Hitchhiking across the Canada/US border

[ghostsymposium]

I'm wondering if anyone has any experience hitching across the border from the U.S. into Canada. I'm headed into the New Brunswick area specifically. I'm traveling with one other person, we both have passports, and 2 dogs. I know dogs must have papers proving their rabies shots are up to date, and as far as I can tell it seems that's it for getting the dogs across. I guess I'm just wondering if anyone has had any luck catching a ride with someone that feels comfortable taking a stranger across the border. Taking a bus across the border is not an option because of the dogs. There's also another complication that could make this not work at all. One of the dogs is a pit bull mix. Looking online it's clear that Ontario has a strict ban on anything that looks like it could resemble a pit bull. I've also seen that Quebec shelters have been taking on pits from Ontario that would've otherwise been killed. So I'm not sure if there's a global "no taking pit bulls across the canadian border" or just "no taking pit bulls into ontario." If anyone has any experience or thoughts on any part of this please let me know! Thanks!

 

[ghostsymposium]

it seems like my best bet is going to be getting dropped off at the border and walking across. as far as i can tell if you have at least $300 and some sort of a plan (other than hitching across canada) you SHOULD be ok. I know you can walk across the "peace bridge" into BC, though I'm not sure yet if it's possible to walk into New Brunswick. I'm going to call the border crossing when they're open to ask about that.

 

[jaren]

ya ive been wondering how easy its gonna be getting into the states while hitch hiking. i came across canada and now going into the states to go explore but ive heard they dont like backpackers to much.
sorry i dont have any info of the dogs but best of luck, i just thought id let you know im in the same boat i guess. haha and i have no were near 300 bucks but im sure it will work out

 

[bote]

my advice is go all the way up to the Houlton crossing, it will probably be the least hassle. Calais was a pain in the ass when I went through there, they just don't get as much traffic so they're bored.
Crossing in Maine is the same as anywhere else: Have your shit together, nothing hanging out of your back, no "uh, ..." when they ask where you're going and what you're doing, and you should be fine.

I can't imagine anyone would drive you across, just get a ride close and walk, that's always been the way I've done it. Who wants to risk crossing the border with a stranger?

 

[CHRISTINHELL]

I'm in Ontario and I'm pretty sure were the only province with the pitbull ban.

 

[blkhwbkr]

no idea about the dogs, but i've hitched rides across both borders, and while they questioned us all, our ride (really cool guy) just went along with our story that we met through rideshare on craigslist and that we were hikers and riding the busses and blah blah. nothing more than passports examined and questions asked...i know we were lucky to have so a smooth entrance/exit though...

 

[macks]

They asked me for a bank account statement, then said that they couldn't tell from my ATM receipt that it was my account. And asked us a million questions like "how did you find out about our public transportation system?" It took about 7 hours for us to get across the border (compounded by a minor legal misunderstanding). They asked who we were staying with and for a phone number and address and how we met them, how long we had known them, etc. For a couple of backpackers going to hike in Banff national park for a week, they sure as hell gave us a thorough inquisition. Of course, then we rode freight trains and hitch hiked across their country. But damn, have your shit together is all I can say. This was going from Blaine WA into White Rock BC.

 

[ghostsymposium]

here's my update. i made to the border and decided to cross at the calais border. i was originally going to go all the way to fort fairfield and tell them i was hiking the international appalachian trail (that's where it crosses the border) to minimize hassle. anyhow. i got turned down at the border due to a small graffiti charge a couple years ago. turns out if you have one graffiti charge you can't go to canada for 5 years. if you have 2, you're banned for life. strict shit. so we just hiked around maine, checked out the appalachian trail and such. as far as the dog stuff goes, christinhell was right. ontario is the only province in canada where pit bulls are banned. don't bring a dog that looks like it has any pit in it to ontario, as they kill anything that bears close resemblance to a pit bull unless you can prove it's not a pit bull (which isn't even a real breed). to get dogs into canada you don't need the rabies tags, just papers saying they're vaccinated and up to date on rabies as well as something that says it's your dog. as for border hassle, be prepared to answer questions like this: where are you coming from, how did you get to the border, who's picking you up on the other side, when are they coming, what's their name, address and phone number, how did you both meet them, how long have you known them for, what do they do for work, what do you do for work, how do you know each other, how much money do you have, what's your full arrest record (they know everything), what countries have you traveled to, where have you lived, when are you coming back, who's driving you back and how are you getting picked up, etc. basically, get a wicked solid story with whomever you're crossing the border with, and stick to that story. if you have an arrest record they'll probably separate you two so make sure you both have the same story. anyhow, they fucking grilled us. we would've gotten through too if it wasn't for that tagging charge. hope all that info helps. if you do decide to cross in calais, say you're going to st stephen to wait for a ride since it's within walking distance from the border.

