The Rideau River is probably one of Canada's most historical rivers and it has incredible paddling opportunities for kayakers and canoers. It’s about a 202 kilometre (126 mile) section of lakes, river channels, bays, marshes that goes from Canada's capital city of Ottawa to Kingston, Ontario, which is located on Lake Ontario. The canal is one of the oldest continuously operated canal systems in North America, and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The canal was built after the war of 1812, when the threat of an American invasion by way of the St. Lawrence River was very real, and it could have severely impacted supply routes between the large naval base in Kingston, Ontario and Montréal, Québec. In response to this threat, construction began on the Rideau Canal, which bypassed the exposed St. Lawrence corridor and would allow safe passage for ships, troops and supplies to major hubs along the route.
Management of the canal was taken over by Parks Canada in 1972, and the lock systems and the lock stations that were created to make this one piece of river are still active right now. For a small fee, recreational boaters, power boaters, as well as pleasure boaters can navigate over 45 locks and 24 lock stations along the 202km stretch along the Rideau River, which unlocks a world of paddling opportunities.
You know, you're not gonna find much like that anywhere in the world.
Paddling the Rideau Canal
Want to see how I paddled the Rideau Canal? Check out our Paddle Tales episodes on the PaddleTV YouTube Channel!
Unique Features
As far as paddling goes, there's a lot of different sections that you can do along the Rideau River. You can do countless day trips, but you can also do countless multi-day trips – it really depends what you're looking for.
What makes the Rideau really unique, aside from the lock systems, which on its own is really amazing, is the fact that it goes through all these cool little small towns along the way. And these small towns have great BnBs and inns, cool little restaurants, wineries – you name it, they’ve got it. It's the kind of multi-day paddling trip that can be a little luxurious. You can rough it, but you also don’t have to.
What makes the Rideau River such a special place to paddle is the lock system. The fact that you can go through the locks in your canoe or kayak and it's a really cool experience. It's something you definitely have to try. I got to take my family, my nine year old daughter, through there in kayaks and she thought it was the coolest thing ever, as did I. It really is worth doing just for the lock systems alone. And that's aside from the fact that the scenery is spectacular. You have such varied terrain there. You have river channels that wind their way through marshes and then all of a sudden it opens up into a big lake with islands you can paddle around in. It's got such a great variety depending on the section that you choose to paddle. The options are really limitless.
What’s Better – Canoe or Kayak?
The Rideau River is great for both canoes or kayaks. So the choice really depends on what you prefer, what you're more comfortable in, and what type of paddling you plan on doing.
If you're going to be doing multi-day trips, then a canoe is a good option, because it can handle more gear. If you're doing day trips, a kayak might be a better option. At the same time, you can't go wrong with a canoe or a kayak – they're both gonna do great.
Rental Gear
If you're coming from out of town or you simply don't have your own canoe or kayak, there are a couple places that you can rent boats.
Perth Outfitters
You can rent boats from Perth Outfitters in Perth, Ontario. They’re a really cool outfitter with a wide range of canoes and kayaks to choose from, as well as some other activities on site, like mini putt and go karts.
Another advantage to renting from Perth Outfitters is that you can access one of the most beautiful sections of the Rideau Canal system, the Tay Canal. Even though you're not on the Rideau River itself, you're on the Tay River, which dumps into the Rideau Canal at Beveridges Locks.
Drifters Outdoors
There's also a Drifters Outdoors in Kemptville, Ontario. They offer canoe and kayak rentals, however, you have to launch from their base in Kemptville.
How Much Experience Do You Need?
When it comes to paddling experience, you really don't need much unless you're going to be paddling in the big open lakes, where windy conditions can kick up big waves. The Rideau River is great for anyone from beginner up, as it’s a very accessible river.
Overnight Trips
Opportunities for overnight paddling trips are fantastic on the Rideau, because not only do you have access to small towns with an array of lodging options, but almost all of the 24 lock stations along the Rideau have campgrounds that you can stay at. And as far as campgrounds go, they're very nice and well-maintained (thanks Parks Canada!)The other incredible option that you have – which is the way that I planned my trip – was to hire a houseboat for the duration of your trip. There's a couple of different companies that rent houseboats to cruise through the lock systems and Rideau Canal as a whole, but the company I worked with was Le Boat.
