Fushimi Road

GPS Coordinates are 49.742299, -84.009799. Link on Google Maps

The Fushimi Road exit is 25 km west of Hearst in Ontario, off hwy 11. We drove about 50 km north and the road was compacted gravel and in good condition. Numerous side trails head in all directions. The trip was recorded with our Garmin GPS and can be viewed on Google Maps.
We had amazing weather, some clouds and there was no rain in the past few days. We prefer the dust over the wet dirt and mud. The Jeep has the original tires, the Bridgestone Dueler A/T. They served us well when pulling the trailer and going off-road. We never had an issue with them, until we explored the trail along the Missinaibi River. It is all documented on the next pages.

This forest service road has many side trails. Basecamp at Fushimi Lake Provincial Park near Hearst to explore the lakes and bogs.

Fushimi Road area is mostly Crown Land (Policy ID: G1729 ) and belongs to the Hearst, Nipigon, Wawa Districts. The lower section goes through the Fushimi Lake Provincial Park. Consult the Crown Land Use Policy Atlas from the Ministry of Natural Resources for current information. Provincial Parks are regulated by a different Policy ID. Be aware, there is usually no cell phone connection.

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We took many pictures of the Jeep. That was the only 'beast' around, no signs of wildlife along our path. It was already 4:30 by the time we left the camp site and we didn't plan to stay past sunset. It is not a matter of food or water, that we always carry with us. Even a minor incident during a 'quick' trip can escalate into a major problem if you have no water or food to last at least 24 hours. Venturing into the wilderness with one vehicle, no cell phone connection and dusk only a few hours away does require some preparation and readiness. We carry the SPOT X two-way text messaging satellite device. We wrote about it back in 2019 when we bought the subscription. So far, we haven't used it, but we got some first-hand exposure during a trip last year. See the link at the end for the SPOT X document.

Many side trails looked inviting to find out what's further down the trail. Some we drove in, but most were not worth the risk. When we don't see active tracks, we usually walk the first part of the trail​. Even the initial inspection is no guarantee. Sometimes the trail just ends in a mud or water hole. With no place to turn, reversing out of a narrow trail is the only option. Our Jeep has a rear view camera installed and we are both very comfortable to drive backwards with only the mirrors. Personally, I use the camera to watch for pedestrians when backing into a parking spot (or out of the driveway). Another rule we have, "Always inspect the bridges first". These are unserviced roads and even steel construction will fail in these weather conditions.

When the sun sets along Fushimi Road, the perfect camping spot is not far. We passed many meadows and openings beside the road that would be ideal for several vehicles.