Dryden

Dryden is Ontario's smallest incorporated city (population 7617), located 140km (90 mi) east of Kenora on the Trans-Canada Highway in northern Ontario.

Understand

Dryden, located on the north shore of Wabigoon Lake, was established in 1895 as the site of an experimental farm and 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 oversize 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.

Get in

• Trans-Canada Highway 17 (Government Street) by car from Kenora or Thunder Bay

Greyhound Canada Greyhound Canada terminated all services in Western Canada and Northern Ontario effective October 31, 2018.

• Kasper Bus. Service to Kenora, Winnipeg, and Thunder Bay. 
• 🌍 Dryden Regional Airport (YHD  ^IATA). Bearskin Airlines flies from Dryden to Thunder Bay (direct) and Winnipeg (through Red Lake) to connect with onward commercial flights.  

Get around

• George's Taxi, ☎ [phone]. 
• Enterprise ([phone]) and National ([phone]) offer hire cars.

See

Max the moose towers 18 feet

• 🌍 Dryden & District Museum, 15 Van Horne Avenue (at King Street), ☎ [phone]. 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

• 🌍 Aaron Provincial Park. On east end of Thunder Lake, 26 km (16 mi) east of Dryden on Hwy 11. 
• 🌍 Dryden Recreational Complex, 84 Whyte Ave, ☎ [phone]. Indoor pool with waterslide, municipal fitness centre. 
• 🌍 Dryden Ski Club, ☎ [phone]. Ski hill, equipment rental and lessons. $35/day (downhill), $8/day (cross-country). 
• 🌍 Eagle's Landing, 400 Sandy Beach Rd, ☎ [phone]. Nine-hole golf course, banquet facility. 
• Hunting, fishing and windsurfing are popular locally; in winter, try snowmobiling, ice fishing, dogsledding and skiing.
• 🌍 Blue Lake Provincial Park, Blue Lake Road, ☎ [phone]. Hiking trails, camping, interpretive centre. 
• 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

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

Buy

• 🌍 Egli's Sheep Farm, 20232 Hwy 17W, Minnitaki, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], fax: [phone]. M-Sa 8AM-5PM. Wide selection of woolen garments, 20 km (12 mi) west of Dryden on Trans-Canada Highway. 
• 🌍 Railside Sports & Marine, 564 Government St., ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. Boats, campers, ATVs, snowmobiles. 

Eat

• 🌍 Ho Ho Chinese Restaurant, 64 Van Horne Ave, ☎ [phone]. Asian buffet. 
• 🌍 Hong Kong House, 34F Whyte Ave, ☎ [phone]. Asian. 
• 🌍 Kupper's Bakery and Restaurant, 5 Earl Ave, ☎ [phone]. Licensed restaurant, bakery and deli. 
• 🌍 Masala Restaurant, 205 Duke St, ☎ [phone]. Indian. 
• 🌍 Ristorante Pizzeria Italia, 53 Princess St, ☎ [phone]. Italian. 

Drink

• 🌍 B & B Roadhouse Bar & Grill, 349 Government St, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Central Saloon, 20 King St, ☎ [phone]. Dated diner-style restaurant with bar. 

Sleep

Hotels

• 🌍 Dryden Hotel & Conference Centre, 349 Government St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. Best Western Plus with restaurant, conference facilities and indoor pool. 
• 🌍 Riverview Lodge, 148 Earl Ave, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. Riverside hotel in former paper mill building, restaurant on the banks of the Wabigoon River. 
• There are a 🌍 Comfort Inn and a 🌍 Holiday Inn Express on the Trans-Canada Highway.

Motels

• 🌍 Hide Away Motel, 700 Government St, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. Breakfast included, Internet, 32" HDTV with Netflix and Apple TV, fridge/microwave, kitchenettes in some rooms. $80+. 
• 🌍 Trans Canada Motel & Restaurant (The TC), 149 Third St (at Trans-Canada 17), ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. Sixteen-room motel, homestyle restaurant and catering. 

Bed and breakfast

• 🌍 Pilot's Landing Bed & Breakfast, 110 Claybanks Rd., ☎ [phone]. On Wabigoon Lake near water aerodrome, two rooms with private entrance and en suite bath. 

Camps and caravan parks

• 🌍 Bonny Bay Camp, 222 Bonny Bay Rd, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. Lodge, cabin camp and cottages on the shores of Wabigoon Lake, 15 km (9 mi) east of Dryden. Fishing/hunting outfitter, boat rental. 
• 🌍 Merkel's Camp, 744 Muskie Merk Rd, Wabigoon, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. Fishing camp 20 km (12 mi) E of Dryden 
• 🌍 Spring Water Park, 1266 Hwy 594, ☎ [phone]. Caravan park with restaurant. 

Connect

• 🌍 Dryden Public Library, 36 Van Horne Ave, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. M-Th 10AM-8PM, F Sa 10AM-5PM, closed summer Sundays. (updated May 2015)

Go next

Routes through Dryden

Winnipeg ← Kenora ←

W  E

→ Thunder Bay → Sault Ste Marie