Ottawa to the Cabins: Route & Miles

Ottawa is 104 road miles from the cabins, about 168 kilometers, by Highway 417, Highway 138 and the Seaway International Bridge at Cornwall: about two and a quarter hours of driving plus the wait at the U.S. booth in Massena. The border offices at both ends of the bridge are open around the clock, so this trip has no closing time to beat. This page breaks the road into stretches and covers the toll, the stops, the seasons, the Ogdensburg alternative, the train for anyone without a car, and a plan for a Friday after work.

104 milesby road from Ottawa

two and a quarter hours+typical driving time

Malonethe last town: groceries, fuel, the hospital

4 guestsper cabin, each with its own hot tub

The route from downtown Ottawa

Highway 417 carries you east, Highway 138 south to Cornwall, the Seaway International Bridge over the St. Lawrence, and NY 37 east to Malone. The mileage in the table counts from downtown Ottawa along OpenStreetMap's roads, with kilometers given for the Ontario side; the times are for an open road, before any stop or line.

Stretch	Roads	Places on the way	Distance	About
Downtown to Highway 138	Highway 417 east	Russell, The Nation	39 miles (62 km)	35 minutes
Highway 138 to Cornwall	Highway 138 south	Moose Creek, Monkland, St. Andrews West	22 miles (35 km)	25 minutes
Through Cornwall	Brookdale Avenue south to the river	Cornwall	4 miles (6 km)	10 minutes
Over the river	The Seaway International Bridge, by way of Kawehnò:ke (Cornwall Island)	Akwesasne, Rooseveltown	2 miles (3 km)	5 minutes, plus the line
The border to Malone	NY 37 east	Hogansburg, Fort Covington, Westville	28 miles	35 minutes
Malone to the cabin door	Duane Street, which becomes County Route 25, and the town roads to the south	The village of Malone, the Town of Bellmont	10 miles	20 minutes

The U.S. booth is about 66 road miles (107 km) from downtown, a little over an hour and ten minutes out, and the cabins are about 38 road miles beyond it. The Massena port is open 24 hours, and so is the Canadian office in Cornwall that you pass through on the way home.

Highway 417 and Highway 138

The Ontario part takes a little over an hour. Highway 417 runs east from downtown past Russell and The Nation, and about 39 miles out Highway 138 turns south through the North Stormont villages of Moose Creek and Monkland and through St. Andrews West in South Stormont to the north edge of Cornwall. In the city the route follows Brookdale Avenue south to the river.

Cornwall is the last city before the border and the place for a break on the Canadian side. Lamoureux Park, on the waterfront downtown, is a detour of about three road miles from the bridge route, and the waterfront trail through it is off-road and signed for distance from the park's bandshell: 5.1 kilometers west to the visitor center at the Saunders hydro dam and 6 kilometers east to Gray's Creek.

Ontario 511, the province's road information service, reports highway conditions on the web, on social media and on a hands-free 511 phone line; check it before a winter drive. Ontario's winter-driving advice points drivers to winter tires, marked with a three-peak mountain and a snowflake, and notes that insurers may give a discount for them. Quebec requires them on cars registered there from December 1 to March 15, so drivers from Gatineau will have them in those months.

The Seaway International Bridge

The bridge company calls this the Three Nations Bridge Crossing, for the three it joins: Canada, Akwesasne and the United States. From the end of Brookdale Avenue the road crosses to Kawehnò:ke, Cornwall Island, one of the three districts of the Mohawk community of Akwesasne, which lies along the St. Lawrence where Ontario and Quebec meet New York, and then on to the U.S. port at Rooseveltown, in the Town of Massena.

The toll is collected in both directions, so you pay on the way down and again on the way home. A car pays C$5.25 or US$3.75 each time, the rate since April 1, 2025, and the booths take either currency; a Seaway Transit Card, sold at the booths, cuts 10 percent off each crossing. The U.S. port runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and answers questions at 315-268-7430. CBP posts a live wait time for Massena on its border wait times page, so look before you leave Ottawa. Documents, dogs, food and firewood are covered in crossing the border.

NY 37 through Akwesasne

Past the port, NY 37 heads east through the Saint Regis Mohawk Reservation and the hamlet of Hogansburg, where the highway is called Raquette Road, then through Fort Covington and Westville to Malone, which it enters as Fort Covington Street. Take the reservation stretch slowly. Two places on it are worth knowing about:

The Akwesasne Cultural Center, 321 State Route 37, about 2.6 road miles from the port, holds the community library and a museum that tells Akwesasne's story through images and objects, including a display of baskets. It is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., all year except holidays.
The Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort, 873 State Route 37, about 5.4 road miles from the port, has Cedars Coffee, the Native Harvest Buffet, Maple Steak & Ale and other places to eat. The casino opens at 9 a.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. on weekends and stays open until 1 a.m., or 3 a.m. after Friday and Saturday, and you must be 18 to go in.

