Trekking to find northern Ontario's dolmen stones

Morning North5:53Backroads Roads Bill and the dolmen stones

Backroads Bill helps unravel a worldwide mystery today on Morning North.

Note: Bill Steer's weekly column can be heard weekly on CBC radio inSudbury.

The oldest known dolmen stones three or more uprightstones supporting a larger stone are in Western Europe, where they were set in place around 7,000 yearsago.

But according to northern Ontario adventurer Bill Steer, you can find some of them in northern Ontario.

Itremains unclear when, why, and by whom the earliest dolmens weremade, Steer said.Archaeologists still do not know who erected these dolmens, which makes it difficult to know whythey did it.

It's believed they may have beenregarded as tombs or burial chambers.Human remains, sometimes accompanied by artifacts, have been found in or close tothem, Steer said.

Dolmensites in the north

Steer points tothree dolmen stones to visit in the north. He details where they are located:

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area adjacent toQueticoProvincial Park:Start at theSawbill access point campground, which is 37 km north of Tofte, Minnesota (County Rd. 2); 109 kmfrom the Canadian border (57 km SW of Thunder Bay on Highway 61). This can be a day trip or overnightloop route.

To find the dolmen, paddle north along the Kelso River. Before you reach Lajenida Lake,you'll see the dolmen on the eastern shoreline, on a slightly elevated bedrock outcrop, about 20 mfrom the waterline. It's easy to miss, so keep your eyes peeled. Locals claim the dolmen had runes(old Norse inscriptions)now gonecarved into it.

Found at WGS 84 15T E 656208 N 5309535 or N47 55' 12.3" W90 54' 32.8". There is a YouTube video (with a map) 'Kelso River Route: The Hunt for theViking Dolmen,' (4: 58).

Ignace

Travel northwest of Thunder Bay on Hwy 17 toIgnace. West on Hwy. 17 for 24 km to the DoreenLake Rd., heading south to south east for 24 km. Turn ESE or left on toMoosehideRd. Drive 2.5 km andyou will cross a small bridge and another 2.0 km and you will come to an access with lakes on both sidesof the road.

Take the lake (referred to as Devil's Gap Lake) on the south or right side. Paddle south tothe east shore (1 km) of the first lake (no name). Portage to the second no name lake and paddle tothe SE bay and the dolmen is close to the water's edge on the SE shore 15 U 581575 5455282 orN4914'41.5"W9152' 45.1" (also a day trip).

Topomaps 52G5Ignaceand 52G4White Otter Lake will help.(There is a great set of pictographs on Devil's Gap Lake - part of the Turtle River Provincial Parkcanoe route- south of the gap on the west shore.)

West of Wawa

Near White River, west ofWawa; also a day trip. At the north end of town, just past the mill,turn west or left off of Highway 17. Cross the railway tracks and the White River bridge on theDomtar600 Rd., heading southwards. At 8.9 km there is a junction, turn south, then drive another 20.3 kmfrom the junction. These are good logging roads.

Access is onSoulierLake, paddle to NE corner,through the wetland to thePokeiRiver (Topo42C6PokeiLake). The dolmen stone is another 2 km, onthe south side of the small river island. 16 U 625113 5360902 or N 48 23 21.3"W8518' 38.3".