![]() ![]() With the ability to camp at almost any lockstation, plus an array of other reserveable accommodations to choose from, it's easy to design an adventure that fits your schedule. You can plan a paddling trip on the Rideau Canal that lasts an afternoon, a weekend, or an entire summer. Topographic maps cover a wider area than the navigation charts (including: feeder lakes, rivers and streams along with highways and road access points) and can be downloaded from various sources online.Navigation charts can be purchased at most lockstations or the main canal office in Smiths Falls.There are two types of maps we suggest you consult on your paddling trip: Most lockstations have a paddle dock or suitable shoreline for exiting your paddlecraft and carrying your vessel to the other side of the lockstation free of charge. More information about locking through safely.You must purchase a lockage permit in order to travel through the locks.Locks are designed to raise and lower boats from one water level to another.When you reach a lockstation, you have two options: Locking through Navigating the Canal Travelling through lockstationsĭepending on the length of your paddling trip, you may be required to pass through one of the 24 lockstations that connect various lakes and rivers along the Rideau Canal. The density of residential development along the shoreline increases as you approach Ottawa.An urban type of paddling and a chance to get out on the water without having to go far from the city.Largely sheltered from strong winds and waves.Winding canal lined with overhanging trees.En route, upstream from Merrickville you will find a Federal Bird Sanctuary and Class 1 and 2 Wetlands.After the Detached Lockstation in Smith Falls, there are numerous other locks with easy take-out and put-in spots, making this area an ideal choice for short day trips.Before the Detached Lockstation in Smiths Falls, you will encounter the Swale (Class I Wetland), the Tay River and the Tay Marsh (Class I Wetland) and Beveridges Lockstation.Marsh, winding canal and river intermixed with smaller, shallow, flooded lakes and marshy shorelines.Many bays and islands an ideal atmosphere for paddlingīeveridges Locks to Long Island Locks Overview.This stretch of the canal is the most popular with boaters and visitors.Short sections of canal as you enter and exit lockstations along the way.Beautiful, clear, scenic lakes with natural shorelines featuring local flora and fauna.Upper Brewers Locks to Narrows Lock (including the Big Rideau) Overview Camping is excellent at all lockstations on this route.Great place to escape the wind (with the exception of Colonel By Lake which can become quite rough).Colonel By Lake then leads into a narrow channel and canal with cattails, grasses and overhanging trees. ![]() Followed by Kingston Mills Lockstation and Colonel By Lake (a shallow, stump-littered lake with a shoreline of low rocks and few trees).Starts with the Cataraqui Marsh (Class I Wetland).Below is a description of what to expect on different sections along the way. When following the navigation route, the Rideau Canal offers five different paddling environments: lakes (various sizes and depths), marshes, open rivers, narrow channels, and populated rivers. *Capsize potential on the large lakes, particularly in extreme conditions such as thunderstorms and strong winds. In the distance you hear a few common loons calling, while an osprey with piercing eye flies in circles looking to enter the morning fog and capture fresh fish for breakfast. The first rays of sun bring nature to life, penetrating the ghostly fog and rising from the same tranquil waters that your boat silently travels. Imagine yourself gliding across the calm waters of the Rideau on a crisp morning. In fact, only 19 kilometers of the system is cut channel. Colonel John By of the British Royal Engineers, but Indigenous people of the area had been travelling the lakes and rivers of the Rideau route for centuries. The canal was built in the early 19th century under the direction of Lt. A number of natural paddling environments – lakes, rivers and wetlands – showcase the beauty and diversity of the system. The Rideau system encompasses 47 locks, 24 lockstations, several historic buildings, and two large watersheds: the Rideau and the Cataraqui. Today the canal offers the perfect setting for relaxation and recreation, particularly for the paddler travelling by canoe or kayak. The Rideau Canal National Historic Site stretches 202 km from Kingston to Ottawa, connecting visitors with an earlier time when canal building was a means of improving trade and defending a growing nation.
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