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The Rideau Waterway is one of the best-kept secrets in Canada. Located in eastern Ontario, the Waterway is a 202 kilometre route linking Ottawa, on the historic Ottawa River, and Kingston, on Lake Ontario. Along the Rideau one can find a magical mix of wildlife, city life and country life: pastoral scenery, fine restaurants, great fishing, quaint hotels, museums, historic sites, and scenic backwaters. Here past and present, nature and culture, meld in a setting of tranquillity, beauty and charm. All along the way, the Rideau traveller can learn about the rich heritage of this part of Ontario at numerous museums and 24 lockstations that are still in operation today. Many of the lockstations remain virtually as they were when built over 150 years ago – peaceful and secluded havens that take you back to the 19th century. The Rideau is anchored at both ends by cities, Ottawa to the north and Kingston at the southern terminus. The waterway traverses flat agricultural lands from Ottawa to Lower Rideau Lake. This land is underlain by limestone that was once an ancient seabed. The soils are rich, and the land gently rolling. South of Lower Rideau Lake, the landscape changes dramatically. From this point almost to its southern terminus, the waterway cuts through the ancient gneisses and granite of a southern extension of the Canadian Shield known as the Frontenac Axis. The ancient Shield rock outcroppings create a maze of lakes and channels, dramatic cliffs, and steep, rocky shorelines interspersed with marshes and wetlands. A Rideau Tour: Rideau travellers can start or end their trip in the shadow of the Parliament Buildings, where a giant flight of lock “steps” lift and lower boats 24 metres from the Ottawa River to the canal that winds through the city. The canal merges with the Rideau River at Hogs Back Lockstation. Heading south from Ottawa the first town is Manotick. On the river in the centre of town is one of the most splendid historic mills in Canada, Watson’s Mill, built in 1860, and restored in 1979. South of Manotick is “The Long Reach.” At 39 kilometres, it is the longest section of the waterway without a lock. At the next lockstation, Burritts Rapids a canal lined by massive cut limestone blocks and cedar forests bypasses the rapids. A few kilometres further is the historic town of Merrickville. The town is one of the most picturesque in Ontario, with its historic buildings, the ruins of a woollen mill and a blockhouse museum. The headquarters of the Canadian Recreational Canoeing Association is located just south of the locks in Merrickville. The Rideau cuts through a series of extensive marshes and shallow lakes on the way to the next town, Smiths Falls. In the centre of Smiths Falls is one of the three lockstations on the system operated by hydraulics. A pleasant saunter from the Combined Lock is the Rideau Canal Museum. A trip to the Hershey’s chocolate factory is also a required side trip in Smiths Falls, just a short walk from Old Sly’s Lock. A narrow channel lined with limestone blocks winding through cedar forests and wetlands links Smiths Falls to Lower Rideau Lake. An interesting side trip leads from Lower Rideau Lake up the Tay River to the historic town of Perth. For many, the most scenic section of the Rideau Waterway stretches from The Narrows, between Big Rideau Lake and Upper Rideau Lake, and Jones Falls. The keystone arch dam at Jones Falls was the highest in North America when it was built in 1830. You can still hear the sound of a hammer striking hot iron in the 1840’s blacksmith shop. The hilltop lockmaster’s house has been restored to give you a glimpse of the life of a lockmaster in the 19th century. A series of long, shallow lakes, connected by Upper Brewers and Lower Brewers locks, leads to the River Styx, a shallow reach of the Rideau Waterway that ends at Kingston Mills – the last lockstation before Kingston and Lake Ontario. The granite cliffs framing the deep gorge below the locks make one ponder the immensity of Colonel By’s undertaking, armed only with hammers and wedges and gunpowder. Much of the original wilderness along the Rideau is gone, replaced by roads, towns and farms. There remains, however, an abundance of life along the waterway. The water is home to muskellunge, largemouth bass, pike and snapping turtles. Otters, deer, beavers, muskrats, mink, foxes, loons, ducks, Canada geese, great blue herons, osprey, marsh hawks, black rat snakes, choruses of bullfrogs – these are just some of the species that the Rideau traveller may see and hear along the waterway. It is hard to imagine what the river was like before canal construction. The locks and dams have drowned rapids to create long narrow lakes and vast wetlands. Despite, and in some cases because of, the changes, the waterway is still a vibrant water ecosystem filled with life.  