Description
The 1000km/600-mile-long all-season route is entirely paved and well ploughed. Freeway turns into fairly high-quality 2 lanes upon leaving Ottawa on the Trans'Canada Highway. Driving at night is fine. This trip allows for a return to James Bay - this time the south/west end - by rail. Moosonee / Moose Factory is located on the Moose River estuary, about 6 miles upstream from James Bay.
The route starts in the beautiful Thousand Islands, where boats are available to tour the islands and visit Boldt Castle. Next the route passes through Ottawa, Canada's capital and home to various museums and galleries and numerous recreational activities any time of the year. Ottawa is known among other things for the 8-mile-long Rideau Canal, which becomes the world's longest skating rink in January and February. Further up the Ottawa Valley, spelunking and fabulous white water rafting are popular activities in spring and summer. From Ottawa, the Trans-Canada follows the Ottawa and Mattawa rivers, the original route of the courieurs-du-bois, or fur traders, to North Bay. North Bay is home to NORAD's Canadian twin of Cheyenne Mountain, a 2-mile-deep installation that can be toured since its decommissioning. An hour past North Bay is Temagami, one of the most popular canoe tripping areas in Eastern Canada, which is then followed by the northern farms of the Temiscaming valley just before the shield is encountered again at the start of the Arctic watershed. A little further is Cochrane, the start of the Hudson Bay Lowlands and where a Polar Bear habitat can be toured, along with a museum on early 20th century life. Cochrane is also where the real adventure begins: The Polar Bear Express.
The tourist train, which features observation cars, takes its passengers a further 186 miles north. The four hour journey includes a number of bridges and dams to cross the Abitibi and Moose Rivers and their tributaries The end of the line is the mainland village of Moosonee and its island twin, Moose Factory. The latter is a Cree village and site of the first Hudson Bay Company trading post, reachable from Moosonee via a 15-minute trip in a freighter canoe. The Hudson Bay Company, the Company of Adventurers, was founded in 1673 and is the oldest corporation in the western hemisphere, A heritage site within the village.
In summer months, beluga or white whales can be seen on a James Bay boat trip. Polar bear range does include the Moosonee area but sightings might be rare. A local island with numerous fossils can be toured, and hikes can be taken near town and into the muskeg.
In winter, planes can be chartered and snowmobiles rented.
NOTE: It is possible to go further. In winter, an 315-km ice road is available from Moosonee to Fort Albany and Attawapiskat. This would require freighting a car on the train to Moosonee.
Getting There
The route is most easily accessed via I-81 and the Thousand Islands Bridge. Jogging eastward briefly on ON-401 and up ON-416 leads to Ottawa and the Trans-Canada Highway.
Alternatives / Spurs
Alternative routes include entering Canada at Detroit or Buffalo and joining the mainline at North Bay via Toronto. Alternatively, I-87 can be used through Montreal to Ottawa or using R-117 through Val D'Or, the route used to access JBR.
There is one notable spur. Instead of boarding the Polar Bear Express tourist train at Cochrane, it is possible to travel further north on roads that also meet up with the tracks. At the point of our choosing, we can flag down the Little Bear passenger/freight train and board directly! The site of MINIs blocking the tracks should scare any train engineer. ;)
Sights / Attractions
Thousand Islands, Ottawa, White Water Rafting, Polar Bear Habitat, Polar Bear Express, Hudson Bay Company Outpost, Fossil Tour, Boat trip to James Bay.
Claims to Fame
The Polar Bear Express and Little Bear are the only trains to the Arctic in North America.
Estimates
Total of 14 hours driving each way from NYC, or 1.5 - 2 days each way. Total trip is 5 days including 1 day for the round-trip train ride to Moosonee. To overnight in Moosonee, add an extra day. Likely overnights: border area or Ottawa, Cochrane, [Moosonee], Cochrane, Ottawa.
The trip can be done year round. The tourist train, the Polar Bear Express, runs late-June to Labour Day.
Links
Polar Bear Express
Polar Bear Habitat & Heritage Village
Boldt Castle
Ottawa
White-water rafting