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, when the Canadian Northern Railway's transcontinental line was built through the area, as Fitzback. It was renamed Hornepayne in 1920, after British financier Robert Horne-Payne.

Visitor Information

• Algoma Kinniwabi Travel Association Official Guide to Hornepayne
• Township of Hornepayne

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

• 1 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

• 2 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. (updated May 2022) Train operator:
  • VIA Rail Canada, toll-free: +1-888-842-7245. Operates train routes across Canada. (updated Mar 2022) 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.

Do

Fishing

Fishing expeditions are popular.

• Buck Lake Lodges and Outposts -- fly-in fishing lodge.
• Nagagamisis Provincial Park, some 30 km north of town, has excellent fishing for walleye, trout, pike, and perch.

Snowmobiling

Hornepayne is on the OFSC D108A Connector, comprising some 300 km of challenging snowmobile trail linking the OFSC "D" Trunk trail near Dubreuilville to the OFSC "A" Trunk trail near Hearst.

Buy

• 1 McKinnon's Freshmart, 44 Third Ave, ☏ +1 807 868-2705. Tu-Sa 8AM-6PM; F 8AM-7PM. Grocery store. (updated Oct 2024)
• 2 G & L Variety Store, 83 Front St, ☏ +1 807 868 2494. 9AM-9PM. A local convenience store. Sells minnows for fishing, beer. (updated Oct 2024)
• 3 Cindy's This & That, 39 Fifth Ave. 10AM-8PM. A small giftshop with a milkshake machine and liquor outlet. (updated Aug 2024)
• 4 Hornepayne Esso, Hwy 631 N Building 2001, ☏ +1 807-868-2638. 8AM-9PM. The local gas station and convenience store. (updated Oct 2024)
• 5 The Baggage Car, 36 Third Ave (church building beside Freshmart, downstairs). F Sa noon-5PM. Small clothing store. (updated Oct 2024)

Eat

• 1 Eats & Treats, 113 Front St (across from the park), ☏ +1 807-788-1481. 10AM-8PM. Straightforward menu with breakfast, lunch, pizza, hamburgers and wings. (updated Feb 2023)

Drink

• 1 Brewed Tales, 36 Third Ave (church building beside Freshmart), ☏ +1 204 509-5112, BrewedTales@hotmail.com. M-F 8AM - 4PM. Coffee shop and bookstore. (updated Oct 2024)
• 2 Royal Canadian Legion Br. 194 (The Legion), 48 Sixth Avenue, ☏ +1 807 868-2083. (Generally) Th 6PM-midnight, F Sa 6PM-2AM. RCL clubroom, bar. (updated Oct 2024)

Sleep

In Hornepayne

• 1 Studio 6 Hornepayne, 25 Becker Rd (Off the highway), ☏ +1 807 236-0111. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. A motel in construction with some rooms already available. $170+. (updated Nov 2024)
• 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. (updated Dec 2018)

Camping

• 2 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. (updated Feb 2023)

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. (updated Dec 2018)
• 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. (updated Dec 2018)

Stay safe

While there is mobile phone service in the town of Hornepayne, and for about a 15-km radius around it, the vast majority of the surrounding area has no coverage at all. This includes Highway 631, both north of town to Highway 11, and south of town to Highway 17. Plan your travels and wilderness adventures with this in mind.

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