 

[cranberrydavid]

basically, get a wicked solid story with whomever you're crossing the border with, and stick to that story. if you have an arrest record they'll probably separate you two so make sure you both have the same story.

Very true. Also, whether they separate you or not, assume they are always watching and listening. There are cameras and mikes all over, with observers who are skilled at reading body language. Just remember you're on stage from 5 miles before the boarder.

 

[soodoenim]

I've hitched across the border twice. Once north of Bellingham Washington, and once into Vermont. Both times, I got about a dozen rides from people taking me just a few miles, and the last ride made sure to drop me off out of sight of the border.

Though I never had my bag searched, they did stop me at the border to ask me questions for about a half-hour.

Honestly, this is all that I had expected to happen, and I would say that if you handle yourself well, they will just as likely send you on your way. I think it would be helpful to have a friend across the boarder that you are going to visit, because they will likely want to know that you're not just going up there to mooch, and that you at least have a friend to kick it with who will vouch for your arrival.
Peace and Love
Dan

 

[wokofshame]

if you're at all "scummy traveller" looking, not "college trustafarian on summer vacation" be prepared to be turned back.
Also any record at all.

No worries, though. Just sneak across. IT IS REALLY EASY AND DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE. plus once you're in the country there's no way for them to tell if you crossed legally or not.
This all from experience.

 

[soodoenim]

Yea, you know they never stamped my passport at either crossing. I can imagine that not stamping passports makes it incredibly difficult to determine whether someone actually crossed at a boarder crossing or, say, through the woods.

 

[Nexa]

its sad its such a hassle to cross an imaginary line...

 

[octo]

i was wondering if its a no-no to say that you are hitching, i have a dog so I can`t say that im taking the bus.
peace

 

[Leap]

i was wondering if its a no-no to say that you are hitching, i have a dog so I can`t say that im taking the bus.
peace

Never say that you're hitching to anyone in the border force. I'm currently buying all my gear from REI across the border in MI, I nonchalantly mentioned that I was thinking on hitching to one of them, now me and my car get 'randomly searched' everytime I try and cross. by their view it's an outsider thing to do that only bums and murderers on the run do.

 

[TheHellOutOfHere]

About a week ago we were stranded in Windsor, ON trying to get back into the states. We Posted up at the border with a sign for like two hours with no luck before some lady told us there was a bus that went across. We caught the bus in, but man, those border guards were dick heads. We got interrogated and searched up and down and asked stupid questions like "when was the last time you smoked pot?" "where'd you hide the drugs?" and my personal favorite: "if you tell us where the drugs are we'll just take them and let you go" (lol). Fuck those guys. Needless to say we didn't have any drugs (because we aren't retarded) and got through after about half an hour of that bullshit.

We might have gotten all that shut cuz we told them we were hitching though. Not the brightest idea I guess.

 

[1544c]

i got across the boarder south of Thunder Bay ON with a friend who owns a car. we said we were going camping at sleeping giants provincial park. a bunch of nosiy quiestions as stated above by ghostsymposium.
don't say a word about hitching. Most boarder guards are middle to upper middle class sheltered white males that wouldn't pick you up if you were pregnent and bleeding on the side of the road.

 

[1544c]

i'm pretty sure you can walk across the boarder in Niagra Falls NY. very touristy area.
Church yourself up a little before you go across.

 

[viking]

If I get IDed by cops in the states do I automatically get deported?

 

[Forsavory]

if you're at all "scummy traveller" looking, not "college trustafarian on summer vacation" be prepared to be turned back.
Also any record at all.

No worries, though. Just sneak across. IT IS REALLY EASY AND DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE. plus once you're in the country there's no way for them to tell if you crossed legally or not.
This all from experience.

Hey, want to give me a few tips ? I'm looking to go from Edmonton, AB to Mesa, AZ with the least legal troubles but I don't have a passport.