What 'Miles with the Giant' means to us
Communities of people have known the Sleeping Giant for thousands of years - archaeological sites from Paleo-indian, archaic, and woodland settlements are all found on Sibley Peninsula.
But the giant pre-dates everyone, indeed, almost everything: he is some of the oldest rock on earth. Known in First Nations legend as Nanabijou, this spirit of the deep water was turned to stone when the secret location of a rich silver mine was disclosed to white men.
We believe that the iconic symbol of the giant forms and embraces Thunder Bay. Witness the enormous groundswell of public support that saw the Sleeping Giant voted to top place for the Seven Wonders of Canada, edging out other natural wonders like the Bay of Fundy and Niagara Falls by almost 90,000 votes. Although it was not selected by the panel of judges, the majesty and history of the giant resonated across Canada and in other nations.
We believe the giant is a powerful symbol that encapsulates the very best of Northern Ontario: ancient Canadian Shield with dramatic steep cliffs dropping to the pristine waters of Lake Superior; dense forests and productive wetlands that support a great diversity of plants and animals; and a true place of protected natural beauty with important cultural meaning for First Nations people.
The Sleeping Giant now provides a place for a full range of healthy pursuits like camping, hiking, mountain biking, skiing, rock climbing, fishing, kayaking, canoeing and sailing. We believe it is fitting that the giant now invites all comers to join him in a new pursuit: running .
