closed mines. Many of the closed mines have been rehabilitated into parks and recreational lands, such as Hollinger Park and Gillies Lake Conservation Area.
Hollinger Open-Pit Lookout
Drive up the hill to the viewing area and look over the edge into the open-pit gold mine as well as enjoy panoramic views of the city. The lookout is open from June 1st through the 2nd weekend of October (Thanksgiving), weather permitting. The lookout is open except during blasting times, when security personnel will close and re-open the access point.
Mining began at the Hollinger Mine in 1910 and continued until 1969, producing gold ore worth over $556 million, Canada’s largest all-time gold producer. When the mine closed, there were close to 1000 kilometres of underground tunnels.
The mine reopened in 2015, operating solely as an open-pit mine, on a year-to-year basis. This will continue until the production portion of the project reaches completion. When this occurs, closure activities and rehabilitation of the site will begin with the goal of the mine site becoming a beautiful, city green space.
From 1919 to 1969, Hollinger provided houses to its employees. One of them is on display at the Timmins Museum.
Timmins Museum
At the museum, learn how Timmins became a major gold mining centre. Exhibits include the Porcupine Camp, a model prospector’s cabin and other mining artifacts. Feel what it was like to be an underground miner in the early days in the interactive VR exhibit.
The adjoining Exhibition Centre hosts travelling art exhibitions from other parts of Canada.
On the museum grounds, Hollinger House shows how miners lived in the 1930s. There were over 350 of the functional two-bedroom homes for mine workers and their families. Hollinger provided housing until the underground mine closed in 1969.
Statues of Jack Wilson, Sandy McIntyre and Benny Hollinger stand outside the museum. Their gold discoveries launched the largest, though maybe not the most famous, gold rush in Canadian history.
This museum is FREE for all to visit and open year-round. Check the Timmins Museum website for hours and current exhibits.
Mine Reclamation
Timmins has a number of beautiful public parks which were created through mine reclamation. Former industrial mine sites have been restored, reshaped and returned to the community as welcoming green spaces.
Hollinger Park is an early example of mine reclamation in northern Ontario. It was created in the 1940s by reclaiming a former Hollinger Mine tailings pile. There are several pieces of mining equipment on display. We enjoyed a picnic in the park.
Gillies Lake is another example of successful mine reclamation. The project began in the early 1990s with a lake 3 times its current size. It was filled in with tailings from the Hollinger Mine. The slopes were planted with grasses, trees and shrubs which have grown beautifully into the lovely, green park.
McIntyre Park, in Schumacher, is a lovely waterfront park created on land reclaimed from the tailings of the former McIntyre Mine. There are lots of park benches, a display of mining equipment and the Miner’s Memorial.
Porcupine Miner’s Memorial and McIntyre Headframe
The memorial, within McIntyre Park, includes the names of miners killed in mining accidents. The monument was erected in tribute to miners killed at the Porcupine Camp and their families.
The McIntyre Headframe is visible from the park and much of the east side of Timmins. The McIntyre Mine opened in 1912 producing both gold and copper. A 2.5-kilometre-long mine shaft is below the headframe and leads to many kilometres of mine tunnels. The headframe is not open to the public.
To learn more about the geology of the Timmins area and for a driving tour which visits many of the sites noted above, download the pdf entitled Timmins: Canada’s Greatest Goldfields from Northern Ontario Geotours webpage.
Timmins Hiking
On our visit to Timmins we enjoyed the 2.5-km walking trail around Gillies Lake. There are lots of benches and interpretive signs along the way. It is even lit at night.
When we visited the Porcupine Miners Memorial in McIntyre Park, we walked the McIntyre Trail along the north shore of Little Pearl Lake.
These are just two of the many great trails in the Timmins area. A list of trails can be found on the MRCA Nature Trails webpage.
For a longer trail with early gold prospecting history, the Porcupine Lake Trail is an easy, 8.5-kilometre loop around Porcupine Lake. It is part of the Bart Thompson Trail system. The first gold found in the area was on the shores of Porcupine Lake in 1896. The prospectors arrived by the Porcupine Trail, a series of portages connecting rivers and lakes to the railway in the east.
Wake Boarding at Gillies Lake Conservation Area
Yes, we meant wake boarding! This is the first wake park in northern Ontario. An electric cable system pulls wake riders across the lake. There is no need for a motorized boat. Certified instructors are on hand to get everyone safely riding on a wakeboard in no time at all. Rental equipment is available for all ages. The park is open June through September.
Kettle Lakes Provincial Park
Enjoy camping, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, and mountain biking at this provincial park, 42 kilometres east of Timmins, off Highway 101. The park is open from Victoria Day weekend to Thanksgiving Monday. A Daily Vehicle Permit can be purchased, up to 5 days in advance, on the Ontario Parks Reservations webpage to guarantee access for day use at this busy park.
There are 22 deep, spring-fed kettle lakes, left behind after the last glaciers retreated 11,000 years ago. Many of the lakes are stocked with trout for great fishing. There are hiking trails through the jack pine forest around the lakes.
Accommodations in Timmins
Here is the best-rated accommodation for your stay in Timmins.
- The Senator Hotel & Conference Center — Downtown hotel with gym and daily breakfast buffet.
Find more Timmins hotels on Booking.com >>
Explore All of our Northern Ontario Road Trip Guides
Discover our complete series of detailed Northern Ontario guides to help you plan your perfect road trip.
Main Article: Northern Ontario Road Trips
Part 1: Road Trip: Sudbury to Sault Ste. Marie – Lake Huron’s North Channel and coastal towns
Part 2: Road Trip: Sault Ste Marie to Thunder Bay – Lake Superior’s windswept north shore and wilderness parks
Part 3: Road Trip: North Bay to Thunder Bay – Boreal forests, lakes, and remote northern towns
Part 4: Sudbury – Mining heritage, nickel city, Science North
Part 5: Manitoulin Island – Freshwater island, steep cliffs, waterfalls, and Indigenous heritage
Part 6: Sault Ste Marie – Locks, industrial waterfront, Bushplane Heritage Centre, and Algoma art
Part 7: Thunder Bay – Fort William history, waterfalls, and waterfront activities
Part 8: Sleeping Giant Hike – Headland hike to panoramic viewpoint of Lake Superior
Part 9: North Bay – Lake Nipissing waterfront and gateway to the north
Part 10: Cobalt – Silver rush mining heritage in this historic town
Part 11: Timmins – Gold mining heritage and outdoor activities (You’re reading this guide now!)
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