NY 37 also passes the turn for the Fort Covington crossing, which Ottawa drivers can ignore. In Malone, groceries are at Price Chopper on Finney Boulevard, a short detour from NY 37, open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week, and the pumps at Stewart's on West Main Street have gas and diesel. The last stretch, County Route 25 and a few town roads south of the village, is covered in getting to the cabins; follow the host's route there, not your phone's.

The Ogdensburg route and other options

The other way from Ottawa crosses the river farther west, on the Ogdensburg–Prescott International Bridge. It is about 138 road miles, some 34 more than the Cornwall route, and about two and a half hours of driving. Highway 417 leads out of the city to Highway 416, which runs south through North Grenville and Edwardsburgh/Cardinal to the bridge, about 57 road miles from downtown. On the New York side, NY 812 and NY 37 run east along the river through Lisbon, Waddington and Louisville to Massena, NY 420 goes south to US 11, and US 11 runs east through Moira and Bangor to Malone; from the bridge to the cabins is about 81 road miles.

Both border offices on that bridge are open 24 hours. The one-way car toll is US$3.25 or C$4.25, and from March 25 to November 21, 2026, the bridge is running under one-lane traffic control, and the bridge authority warns of delays. Use it when the wait at Massena is long; CBP posts live waits for both ports, so compare them before you choose.

Fort Covington is the wrong crossing to aim for from Ottawa, although it is open all night. Staying in Canada to reach it means Highway 401 east from Cornwall, Autoroute 20, the Route 201 bridge into Salaberry-de-Valleyfield and Route 132 back west to Dundee, about 157 road miles in all, and the Cornwall route already runs through Fort Covington on NY 37. Trout River, on NY 30, is shut to southbound traffic until about May 2028, and the Ottawa route has no use for it in any case.

The drive through the seasons

Winter is the season to plan around. Malone averages about 95 inches of snow a year, most of it from December to March, and the New York part of this trip is on NY 37 and county roads rather than interstate. Check 511NY, New York's road information service, as well as Ontario 511, and allow extra time after a storm; the winter driving guide covers tires, plows and what to keep in the car. Short days matter as much as snow: from November through February, Friday sunsets at the cabins come between about 4:15 and 5:40 p.m.

In the state's foliage report for the second week of October 2026, Saranac Lake, an hour south of the cabins, was at peak with 95 percent of its leaves changed, and Malone was near peak at about half. The fall foliage guide explains the usual timing.

Ontario's long weekends shape the border lines. Family Day, the third Monday in February, falls on February 15 in 2027, the same day as Washington's Birthday in the United States. Victoria Day, the Monday before May 25, is May 24, a week before Memorial Day. Canada Day is a Thursday in 2027, and the Civic Holiday on Monday, August 2, is not a public holiday under Ontario's employment law, though some employers give it. Labour Day and Labor Day share September 6, Thanksgiving shares a Monday with Columbus Day, and U.S. Thanksgiving, November 26, 2026, is not a holiday in Ontario. On a long weekend the Monday is usually the busiest day to cross back into Canada, and early morning the best time to go.

Without a car from Ottawa

No public transport reaches the cabins, and the listings call a car or SUV essential, so the question is how far you can get by rail. The answer is Plattsburgh, by two trains. VIA Rail runs about 34 trains a week from Ottawa to Montreal, 185 kilometers in about two hours, but only the first of the day makes the connection: on the schedule listed for October 2026 it left Ottawa at 6:07 a.m. and reached Montreal at 8:11, and the next one arrived after noon. Amtrak's Adirondack leaves Montreal's Gare Centrale at 11:10 a.m., stops at Rouses Point for U.S. customs and immigration, and reaches Plattsburgh at 2:45 p.m. Rent the car at the Avis counter at Plattsburgh International Airport, about 4 road miles from the station and open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and drive the last 61 road miles.

Flying does not shorten the trip. The closest airline airport to the cabins, Adirondack Regional at Lake Clear, has Cape Air flights to Boston and New York's JFK, and Plattsburgh's airlines fly to Florida, Myrtle Beach and Washington Dulles; none of them serves Ottawa. Airports near the cabins compares them all.

A Friday after work from Ottawa

Check-in is after 4 p.m., so an after-work start fits. This is the trip leaving downtown at 4:30 p.m., with the clear-road times from the table above, a short line at the bridge and half an hour for groceries:

4:30 p.m. Highway 417 east.
About 5:05 p.m. Highway 138 south toward Cornwall.
About 5:40 p.m. Brookdale Avenue, the toll, the bridge and the line for the U.S. booth at Massena.
About 6:30 p.m. Malone, after NY 37 through Hogansburg, Fort Covington and Westville; groceries and gas.
About 7:20 p.m. Arrive at the cabin.

