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Dryden is Ontario's smallest incorporated city (population 7,400 in 2021). It is 140 km (90 mi) east of Kenora on the Trans-Canada Highway in northern Ontario.

Understand[edit]

Map

Dryden was established in 1895 on the north shore of Wabigoon Lake as the site of an experimental farm. It was named for a minister of government of the era. At the time, access to the community was primarily by rail. From 1910-2008, the city's primary industry was paper manufacturing; the local population reached a peak of just under 8200 people before the mill closed.

An oversized Maximillian the Moose stands at the centre of town at the visitor’s centre.

Dryden and Kenora are the only incorporated Ontario cities to use the Central time zone (GMT-6), due to their location: geographically closer to Winnipeg than to southern Ontario.

Visitor Information[edit]

  • City of Dryden
  • 1 Dryden Tourism Information Centre, 284 Government St.

Get in[edit]

By car[edit]

  • Highway 17 (Trans-Canada Highway). Within the city, the highway is named Government Street. The highway allows travellers to reach Dryden heading east from Kenora or heading west Thunder Bay.

By bus[edit]

By train[edit]

  • Via Rail. Service on The Canadian at Richan station, 25 km north of Dryden.

By plane[edit]

Get around[edit]

  • George's Taxi, +1 807 223-6565.
  • Enterprise (+1 807 223-4004) and National (+1 807 223-4477) offer hire cars.

See[edit]

Max the moose towers 18 feet
  • 1 Dryden & District Museum, 15 Van Horne Avenue (at King Street), +1 807 223-4671. Museum in historic Hamble House with over ten thousand artefacts, including “Old Copper Culture“ cold-hammered tools dating back 4,000 years. History of Dryden and surrounding area, including “The Dryden Buck“, an Ontario-record whitetail deer shot by a poacher in 2003. By donation.

Do[edit]

  • 1 Aaron Provincial Park. On east end of Thunder Lake, 26 km (16 mi) east of Dryden on Hwy 11. Aaron Provincial Park (Q18207693) on Wikidata Aaron Provincial Park on Wikipedia
  • 2 Dryden Recreational Complex, 84 Whyte Ave, +1 807 223-1425. Indoor pool with waterslide, municipal fitness centre.
  • 3 Dryden Ski Club, +1 807 937-4265. Ski hill, equipment rental and lessons. $35/day (downhill), $8/day (cross-country).
  • 4 Eagle's Landing, 400 Sandy Beach Rd, +1 807 223-3433. Nine-hole golf course, banquet facility.
  • Hunting, fishing and windsurfing are popular locally; in winter, try snowmobiling, ice fishing, dogsledding and skiing.
  • 5 Blue Lake Provincial Park, Blue Lake Road, +1 807 227-2601. Hiking trails, camping, interpretive centre. Blue Lake Provincial Park (Q4929332) on Wikidata Blue Lake Provincial Park on Wikipedia
  • Sandy Beach Park, Sandy Beach Road. Playground, large sand beach, soccer field and baseball diamond, walking trails and picnic area.
  • Theatre 17. Amateur community theatre group.

Events[edit]

  • Moosefest. late June-early July. Summer festival, includes Canada Day weekend.
  • Dryden Winter Festival. Mid-February, on long weekend. Activities. Ice fishing derby.

Buy[edit]

Eat[edit]

Drink[edit]

  • 1 B & B Roadhouse Bar & Grill, 349 Government St, +1 807 223-2000. Pizzas, salad, burgers, and larger meals.
  • 2 Central Saloon, 20 King St, +1 807 223-3735. Dated diner-style restaurant with bar.

Sleep[edit]

Hotels[edit]

Motels[edit]

  • 5 Hide Away Motel, 700 Government St, +1 807 223-5329, fax: +1 807 223-5519. Breakfast included, Internet, 32" HDTV with Netflix and Apple TV, fridge/microwave, kitchenettes in some rooms. $80+.
  • 6 Trans Canada Motel & Restaurant (The TC), 149 Third St (at Trans-Canada 17), +1 807 223-2251, fax: +1 807 223-6915. Sixteen-room motel, homestyle restaurant and catering.

Bed and breakfast[edit]

  • 7 Pilot's Landing Bed & Breakfast, 110 Claybanks Rd., +1 807 223-6928. On Wabigoon Lake near water aerodrome, two rooms with private entrance and en suite bath.

Camps and caravan parks[edit]

Connect[edit]

Go next[edit]

  • Kenora — the westernmost city in Ontario on the Trans-Canada Highway, 138 km (86 mi) west of Dryden toward Manitoba. Blue Lake Provincial Park is about half-way.
  • Red Lake — a small town 190 km (120 mi) north serving as a hub for a number of fly-in communities and wilderness adventures. It's Ontario's gateway to Pimachiowin Aki, a mixed (natural and cultural) UNESCO World Heritage site shared by Ontario and Manitoba.
  • Sioux Lookout — the nearest stop on the cross-country passenger train, The Canadian.
  • Thunder Bay — 350 km (220 mi) to the southeast, the northwestern point of the Great Lakes of North America, and the largest community in this corner of Ontario.
Routes through Dryden
WinnipegKenora ← JCT N  W  E  → JCT NThunder BaySault Ste Marie


This city travel guide to Dryden is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.