They’re a new company that offer a variety of options, which basically equate to being a floating cottage. They've got a barbecue, full kitchen. The one I was in had four bedrooms, each with its own bathroom and shower. They were surprisingly easy to drive, and really comfortable but the best part was that we were able to load up the kayaks and we just drove around. When we found a spot we wanted to do some paddling, we'd moor, go for a paddle, go for a fish, come back, and you have your cottage waiting for you. It's travel made easy and I can’t recommend it enough.
Recommended Routes
As I mentioned from the outset, there's so many different paddling opportunities on the Rideau River, but if I was to recommend a couple, these would be it.
Option 1
Smith Falls is a good starting point, as it’s a cool little town in its own right and it lies about halfway between Ottawa and Kingston, so you have the option to go north or south.
If you go north on the Rideau towards Ottawa, it gets busier and busier with boat traffic as you go. It's beautiful up that way, but it does get busier.
If you go south, it becomes cottage country. I really loved the southern section in particular, from Westport down to Seeleys Bay. You still have a lot of cottages and some boat traffic around, but it also has a more of a wilderness feel to it, and the lock stations you go through are really cool in that area. It's just a beautiful, beautiful section of river with big rock bluffs, marshes, narrow channels, big open lakes and islands…it's got a lot of everything.
Option 2
Another great option is not actually on the Rideau River, but on the Tay Canal. You can access this section either from the town of Perth or via Beveridges Locks. It's the only lock that isn't actually on the Rideau Canal itself, it's on a side channel and allows you to go up the Tay Canal all the way to Perth.
It's about a 10km paddle from Beveridges to Perth, and it goes through some beautiful wooded lands, gorgeous winding swamp land, and into the heart of Perth, which is well worth getting out and exploring by foot.
In conclusion, I highly recommend doing the Tay River section as well as Westport down to Seeleys Bay. But really, whatever section you do, you can't go wrong.
Hazards & Dangers
Boat Traffic
One important thing to note is that the Rideau is very popular with pleasure boaters, so in the summer there is a LOT of power boat traffic. Houseboats, touring boats, cruising boats, fishing boats or jet skis…you name it, it’s probably on the waterway.
There's a lot of great signage along the way to keep the boat traffic under control, but it's something to be aware of and prepared for, especially in some of the more popular lakes and the narrow sections.
Other Considerations
The other real hazard would be the big lakes, like big Rideau Lake, on a windy day. If the wind is coming right down the pipe and it's a windy day, you can get some pretty good size waves in there.
For the most part though, there are lots of options to find a sheltered shoreline or islands to cut behind and find some reprieve from the wind, which means you’ll be able to continue your trip, without subjecting yourself to the potentially dangerous waves.
Rules & Regulations
As far as I am aware, there are no overt rules or regulations that you as a paddler need to be aware of, except for the fact that the locks and the lock stations stop working after Canada's Thanksgiving weekend, which is usually around mid-October. It tends to get a bit chilly for paddling after time of year anyways, so it's not such a bad thing.
Lock Passage
As a canoer or a kayaker, you are welcome to experience going through the locks from the seat of your boat. If you are using a stand up paddleboard, you will need to portage around.
Just make sure that when you're traveling in the area, the locks are actually in operation.
Fishing
If you like to fish, you're gonna love the Rideau River. It's especially amazing for bass fishing.
On the northern section near Ottawa, there's some big musky in there, along with walleye and pike. If you want to ensure success, there’s some great fishing guides operations that you can hook up with and they can get you on fish. On my trip, I used RJnBirdees Outdoor Adventures, and he really knew his stuff!
Places to Stay
I know we covered this a bit earlier in the post, but there’s so many options for places to stay along the Rideau. There's camping at almost every lock station, and the small towns have great BnB and inn options, some hotels in some of the bigger towns.
If you really want to treat yourself, there's one place in particular that's worth checking out and it's called The Opinicon.
It's this old, old hotel that has been totally refurbished, and it’s absolutely beautiful. As a bonus, it's got a wonderful restaurant as well. It's a treat, and well worth staying there.
Places to Eat
Once again, small towns come through with lots of cool options. One place in particular that I want to mention is the Scheuermann Winery in Westport. Their menu includes some amazing specialty pizzas, which are fantastic, and of course – it's a winery. They offer taste testings and you can grab a bottle or two and take along for the rest of your trip. It's definitely worth checking out.
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It seems like you’re using river and canal interchangeably. These are two different bodies of water. There is a Rideau Canal and a Rideau River.