Latchford
With
the town motto of “The Best Little Town By a Dam Site”, Latchford signals
the end of Temagami and the beginning of Temiskaming. (Scroll down to the
bottom of the page for more photos.)
Like Smooth Rock Falls, another tourist guide I saw advises that Latchford is “the perfect stopover place for food, fuel, and tourist information” however I couldn't really attest on my first visit - I was in a rush, Latchford was small, and you can't stop everywhere each time you take a roadtrip. I've since visited and can confirm that, while tiny, Latchford is clean, quiet, and has some nice river access and good hiking nearby.
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Latchford was founded in 1902 as a logging town on the Montréal River. Steamboats used Latchford as a home base to pick up passengers on their way up the Montreal River to Elk Lake. Today the river is crossed by the newly restored Sergeant Aubrey Cosens Bridge. (And this is the second thing named after this guy – there’s also a heritage plaque near Iroquois Falls.) The bridge buckled in the winter of 2003 after it rusted to an unsafe state. It was closed for months, cutting off all of northeastern Ontario from he Highway 11 artery it so relied upon. Trucks were forced to detour east through Témiscamingue, Québec, up and over Lake Temiskaming and into the Tri-Towns, or west through Sudbury, Gogama, and through Timmins - until a temporary bridge was built. Thankfully, it has now been fixed.
More interestingly, Latchford used to be the home of a big casino during the Cobalt mining boom. Many miners and prospectors would come to Latchford to party and increase their fortunes, and of course to visit the dancers and prostitutes that called the casino home. I think the town has quieted down sufficiently since then.
In
Latchford there are tours along the Montréal River. There is a little
town museum (called the Latchford House of Memories) which opens in the spring
and closes the second week of October. Latchford is also home to the Ontario
Logging Hall of Fame, which has an old blacksmith shop, an icehouse, some
old logging equipment, and a restored
turn-of-the-century sawmill. I’m surprised some environmentalists haven’t
defaced the logging museum. Latchford is also known for having the world’s
shortest covered bridge. Every August they have their annual canoe and
kayak races on the river. If you're into hunting, the area around Latchford
is good for bear, and is located in two prime moose areas. The whole of Highway
11 from North Bay to beyond Latchford is postered with "watch out
for moose" signs everywhere.
Latchford
is pretty small, but it has a decent spate of amenities. The town has its
own tourist info centre (located in the municipal office) however it was closed
in October when I was there last. There are many lodges, campsites, and RV
sites nearby for accommodation, as well as a diner, a Chip Stand (LA Fries
- it is for sale), a variety store, and a gas station in town. Latchford is
home to an LCBO agency outlet which stays open until 8 or 9 PM. Wilks Restaurant
(also called the Café Log Cabin Café) is housed in a trailer
just north of the tourist information centre, and serves homemade food at
reasonable prices. Wilks Restaurant has been highly recommended to
me by people who live in the area.
I've stayed at Bay Lee Mac Camp, which is within Latchford's southern limits, about halfway between Latchford and Temagami. While rustic (no electricity - all lights, the stove and fridge ran on propane) the cottage was clean, quiet, and serene - I don't think I've ever been in a quieter place in my life. Located right on Rib Lake, Bay Lee Mac has water access for swimming, boating, and canoeing, provide organized hikes and hunts, and is located close to the Ottawa-Temiskaming Highland Trail.
The trail, maintained by the Nastagwan Trails non-profit (see the link below) passes through Latchford, specifically through the Cliff Lake Reserve southeast of Latchford, accessible by Roosevelt Road. The hiking we did on the trail was great - but difficult. The trail is marked, but not always cleared, which made for a challenging, but rewarding hike along lakes, through maple forest, and over rock outcroppings blanketed by lichens. If you're planning to hike through Cliff Lake on the Ottawa-Temiskaming Trail, come prepared with extra layers (it can be cold, especially in the fall), lots of water, a walking stick (if possble), and really good hiking shoes that are waterproof.
Additional outdoors activities include the fishing derby in July - check it out here if you're interested - and WJB Greenwood Provincial Park.
(Scroll down to the bottom of the page for more photos.)
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More Latchford Photos
