I always take the 11 to Timmins and my friends take 69.

Which is faster?

I generally can make it in a little over 8 hrs. to Thorold driving about 20 kph over the posted limit.

Thinking of just changing up the scenery but not if its going to be longer.

I would lean towards hwy#11 vs. hwy#69. Mostly due to the amount of construction from Parry Sound to Sudbury.
Did you mapquest the trip at all? Just curious what they say.

Don't have to even consider the construction as there is more on 11 than 69. Time wise Iwould say 69/144 is quicker.

Well id take lucky 69 Uh huh uh huh uh huh. besides even if its a little longer you still go past the other port and i'm Sure you could find a bevy dockside .

Looks like it could lead to 69...uh huhuh uh huh....

Takes me 4.5 hrs Stoney Creek to Sudbury. Sudbury to Timmins is a 3 hr ride.. 69/144 would be my choice..

When I had friends in Timmins, I'd take 69/144. A lot less traffic north of Sudbury than on 11 above North Bay. Just make sure you fill up in Chelmsford. No gas @ Gogama on 144.

What happened to that restaurant and gas station in Gogama?

We stopped there a couple of years back when we were sledding and I got a ride back to Timmins with my sled from two guys because my stator fried....yes a 98 zr 600..imagine that!!

Looks like maybe I'll go 69 for a change of pace.

I live on 11# in bracebridge which is about half way point either way, not even a question, 69. Think about it. from Sudbury which way would you go to Toronto? 69. By the time you sent to northbay and up 11# to Barrie, you would already be in Toronto taking 69.
Don't forget basically 4 lanes from Noble to Niagra now.
Cheers!

Highway 69 is the faster route.
I have driven both routes many times.
As for gas...
You can get gas and food at the Watershed....Still open for business and lots of bears to watch while you are there. ha ha
Have a safe trip.

Not sure if 69 would be the fastest , but's it's good travelling. It takes about 6 hrs from Sudbury to Niagara and about 2.5 hrs from Sudbury to Timmins.

Gas is available at the Watershed restaurant ... it'll be expensive though... and not open 24 hrs a day in case you pull through late at night. Fill up before leaving Sudbury and you'll make it to Timmins no problem.

Now my only concern with taking Hwy 144 would be if you're towing something. If you are , the smoother Hwy 11 would be better.

Hwy 144 is rough and narrow with NO shoulder to pull off on if you need to do any repairs... lots of wildlife also. It's a nice drive though if you're not in too much of a hurry.

Also, the 4 lining on Hwy 69 is NICE . Only a bit of contruction around Parry Sound and as you're entering Sudbury . It's only a 3.5 hour drive from Sudbury to Barrie now.

I will be towing but just a pop-up trailer....not much weight.

How rough is rough on the 144..I'm driving a Montana and if it's really bumpy the wife will give me that I told you so look.

Oh ya you'll get that on the 144 .............. but shit you'd probably get that on 11 too

11 From North Bay to New Lisk was brutal rough this spring. Watched buddies trailer catch air a few times, I sure mine did as well.

Well Nutter you already saw her what the hell is this guy talking about look.....Well Lassy....

Fill up in Cartier

144

The sea was angry that day my friend, like and old man trying to send back soup at a delli ..........

That is one nasty stretch of road.Probably the worst Ive ever been on.But in winter when theres snow to be ridden,Id pray to be on that road.

I go this way with my trailer every snowmobile trailer every year and no problem. It is not that rough. Yes it is narrower but lots of places to turn off if you need. As for gas if you fill up in Sudbury you have no problem to make it to Timmins. I would suggest a pit stop at the water shed however as not many other places available right on the highway.

Does anyone know if by law I need side mirror extentions to pull a pop-up?

I can obviously see over but maybe not fully around it when driving.

I remember the cops being really sticky last winter about this stuff.

If you got time. The extensions at Canadian Tire work well and are $40.00, I used them last winter, you could borrow mine, I only bought one though. They say you need them but what are the chances of being pulled over for that.

I know the chance of being stopped is small and I don't think the trailer will have much of a blind spot but for $40 I may as well buy some so they'll always be around.

Thanks for the pffer Brent!!Did you and Can-Am do much riding together this year?

No problem on the mirror, I go right through Thorold on the way to work so it would be no big deal. The mirrors from CT work well and they seem to have them in stock most times.

We rode with Can Am and Supersonic735 once up in Bancroft for a weekend and Can Am and I got out for one day trip out of Fergus. Real good guys who just love to ride the Ontario Trails.

144 is rough when you hit Marquette ( 20 minutes south of the Watershed) and is rough right to Timmins . I mean it's not washboard rough , more like try and avoid some potholes and dips in the road. Some of the dips can catch you offguard since they lean towards the shoulder of the road.

If you take 144 and you're towing a trailer , be sure to take your time around Elboga lake ( you'll see the signs) . There's one corner as you come down a hill and it leans to the outside of the turn . It's a fairly ackward corner and has a few bumps right in the center of the turn ..... it catches a LOT of people offguard and I've seen quite a few trucks take the ditch there while hauling trailers. Take your time around this corner. Other than that , fill up in Sudbury since Cartier and the Watershed can be unpredictable ( the Watershed pumps are old and SOMETIMES work) and watch for Moose.

PC MILER calculates Thorold to Timmins via HWY 11 @ 511.6 miles. Via 69 to 144 @ 489.9 Miles 21.7 miles shorter via Sudbury

We travel up from Cambridge 5 to 6 times a year just west of Timmins and have always travelled Hwy 69 - 144. They have made some great improvements to the highway (more passing lanes and resurfacing). This is definetly the way to go, just watch for black and whites around the French River Corridor and around Gogama. They have a lot of time to wait, and those new lasers will get you well before you see their smile.

I haven't been on 144 in a few years, but 11 has a pretty rough stretch a ways north of North Bay. Every winter it seems to be worse when we head to New Liskeard or Cochrane.

Back in the 90s I was on my way home from Timmins on a Monday morning. Between 101 & Gogama a truck towing a float loaded w/ a large backhoe had gone off the road on a corner. I guess it wasn't too bad as everything was upright & didn't appear too banged up.