Hornepayne
Hornepayne is a township of about a thousand people (2021) in the Algoma District of Northern Ontario, Canada. It's the closest settlement to the geographic center of Ontario, a point that lands in a remote bog to the north of the town.
Understand
Hornepayne serves as a railway divisional point on the main Canadian National Railway line. The forestry industry (by way of Hornepayne Lumber) is the major employer to the local economy. Hunting- and fishing-related tourism in the area (particularly just north of the town in nearby Nagagamisis Provincial Park) is served by several small companies.
History
The town was established in 1915 as Fitzback when the Canadian Northern Railway's transcontinental line was built through the area. It was renamed Hornepayne in 1920 after British financier Robert Horne-Payne.
Get in
By car
Take Ontario Highway 631 either south from Highway 11 (between Longlac and Hearst) or north from Highway 17 (at White River). Highways 11 and 17 are both part of the Trans-Canada Highway.
By plane
- 🌍 Hornepayne Municipal Airport (YHN IATA), ☏ +1 807-868-2212. May-Sep: 7AM-3PM, Oct-Apr: 8AM-4PM. There is no scheduled service here; the field is used by private aircraft, including some that fly into private fishing lodges in the area.
By train
- See also: Rail travel in Canada
- 🌍 Hornepayne station. This is a "sign post" station with no local services. Trains that stop at this station stops long enough for passengers to stretch their legs and have a smoke. Train operator:
- VIA Rail Canada, toll-free: +1-888-842-7245. Operates train routes across Canada. Operates The Canadian between Toronto and Vancouver with stops in both directions in medium to large cities and tourist destinations such as Sudbury, Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, and Kamloops.
Buy
- 🌍 Cindy's This & That, 39 Fifth Ave. Tu-Sa 10AM-6PM. A small giftshop with a milkshake machine and Liquor outlet.
Eat
- 🌍 Mama B's Bear Den, 113 Front St (Across from the train station), ☏ +1 807-379-0322. 8AM-8PM. Straightforward menu with breakfast, lunch, pizza, hamburgers and wings.
Sleep
Camping
- 🌍 Nagagamisis Provincial Park (North of Hornepayne on Hwy 631), ☏ +1 807-868-2254. Check-in: 2PM. Over 100 campsites along the shores of Nagagamisis Lake provide car camping. Some sites provide direct boat access. $35 per night.
In Hornepayne
- Rock's Hunt Camp, 1 Airport Road (4 km S of town), ☏ +1 807 868-2085, rockshuntcamp@hotmail.com. Fishing packages available from do it yourself, guided trips or fly into our remote wilderness island location. Ice fishing packages also available.
- After having been without a hotel since 2010, Hornepayne is finally slated to have one built sometime in 2024.
Fly-in camps
- Buck Lake Lodges and Outposts, Obakamiga Lake (accessible only by plane), ☏ +1 705 534 1991, toll-free: +1-888-366-0712. Fly-in fishing trips: walleye, northern pike, and perch. Cabins are equipped with full kitchens, bathrooms and 24-hr electricity. Flights and boat rentals are included. Free WiFi. Beachfront. Business centre with Internet access. Children's activities. Pets allowed.
- Kay Vee Lodge, Nagagami Lake (accessible only by plane), ☏ +1 613-982-1768 (Summer), toll-free: +1-800-756-3365. Cabins have a living room, kitchen, 2-, 3- or 4-bedrooms and bathroom. Pots, pans and dishes are supplied. Microwaves, coffee pot and toaster in each cabin. Per person: 7-day $1430, 4-day $1150, 3-day $1020, includes meals and flights from Hornepayne.
Go next
- Head north to Highway 11, which can take you east to Hearst 130 km (81 mi) away, or west to Longlac (218 km (135 mi)).
- Head south to White River (101 km (63 mi)) at the junction with Highway 17, to explore Lake Superior's North Shore.
- The nearest cities are Timmins (396 km (246 mi)), Sault Ste. Marie (415 km (258 mi)) or Thunder Bay (490 km (300 mi)).
| Routes through Hornepayne |
| Jct W E ← Nagagamisis Provincial Park ← | N S | → White River → Ends at |
| Winnipeg ← Longlac ← | W E | → Sudbury → Toronto |