Pine Cliff Lodge is a remote drive-to Ontario fishing lodge with 2 lane, paved highway right to our entrance and 400 yard long gravel driveway.  It amazes our guests that a lake as large as Sandybeach Lake can be so remote and so easy to access for our guests and not accessible to the general public.

Most of our guests drive to our Ontario fishing lodge, located 150 miles north of International Falls, Minnesota.  Once you are in Ontario, Canada, the scenery is low hills covered in rocks and trees with numerous lakes.  The glaciers that moved through this region every 10,000 years have left over 80,000 lakes that make northwest Ontario the most popular choice for a fishing adventure in North America.

Some of our guests reduce their driving by flying most of the distance to our Ontario fishing lodge.  Guests with their own aircraft can fly direct to the Dryden Airport.  The Dryden Airport has immigration and custom officers eliminating the requirement to clear Canadian Customs at a border airport.  Guests flying commercial airlines can fly into Dryden’s airport via commuter flights out of Winnipeg, Manitoba or Thunder Bay, Ontario.  The costs of these commuter flights generally cause guests to look for alternatives.  If our schedules allow, we will pick up guests at the Dryden airport.  The other option is renting a car or paying a taxi for the 35 mile trip from the Dryden airport to our Ontario fishing lodge.  Other options are flying to International Falls, Minnesota and renting a car and driving 3 hours; flying to Minneapolis, Minnesota and driving 8 hours; flying to Thunder Bay, Ontario and driving 4 ½ hours; or flying to Winnipeg, Manitoba and driving 5 hours to our Ontario fishing lodge.  Contact information for Dryden Airport is:

Dryden Regional Airport
P.O. Box 817
Dryden, ON P8N 2Z4
Mr. George Friesen, Manager
(807) 937-4959
email: cyhd@dryden.ca
www.cityofdryden.on.ca/airport

After Customs and Immigration at the border, take Mowat Street to the next light "Business District" and then a right at the light onto 11 East. It is 19.4 miles to 502 North and then 94.7 miles to 594 East. A right onto 594 East will take you into Dryden and to 17 East in 5 miles. A right onto 17 East and in 17.4 miles you will take a left onto 72 North. In 0.4 miles take another left to stay on 72 North and look for Pine Cliff signs on the right in 15 miles. These signs are maintained by the Highway Department, and located on the shoulder of the road, you will not miss them.  (Please note:  Beginning July 18, 2010 until the middle of October, there will be construction on an overpass bridge in Dryden, resulting in a detour to Hwy 17.  After you pass the paper mill, you will make a left turn at the first stoplight.  Go two blocks to a 4-way stop sign, turn left and travel along the river until you get to Hwy 17 (about 2 blocks).  Turn right onto Hwy 17 and proceed to Pine Cliff according to directions above.)

DRIVING DISTANCE FROM:

Chicago                          750          14 hours

Denver                         1325           22 hours

Des Moines                    700           12 hours

Indianapolis                   950           17 hours

Kansas City                    900           16 hours

Louisville                      1050           19 hours

Milwaukee                      700           13 hours

Minneapolis/St. Paul       450             8 hours

Nashville                       1225           21 hours

Omaha                           800            14 hours

St. Louis                       1025            19 hours

Tulsa                            1150            20 hours

Wichita                         1100            19 hours

THE BORDER CROSSING

The drive into Canada and to our Ontario fishing lodge is easy.  At the border, you will typically be asked three questions:  1) What is your purpose in visiting Canada? You will tell them you are going hunting or fishing.  2) Are you bringing alcohol into Canada? You are allowed one case of beer or 40 ounces of liquor per person.  [An extra case of beer will incur an approximate $13 duty and extra liquor will have an approximate duty of 150% depending upon alcohol content.]  3) Are you transporting firearms into Canada?  If you are, declare them and remember, handguns are not allowed. 

If you have a D.U.I., D.W.I., or felony, you may be denied entry into Canada.  (Click here for more information.)  There is a private company called Canada Border Crossing Services who can assist you with the necessary applications for a fee. They provide a free consultation on your eligibility to receive these permits. You can contact them at 204-488-6350 or www.bordercrossing.ca. Passports are required. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PASSPORTS:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ENTERING CANADA:

Canada Customs: (888) 226-7277

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON REGISTERING FIREARMS FOR HUNTING IN CANADA:

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/information/visit/index-eng.htm

FIREARM REGISTRATION FORM:

http://www.rcmp-grc.ca/cfp-pcaf/form-formulaire/pdfs/909.pdf

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OVERCOMING CRIMINAL INADMISSIBILITY:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/conviction.asp

http://www.bordercrossing.ca/

WHAT TO PACK:

• U.S. cash, traveler's checks, or cashier's check to pay balance of bill
  
  
• Bath towel and wash cloth

• Clothing for any temperature (hot or cold)

• Rain gear and waterproof footwear

• Fishing gear and tackle
  
  
• Food & beverage (salt, pepper, coffee, etc.) or purchase groceries at Garden Market IGA on Hwy 17 in Dryden (Safeway is expensive)
  
  
• Toiletries

• Sunscreen and Lip Balm

• Flashlight

• Sunglasses

• Camera

• Paper products - paper towels, napkins, etc. (toilet paper is supplied)

• Bug repellent

• Hunters remember hunting gear, ammo, tree stands, orange vest & cap, and previous hunting license or hunter safety card
  
  
• Ontario Fishing or Hunting Outdoors Card (if you fished or hunted in Ontario in 2009)
  
  
• Passport (have ready to present at border crossing)
  
  
  

If you forgot something or just want to buy groceries and supplies once you are closer to our Ontario fishing lodge, you have a choice of Garden Market IGA on Hwy 17 in Dryden or Extra Foods, Safeway and Walmart.  We recommend the IGA for selection and price.  Kaylene makes a trip to Dryden on Tuesday and Friday and she will gladly pick up items you may need.  You can obtain your licenses at our Ontario fishing lodge upon your arrival.  If, while northern pike fishing or smallmouth bass fishing, the big one gets away with your lure, we have an $8,000 selection of lures for sale at our Ontario fishing lodge. 

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