Seasonal Attractions

Jump to a season:  Spring |  Summer  |  Fall  |  Winter

Spring

In the spring, hundreds of thousands of maple trees on St. Joseph Island begin to produce sap, which is tapped, collected and boiled down to produce a delicious, world class maple syrup. Islanders and visitors take advantage of this spring harvest by attending one of the many pancake breakfasts and other events that all revolve around maple syrup. Other maple products are also produced, and are sold at these events and by local retailers. This season peaks in late March / early April


Explore the forests as much of the wildlife and wildflowers wake up from their long winters nap. Golf course opens.

Summer

Fall

St.Joseph Island Fall Tour Packages are available! All packages include accommodations at the Hilton Beach Inn, which include:

  • End of the season boat removal at the marina
  • Country road tour (1st Saturday in October)

For Details on all available packages, please contact the Hilton Beach Inn.

The trees of the Island come alive with colour in late September, as their leaves turn countless shades of yellow, orange, red and violet before falling to the ground. The Island highway and many side roads in and around Hilton Beach provide the most vibrant colour. The temperature is usually still quite mild, so an autumn bike tour down an old country road would delight all of the senses.

Winter

Snowmobiling is the thing to do in the winter in Hilton Beach. St. JosephIsland's hundreds of kilometres of groomed trails attract thousands of sledders every season. Treelines run from Hilton Beach directly to destinations like Desbarats, Bruce Mines and Thessalon, and by crossing land trails you can get to Richards Landing, Drummond Island, Detour, Echo Bay and Sault Ste. Marie. St. Joseph Island's snowmobile club, The Voyageurs, publish an annual trail map that is available throughout the winter season at Island businesses.

Cross-country skiing is another popular winter activity on St. Joseph Island. The Township of Jocelyn operates a large system of cross-country ski trails that are about 15 minutes from Hilton Beach. Choose from beginner, intermediate or advanced trails, all of which are well-groomed and are surrounded by scenic snow-covered trees and the occasional herd of deer.

The Hilton Beach Recreation Surface becomes an ice rink in the winter, perfect for hockey, speedskating, etc. A number of other rinks are operated across the Island.