Stops from the west
Western Routes to Gateway Casinos Thunder Bay
Two highways bring drivers in from the west: 17 from Kenora and Dryden, 11 from Rainy River and Fort Frances. They meet at Shabaqua Corners and run as one road past Kakabeka Falls into the city.
By the Last Stop deskChecked October 14, 2026
Stop by stop from the west
Every stop, measured to the door
Straight lines from OpenStreetMap · pick the highway you come in on
- 79 km to Vermilion Bay
- 41 km to Dryden
- 95 km to Ignace
- 54 km to English River
- 41 km to Upsala
- 66 km to Shabaqua Corners
- 30 km to Kakabeka Falls
- On to the city
- The door 50 Cumberland St. South, 2.8 km from the expressway
- 55 km to Emo
- 32 km to Fort Frances
- 131 km to Atikokan
- 87 km to Kashabowie
- 41 km to Shabaqua Corners
- 30 km to Kakabeka Falls
- On to the city
- The door 50 Cumberland St. South, 2.8 km from the expressway
Selected stop
411km to the door
Kenora
On Highway 17. In a straight line the casino lies to the southeast of Kenora. The next stop, Vermilion Bay, is 79 km on.
Actual roads curve and cover more ground than these lines show. No driving times are provided here.
Highway 17 from Kenora
The stops on Highway 17 start at Kenora, 411 km from the casino door in a straight line. Vermilion Bay follows at 342 km, then Dryden at 303 km, and both Kenora and Dryden lie to the northwest of the casino. Ignace comes next at 208 km, English River at 155 km and Upsala at 114 km. Highway 17 passes through each of these places.
And the gaps between them? Kenora to Vermilion Bay is 79 km, and Vermilion Bay to Dryden 41 km. Dryden to Ignace measures 95 km, Ignace to English River 54 km and English River to Upsala 41 km. From Upsala, the next stop is Shabaqua Corners, 66 km on. Each is a line between map points; real roads curve and run longer, which is why no driving times appear here.
Highway 11 from Rainy River
Highway 11 runs in along the Rainy River side. The first stop there is Rainy River, 394 km from the door in a straight line. Emo follows at 340 km and Fort Frances at 308 km. Atikokan, at 180 km, lies 3.9 km off Highway 11. The highway passes through Rainy River, Emo, Fort Frances and Kashabowie, which is 93 km from the door.
Measured stop to stop, Rainy River to Emo is 55 km and Emo to Fort Frances 32 km. Fort Frances to Atikokan covers 131 km. Atikokan to Kashabowie is 87 km, and Kashabowie to Shabaqua Corners 41 km. At Shabaqua Corners, Highway 11 meets Highway 17 and the two continue as one road.
Shabaqua Corners and Kakabeka Falls
Both routes meet at Shabaqua Corners, a straight-line 53 km from the casino. From there, highways 11 and 17 run as one road past Kakabeka Falls, 29 km, and on past Thunder Bay. That road is the Thunder Bay Expressway, and the casino at 50 Cumberland St. South is 2.8 km from it.
Coming in by plane? Thunder Bay International Airport lies 10 km to the southwest, measured as a straight line from the casino. And when can guests walk in? The doors are open 7 days a week, starting at 9 AM and closing at 4 AM; from 4 AM until 9 AM they stay shut. Holiday hours go unpublished, so the casino line, 807-766-7900, or the casino's own website can confirm them.
Asked before setting out
At which point west of the city do highways 11 and 17 become one road?
At Shabaqua Corners, a straight-line 53 km from the casino. From there the shared road heads northeast to Nipigon, passing Kakabeka Falls and Thunder Bay.
How many kilometres separate Dryden and the casino door?
Dryden is 303 km from the casino door in a straight line. On Highway 17, it sits northwest of the casino; because roads bend, the actual drive is longer.
Does Highway 11 run through the town of Atikokan?
It does not: Atikokan lies 3.9 km off Highway 11. The town is 180 km from the casino door in a straight line.
What is the straight-line distance from Fort Frances to the casino door?
Fort Frances is 308 km from the door. The town lies right on Highway 11, and no driving time is offered for this stop.