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Major city · Canada

Hearst

Stop for one night on the Highway 11 run, or skip: the sawmill, ecomuseum and gallery fill half a day, not more.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
CAD
Best months
Jun–Sep for the parks and the sawmill; Jan–Mar for snowmobiling
avoid Nov (wet, no snow yet, most seasonal sites shut), late Apr–May (mud season)
Airport
YHF
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • Canada ↗Visa-exempt travellers flying to or through Canada usually need an eTA; check your passport on the official Government of Canada site (canada.ca) and apply only there.
  • Canada ↗A Parks Canada pass is needed to stop in national parks such as Banff and Jasper; some spots (for example Moraine Lake) are reached only by shuttle or tour, so book ahead.
  • Canada ↗Keep well away from bears, elk and moose; carry bear spray on Rockies trails and follow trail closures.

Hearst is a 5,500-person lumber town on the Trans-Canada Highway 11 in Northern Ontario, 208 km west of Cochrane and 201 km east of the next fuel at Longlac. It is a road-trip stop between Kapuskasing and Geraldton, with a heritage sawmill, a small ecomuseum, a distillery and moose country around it. Most travellers sleep one night and drive on.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Hearst, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee and pastry at the bakeryC$5–10 (≈ US$4–8)
  • BeerDraught beer in a barC$7–9 (≈ US$6–7)
  • Museum or sight ticketHeritage Sawmill entry, adultC$5 (≈ US$4) (free on Wednesdays)
  • Budget bedFamily room or suite (up to 4), a night, per roomC$150 (≈ US$110)
  • Mid-range bedMotel or hotel double room, a night, per roomC$140 (≈ US$110)
  • High-end bedMotel or hotel double room, a night, per roomC$200 (≈ US$150)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget C$90 (≈ US$70) · Mid C$150 (≈ US$110) · High C$260 (≈ US$190)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Moose and Wolves statueHearst Heritage SawmillHearst EcomuseumRheault DistilleryFushimi Lake Provincial Park
Airports
YHF Hearst (René Fontaine) Municipal Airport (Charter and private aircraft only; no scheduled service. Nearest scheduled flights: Timmins (YTS), about 4.5 h by road.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Hearst: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−12°C

−24°C

12 rd

Feb

−9°C

−22°C

9 rd

Mar

−1°C

−14°C

9 rd

Apr

8°C

−5°C

9 rd

May

16°C

2°C

11 rd

Jun

21°C

7°C

12 rd

Jul

24°C

11°C

12 rd

Aug

22°C

10°C

12 rd

Sep

16°C

5°C

13 rd

Oct

8°C

0°C

13 rd

Nov

−1°C

−8°C

13 rd

Dec

−9°C

−19°C

13 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is the practical way: the town is small but the distillery, the airport and Fushimi Lake are outside the centre. Front Street and George Street are walkable in 10–15 minutes end to end. Ontario Northland buses stop in town several days a week on the Sudbury–Hearst route. No local transit worth planning around.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Fushimi Lake Provincial Park

go

Door to door: About 30–45 min each way

Drive north off Highway 11, then park and walk the 1 km or 7 km trail

Open mid-May to early Sep; fishing, swimming and camping. Day-use fee applies: check Ontario Parks.

Kapuskasing

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Drive east on Highway 11

Closest town with a fuller restaurant and hotel choice; easy half-day.

Cochrane

caution

Door to door: About 2.5 h by car, 3.25 h by bus

Drive east on Highway 11, or Ontario Northland bus

Doable as a long day; better as an overnight on the way to Timmins.

Geraldton

caution

Door to door: About 2 h

Drive west on Highway 11

Mining town with a small museum; pair it with the drive west, not a return trip.

Longlac

skip

Door to door: About 2.5 h

Drive west on Highway 11

Mainly the next fuel stop; nothing here justifies the return drive.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Front Street strip

Motels and the Companion Hotel/Motel on the highway through town; walkable to most restaurants.

Highway 11 west edge

Villa Inn & Suites and the highway-facing motels; easiest if you arrive late by car.

Downtown George Street

TravelInn and the B&B; closest to the bakery, cafés and shops.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
C$90–140 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
Mid
C$140–220 (≈ US$110–160) excl. bed
High
C$220 (≈ US$160)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel or hotel double room1 × 1 night × C$140C$140
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × C$150C$300
Heritage Sawmill entry, adult2 × C$5 · Free on Wednesdays; checkC$10
Fushimi Lake day-use vehicle permit1 × C$15 · checkC$15
eSIM, about a week of data2 × C$25C$50
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeC$52
Trip total≈ C$284 per person per day, bed includedC$567≈ US$450

2026 estimate in Canadian dollars; fuel and long-distance bus fares excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee and pastry at the bakeryC$5–10 (≈ US$4–8)
Diner main (burger, pasta, Greek plate)C$16–28 (≈ US$12–25)
Pizza, mediumC$18–28 (≈ US$14–25)
Draught beer in a barC$7–9 (≈ US$6–7)
Gasoline, per litreC$1.50–1.80 (≈ US$2) (check)
Motel double room, summer weekendC$110–200 (≈ US$80–150) plus tax
Heritage Sawmill entry, adultC$5 (≈ US$4) (free on Wednesdays)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Small-town safe; the real risks are highway driving, winter conditions, wildlife on the road after dark and long gaps between services.
  • The next gas station westbound on Highway 11 is at Longlac, 208 km away: fill up before you leave.
  • Winter driving on Highway 11 means snow, ice and moose on the shoulder after dark; drive daylight hours if you can.
  • Cell coverage thins out on the highway between towns; download offline maps.
  • Many restaurants close by 20:00–21:00 and some shut early on Sundays: eat before you check in.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Ontario Provincial Police (non-emergency)
1-888-310-1122
Telehealth Ontario (health advice, 24 h)
1-866-797-0000

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

HearstHearst

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

À cette adresse, s'il vous plaîtTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • OPP non-emergency1-888-310-1122
  • Telehealth Ontario1-866-797-0000

Embassy

No consulates in Hearst. US citizens: US Consulate General in Toronto; UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand: high commissions or consulates in Ottawa or Toronto.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Ontario Northland bus Hearst → Kapuskasing: about 1 h 45 min (check)
  • Ontario Northland bus Hearst → Timmins: about 4 h 45 min (check)
  • Ontario Northland bus Hearst → Sudbury: about 9 h 30 min (check)

Say or show

  • Merci — Thank you (mehr-see)
  • Bonjour — Hello (bon-zhoor)
  • Combien ça coûte ? — How much is it? (kom-byen sa koot)
  • Où est la station-service ? — Where is the gas station? (oo eh la sta-syon sehr-vees)
  • Puis-je payer par carte ? — Can I pay by card? (pweezh pay-yay par kart)
  • J'ai besoin d'aide — I need help (zhay buh-zwan ded)

French is widely spoken here; a few words go a long way.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Hearst. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep for the parks and the sawmill; Jan–Mar for snowmobiling · avoid Nov (wet, no snow yet, most seasonal sites shut), late Apr–May (mud season) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for YHF: charter-only reality, Timmins fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Front Street, George Street, the sawmill and ecomuseum, the distillery.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Heritage Sawmill, Ecomuseum, 815 Gallery, La Maison Verte) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Winter and hostile arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Canada

Sources