to and from Lavigne Ont

my guess is that a ferry would be pretty expensive for a truck and 5th wheel.

BTW is diesel significantly more expensive than in the US ?

Your plan is sound, depending on how you want to do it, you cane either take the ferry from Tobermory to Manitoulin Island or go further east and around Georgian Bay.

The 'long way' around is some gorgeous scenery and some great stops along the way.

If you take the ferry, you save time that can be then spent in the more remote, more 'wilderness' areas east of the "Soo".

Either way there's lots to see and do, especially interesting side trips and places to look around.

thanks Jax. I was thinking about crossing over in Sarnia and back through Sault st Marie.

But that was before I got advice.

Don't let the talk of tolls scare you, if you cross in the Detroit area and go up the Lake Huron coast you won't be closer than 250 miles to a toll highway.

You also won't, IMHO, have a problem with sites, we've been that way, in late August, and had no problem with vacancies.

you know I think I'll cross over Sault st Marie coming and going and miss all congestion, tolls, and whatnot for an unsuspecting visitor as myself.

The 407 people go by the registered weight of your vehicle. I used it with just my TV which in season is registered at 11,000 kilos or 24,600 lbs. They wanted over $300. dollars from me for a round trip from the 400 to the 401. I called them and they reduced the charge to around $60. So if you take the 401 to the 400 north you won't have to worry about a transponder or having to pay whatever the 407 people will charge you. It's not that far out of your way. If you take the 402 from Sarnia you will still have to get on the 401 to Toronto to the 400, unless you travel the routes mentioned above.

we just rode the 407, a round trip from Hwy 410 in Brampton ,west to Burlington. We do not have a transponder(don't make enough trips on it to warrant having one). We went at 6:30 am on a saturday and came back at 4pm the same day. Pickup truck in our signature-no trailer- cost was $30.00. Pricey you bet, way less traffic-yes.
You won't need a transponder for just one or two rides on the 407. if you use it at all. There is always the QEW, and the 401. Both lots of traffic, but free. The 402 out of Sarnia is a very good road, has been redone completely.
Your trailer has a rear lic plate also, they will go by that.
Hope you find a great route to take. Remember, fridays and Late sundays, the traffic on the 400 is bumper to bumper, its the route the city folks take to "cottage country".
Just plan well and have a backup, and bring your patience and lots of money. Fuel is pricey! Dona

thanks Kelly. very helpful

You can read all about transponders and the 407 here. For a single trip, it does not seem worth the bother, so the advice to take an alternate route is good.

Highway 21 (along the Lake Huron east coast) is okay, especially since the majority of reconstruction seems to be complete. The only construction this year seems to be from Bayfield to Goderich (about 12 miles). The actual lake is not visible along the majority of the route.

You will be travelling at a busy time for the Ontario Provincial Parks there, so may not get a prime spot if you are able to get one at all. This blogger has some interesting reviews of most of the Provincial Parks along this route. There are also private campgrounds too. This is a good place to start looking for them.

An alternate cross-country route would be Hwy 402 to Hwy 81, then Hwy 23 to intersect with Hwy 400. Again, lots of small towns en route. If you use Google maps with Sarnia ON as your starting point and Lavigne ON as the destination, you should be able to see this route.
I will try to paste the link here.

Good luck with your plans.

where do you get this transponder? (my 5th wheel does have a license plate)

I don't see 407 on the map. I like the idea of crossing over at Sarnia and going up the Lake Huron coast. I saw many parks on that route. Then out through Sault St Marie.

Thanks for the advice. This transponder thing has got me concerned. I can't find anything about it.