The Rideau Waterway, built from 1826 to 1832 under the direction of lieutenant-Colonel John By, is the oldest continuously operating 19th century canal system in North America. Its dams, locks and canals create a navigable link between Ottawa and Kingston through the Rideau and Cataraqui River systems. The waterway was built to provide Upper Canada with a safe transportation route from Montreal to Kingston (then Upper Canada’s largest settlement) in case of war with our neighbours to the south, bypassing the St. Lawrence and out of range of enemy cannon. The Waterway was never used for defence, but it served as an immigration route and an artery of commerce until the turn of the century. The predicted American invasion occurred, but it was a peaceful one led by tourists in steamers, rowing skiffs and wooden motor launches. Tourism quickly became the most important activity on the Rideau, and many of Canada’s oldest summer resorts still operate along the waterway. Today, the Rideau remains a haven for tourists, and retains its elemental tranquillity. The Rideau Waterway is considered one of the great engineering feats of the 19th century, and one can only marvel at the ingenuity of its builders. Thirty-one locks raise boats from the Ottawa River to Upper Rideau Lake, the highest point on the route; fourteen locks lower boats to Lake Ontario. Locks link the Rideau with the historic town of Perth via the Tay Canal. The original locks and canal cuts are still in use, and, except for three hydraulic locks, all are still operated by the muscle power of lock staff cranking the distinctive “crab” winches. The Rideau is considered one of the top boating destinations in North America. It also offers some of the best rural canoeing experiences anywhere. The Rideau also links up with other canoe routes, including Frontenac and Charleston Lake Provincial Parks. One of the highlights of any boating excursion on the Waterway is “locking through.” It’s an interesting process – a close-up view of the stone walls and massive wooden gates built by hand almost two centuries ago. Each lockstation has its special charm. Campsites, drinking water, toilet facilities, picnic tables and fireplaces are available at most lockstations. Boaters must purchase a mooring permit to tie up overnight at lock or bridge stations. This also permits boaters to camp on lockstation grounds. Camping is also available at Murphy’s Point Provincial Park on Big Rideau Lake and Rideau River Provincial Park near Kemptville, and at many privately operated campgrounds along the route. Of course, if you don’t want to camp, there are many fine hotels and bed-and-breakfasts along the route. Boaters should carry up-to-date navigation charts and obey all small craft Coast Guard regulations. Access: Each lockstation on the system can be reached by road. Boats and canoes can be launched at most lockstation, and at Conservation Areas, provincial parks, and many private parks and resorts along the waterway. Accommodation and Services: The villages, towns and cities along the Rideau provide services such as campsites, parks, restaurants, hotels, motels, resorts, and marinas. Washrooms, drinking water and boater camping are available at lockstations. Boats and canoes can be rented in Ottawa, and at many other locations along the Rideau. The Canadian Recreational Canoeing Association headquarters in Merrickville rents a variety of canoes and kayaks. Topographic Maps: National Topographic Series maps covering the Rideau Waterway at the 1:50,000 scale are 31C8 (Gananoque), 31C9 (Westport), 31C16 (Perth), 31B13 (Merrickville), 31G4 (Kemptville), and 31G5 (Ottawa). To find a map dealer in your area, visit their website (http://maps.NRCan.gc.ca), or phone 1-800-465-6277. Canal navigation charts may be purchased at various lockstations, the Rideau Canal headquarters, or from the Friends of the Rideau (see addresses below). Services, Permits and Regulations: Ontario Government licenses and permits are required for fishing and hunting along the Rideau. For more information, contact the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Kemptville, (613) 258-8204. For matters relating to watershed management and regulations, contact the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, (613) 692-3571, 1127 Mill Street, Manotick, Ontario, (www.rideauvalley.on.ca) or the Catarqui Conservation Authority (613) 546-4228, P.O. 160, Glenburnie, Ontario, K0H 1S0 For mooring and lockage permits, contact the Rideau Canal Office. See address below. Parks Canada, Rideau Canal Office Rideau Canal Museum Friends of the Rideau National Capital Commission Ottawa Tourism Kingston Tourism Canadian Tourism Commission Canadian Heritage Rivers System Ontario Member of the CHRS Board Rideau Valley Conservation Authority,
Legget, Robert F., “Rideau Waterway”, University of Toronto Press, Toronto, 1986 Passfield, Robert W., “Building the Rideau Canal: A Pictorial History”, Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Don Mills, 1982 Douglas, Alec and Turner, Larry, ed. “On a Sunday Afternoon Classic Boats on the Rideau Canal“, Boston Mills, 1989 Turner, Larry and John de Visser, “Rideau”, Boston Mills, 1995 Andrews, Mark, “For King and Country - Lieutenant-Colonel John By, R.E., Indefatigable Civil-Military Engineer”, Heritage Merrickville Foundation, 1998 Watson, Ken W., “A History of the Rideau Lockstations”, Friends of the Rideau, 2000 “Tamarack on the Rideau”, A musical journey along the Rideau with one of Canada’s leading folk groups, 24 minutes. Contact Alex Sinclair, Tel: (416) 405-8768 E-mail: pmsinc@interlog.com Check out the Canadian Museum of Nature’s “Rideau River Biodiversity Project” at www.nature.ca/research/rideau/rrbp_e.cfm For information on the Friends of the Jock River, a volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and improving the environment of the Jock River, one of the Rideau’s major tributaries, visit: www.geocities.com/jockriver |
