Ontario - Stratford to Thunder Bay

[MNtraveler]

If you are going via Kitchener/Waterloo to Hwy 401 to Toronto then Hwy 400 north you still can expect heavy traffic on the 401 east of Milton and all the way through to Hwy 400 and north to Barrie even on Sunday. It might move near the speed limit but heaven forbid one incident and you will be stuck at a crawl all the way from Milton.

Sunday and Sunday morning may be better than most days.

Another stop for you - just east of Pancake Bay Prov Park (between Sault St Marie & Wawa) is Agawa Indian Crafts and The Canadian Craver. It is a great stop, lots of parking, a small food stand, good rest rooms and an Esso Gas Station. You have to Google maps the Esso gas station at Pancake Bay to get the proper location.

I fuel there and leave with a full tank because when you hit the "mountains" at teh Montreal River and start up those grades you will wonder about having enough gas to make Wawa if you did not refuel.

Thanks! I will check out your tout and those stops! I appreciate the tips.


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2016 Forester MBS 2401R

 

[MNtraveler]

Just found this thread. We live in Stratford and have travelled the route you are taking. We always go north out of Stratford to Arthur then to Hwy 89 thru Shelborne (sp) to Hwy 400. Traffic will be heavy from Hwy 89 to Barrie, any evening, Fri and Sat in particular(Hwy 400 Toronto to Barrie is basically a commuter route to and from Toronto and to cottage country weekends). After Barrie it gets much better.

If you wish I can send you the exact route out of Stratford that I take.

Tom

Google Maps suggests after Arthur going to Keldon via 14 and 89, bypass Shellburne on 17 to Horning's Mills, then zig-zag up to Honeywood and Stayner via 17 and 18, then 36 and 22 over to Craighurst and pick up 400 there. Is that what you would do? I don't want to get lost on some country lanes(!) but we will have GPS. I would also want to avoid bad, potholed roads, low bridges and overhanging trees...

Google Maps says that shaves about 20km off the trip but doesn't add much to the driving time. The speed limits on many of those roads are only about 80kmh, but I'll bet they would be pretty empty on a Sunday morning so we could keep moving right along.


Would we find farmers' roadside stands along there? Need to stock up before hitting Killarney!


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2016 Forester MBS 2401R

 

[chideock]

Yes that is the other way to avoid HWY400. Good route except from east of Stayner to the Hwy could get slow as you are near a big beach and you get holiday traffic sometimes. Yes to groceries and stuff like that.

This is the route I take: It slows sometimes thru Alliston
Out of Stratford County Road (CR) 119 thru Gads Hill.
CR119 sweeps left then on the right is CR121 thru Poole, Millbank & Hesson.
CR121 deadends at CR86 turn right on CR86 thru Dorking to Stop Lights.
At Stop Lights turn left onto CR12 follow CR12 all the way to CR109 at Arthur.
Turn right onto CR109, stay on CR109 until CR16 to Damascus.
Turn left onto CR16 thru Damascus to deadend at HWY 89.
Turn right on Hwy 89 thru Shelburne, New Tecumseth (known as Alliston to us old guys) to HWY 400.
Go north on Hwy 400 thru Barrie.

Great scenery along either route especially up by Stayner

 

[chideock]

Either route take CR16 thru Damascus instead of CR14. Up to Stayner I have usually turned left off CR17 ontu Rd124 go up thru Singhampton to Duntroon (scenery is great here) then right on CR91 to Stayner follow CR26 out of Stayner to CR22 (turn left onto CR22) on it to HWY400. CR22 is where it could get slower.

Tom

 

[chideock]

On HWY 400 between Port Severn and Parry Sound no gas. Not sure about Port Severn think there is. Between Parry Sound and CR522 at Grundy Prov P no gas. At H400 and CR522 there is a gas station (or was).

The above is the best I can remember along the HWY. Probably getting off the HWY you might be able to find some but I never did.

Several stations at Espanola and just before.

 

[chideock]

North of Wawa AT White River is a KODAK moment with Winnie-The-Pooh.

 

[MNtraveler]

THANK YOU!!


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2016 Forester MBS 2401R

 

[debj56]

You will love the northshore of Lake Superior!

My favourite spot-Rossport Campground. Just passed Terrace Bay with the town of Rossport sharing gift shops and restaurant Serendipity, a fav. Sleeping Giant always the best too. While in Thunder Bay, you could stay at Old Fort campground and visit this historic site. Just 40 kms past the US border is Grand Marais. Their municipal campground is perfect....walk into town and enjoy lots of touristy things.

