Rideau Canal Heritage Trail

The Rideau Canal is a rare thing, a 19th-century waterway that still works much as its builders intended. It stretches about 202 kilometres between Ottawa and Kingston, linking the Ottawa River to Lake Ontario by way of rivers, lakes and a long staircase of locks. Colonel John By of the Royal Engineers directed its construction after the War of 1812, when the British wanted a supply route that kept clear of the exposed St. Lawrence frontier. It opened in 1832, never saw military use, and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 as the best-preserved slackwater canal in North America.

The stretch at Smiths Falls is among its most interesting. The town grew up around the locks, because here the Rideau River drops by a considerable height and the canal had to climb it. The Combined Lock station sits in the middle of town, and a short walk reveals the lock chambers, lockmaster's buildings and the swing bridge that still carries foot traffic. Parks Canada operates a visitor centre in the town, where displays explain the engineering, the labour of the thousands of workers who built the canal and the way the waterway shifted from freight to recreation.

Visitors will find walking and cycling the best ways to take it all in. Paths follow the water through town and out toward quieter shoreline, linking with the broader Rideau Trail and Trans Canada Trail network. The route is flat, easy and suitable for families, and benches and picnic spots appear at intervals. Boaters travel the canal from May to October, and watching a cruiser or sailboat being lifted through the lock chamber is a pleasing spectacle.

For a wider look at the town, nearby are the sights listed for Smiths Falls, including Lock 14 Interpretive Centre and the Smiths Falls Museum, along with the railway heritage that shaped the town. In winter, snow covers the paths, and cross-country skiers and snowshoers replace summer walkers, though locks are drained and closed to boats.

Plan on two hours for a relaxed stroll with a stop at the visitor centre, or half a day with a bicycle. Check the Parks Canada website for the operating season and any maintenance closures before setting out.