For much of the year that plan ends in the dark. At the cabins the sun sets at 6:10 p.m. on October 16, 4:24 p.m. on November 20, 5:01 p.m. on January 29 and 5:50 p.m. on March 5. The clocks go forward on March 14, 2027, but sunset on March 19 is still only 7:08 p.m.; by May 21 it is 8:25 p.m., and the plan finishes in daylight. In the short-day months the sun goes down soon after check-in opens, so to see the last miles in daylight, leave Ottawa by about 1 p.m. and take your time in Malone. Either way, send the host your arrival time before you leave the village.

A Saturday with stops on the way

Because check-in is after 4 p.m., a Saturday departure leaves time for the places along the route. Leave Ottawa at about 9 a.m. and walk part of Cornwall's waterfront trail from the Lamoureux Park bandshell before you cross. On the New York side, the Seaway Visitor Center at Eisenhower Lock, 76 Barnhart Island Road in Massena, is about eight road miles west of the port, so the side trip adds about 16 miles. The center moved into a new building in May 2024 and stays open all year, with hours listed as Wednesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; call 315-764-3208 before you go. Ships use the lock only in the shipping season, which in 2026 opened on March 22 and is due to close about January 5, 2027. A recorded line, 315-769-2422, gives that day's projected lock schedule, so you can time the stop to see one go through.

Back on NY 37, the Akwesasne Cultural Center is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch and groceries are in Malone, and in ski season Titus Mountain, a few minutes from the cabins, can fill the afternoon before check-in.

What Ottawa guests come for

A guest from Ottawa who stayed in March 2023 summed up the draw:

Close enough to Titus that we didn't hesitate to come back and forth for lunch.

The ski hill is close. The listings put Titus Mountain five to seven minutes from the cabins, about 3.5 road miles to its base lodge, and on its last posted schedule Titus ran night skiing on Fridays and Saturdays. The Titus Mountain guide has the trails, lifts and tickets. Each of the three cabins sleeps four in a main bedroom and a bunk room, with its own hot tub and fire pit, and none is suitable for children under 10. Pets are allowed for a fee; bringing your dog has the rules.

Heading home to Ottawa

The way home is the same road in reverse: NY 37 west from Malone through Akwesasne, the bridge and its toll, and the Canada Border Services Agency's Cornwall office at 1 Brookdale Avenue, open 24 hours. What you can bring back without duty depends on how long you were out of Canada; the crossing guide has the allowances, including the alcohol limits and the minimum age for them in Ontario.

Questions

How far is Ottawa from the cabins in kilometers?

About 168 km (104 road miles) by Highway 417, Highway 138, the Seaway International Bridge at Cornwall and NY 37, roughly two and a quarter hours of driving plus the border at Massena. The longer route over the Ogdensburg–Prescott bridge is about 222 km (138 miles) and about two and a half hours.

Is the Cornwall bridge crossing open at night?

Yes. The U.S. port at Massena and the Canadian office at 1 Brookdale Avenue in Cornwall both run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so a late departure works. The bridge toll is collected in both directions: a car pays C$5.25 or US$3.75 each way, in either currency. Check the live wait for Massena on CBP's border wait times page before you leave.

Should we use the Fort Covington crossing from Ottawa?

No. Reaching it from the Canadian side means driving around through Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, about 157 road miles, and the Cornwall route already passes through Fort Covington on NY 37. The Trout River closure on NY 30, in place until about May 2028, does not affect the Ottawa route either. Hours for every crossing are in crossing the border.

Can we take the train from Ottawa?

Partly. VIA Rail runs about 34 trains a week from Ottawa to Montreal, but on the October 2026 schedule only the first, at 6:07 a.m., reached Montreal before Amtrak's Adirondack left at 11:10 a.m.; the Adirondack reaches Plattsburgh at 2:45 p.m. From there you need a rental car for the last 61 road miles; the Avis counter at Plattsburgh's airport is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the listings call a car or SUV essential.

Where can we eat once we are across the border?

On NY 37 at Hogansburg, about five road miles past the port, the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort has Cedars Coffee, the Native Harvest Buffet and Maple Steak & Ale; you must be 18 to enter the casino. Malone, about ten road miles north of the cabins, has the widest choice; see where to eat and the Malone town guide.

Which weekends have the longest lines going home?

The Monday of a holiday long weekend is usually the busiest day to cross back into Canada, and early morning the best time. In 2027, Family Day and Washington's Birthday share Monday, February 15, and Labour Day falls on September 6 in both countries; Thanksgiving and Columbus Day share October 11.

Sources

Facts on this page were checked against these sources in October 2026. Hours, fees and schedules change; confirm before you go.

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From Ottawa to the cabins