 

[MNtraveler]

My favourite spot-Rossport Campground. Just passed Terrace Bay with the town of Rossport sharing gift shops and restaurant Serendipity, a fav. Sleeping Giant always the best too. While in Thunder Bay, you could stay at Old Fort campground and visit this historic site. Just 40 kms past the US border is Grand Marais. Their municipal campground is perfect....walk into town and enjoy lots of touristy things.

Thanks for the tips!

Grand Marais is in our home state so we know it well. The in-town RV park is indeed convenient to downtown, but it would be serious culture shock after visiting several Ontario Provincial Parks! ;-)

There are two places up the Gunflint Trail we are eager to try at some point, but they are small and I suspect they book out pretty quickly. One is Golden Eagle, the other is Nor'wester Lodge which has a few RV sites.


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2016 Forester MBS 2401R

 

[chideock]

MNtraveler
So you know - Hwy 7 between Stratford and your campground, Wildwood?, is under construction, resurfacing right now. One lane traffic controlled by signal person. I have not noticed when completion is expected.

 

[MNtraveler]

MNtraveler
So you know - Hwy 7 between Stratford and your campground, Wildwood?, is under construction, resurfacing right now. One lane traffic controlled by signal person. I have not noticed when completion is expected.

Thanks - I hope it is completed by June! It looks like we can take Ont. 122 as an alternative, although I'm sure it's a bit slower. We do plan to get a rental car at Enterprise/Stratford so we will be using that and won't have to worry about running the RV in and out of the campground and town. The rental car might make it easier to run over to Niagara Falls if time permits.

 

[chideock]

I believe CR122 from CR9 to St Pauls Station is gravel. I know from St Pauls to Stratford it is paved. Continue on CR122 which becomes O'Loane Ave to Hwy 8/Huron St and on the corner is Enterprise.

When yu go by Cody while on O'Loane yu will be about 10 houses from us.

 

[MNtraveler]

I believe CR122 from CR9 to St Pauls Station is gravel. I know from St Pauls to Stratford it is paved. Continue on CR122 which becomes O'Loane Ave to Hwy 8/Huron St and on the corner is Enterprise.

When yu go by Cody while on O'Loane yu will be about 10 houses from us.

Ah, thanks - I'm not too keen for a gravel road! Hopefully the main route will be open or only a small delay.

We are most eager to get going!!

 

[chideock]

CR130 out of St Marys all the way to Hwy 8 then into Stratford is paved all the way and gets yu to Enterprise.

 

[MNtraveler]

CR130 out of St Marys all the way to Hwy 8 then into Stratford is paved all the way and gets yu to Enterprise.

Ah, I see. Thanks.

PS: Looking at Google Maps in Street View, Rt. 122 at 15 Line and east looks to be paved, although it's just about right in the corn field!

 

[chideock]

Its 26celsuis and sunny so the wife and I went for a early evening drive. CR122 between Line 9 (the road into St Marys) and line 15 is gravel, between line 15 and line 16 it is paved and from line 16 to St Pauls Station it is gravel.
The good news is that Hwy 7 is almost finished, 3 intersections have yet to be resurfaced but the rest is complete.
If you are going to Enterprise from Wildwood via Hwy7 the easiest route is at the second set of the stop lights entering the city on Hwy7, turn left onto Lorne Ave, which is just after Tim Horton's (donut fast food), then proceed to O'Loane Ave(CR122) and turn right, then at Huron Rd (Hwy is Enterprise. At Huron intersection there is a couple of grocery store as well. Sobeys grocery store has a wine shop. Just east along Huron is a beer store and Shell gas station.

Stratford Police are very strict about the speed limit!!!!!!!!!

 

[MNtraveler]

Thanks again! We are fond of the speed limit, so no worries there. Glad to know some sources of "nourishment"!


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2016 Forester MBS 2401R

 

[MNtraveler]

Getting loaded. The RV, I mean!

We leave tomorrow and will hit Wildwood Conservation Area on Wednesday. We are really looking forward to this, and appreciate all the tips we got from people on this forum!


Land of 10,000 Lakes
2016 Forester MBS 2401R

 

[oldsmasma]

Have a wonderful safe trip. If you run into something that Northern Ontarioites can help with DM me.


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[MNtraveler]

Have a wonderful safe trip. If you run into something that Northern Ontarioites can help with DM me.


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Thanks!!


Land of 10,000 Lakes
2016 Forester MBS 2401R