Plan your visit

Rideau Canal National Historic Site

Hours of operation

The Rideau Canal National Historic Site is open annually with navigation season from May to October.

Fees

Fees for the Rideau Canal, including lockage, mooring, and camping.

Passes and permits

Seasonal and annual permits for lockage and mooring. Purchase online in advance.

Lockage and navigation

Locking through safely, nautical charts, technical data, navigational aids, real-time boater information.

Improvements and infrastructure

Status updates, info bulletins and frequently asked questions for critical projects underway across the system.

Weather

Current weather forecast for the Rideau Canal.

Site use for Special Events

Apply for a permit to rent space on the Rideau Canal for public and private special events.

Accessibility

Information on the accessibility services on the Rideau Canal.

Off Season on the Rideau Canal

The historic site is NOT maintained from October 15 - May 15 and is CLOSED to the public.

Lockstations

Locations, facilities and services, navigation data, contact information, lock history

New footbridge downtown Ottawa – Clearance of 6.7 metres (22 feet).
Click here for more info.

The Rideau Canal runs between Ottawa and Kingston in Southern Ontario, both easily accessible by car and public transportation from Toronto (260 kilometres to Kingston) and Montréal (200 kilometres to Ottawa). The length of the canal itself can be accessed by road, bicycle, on foot or by boat.

Spring through fall is the most popular time to visit. Though the locks are closed in winter, there is skating, ice-fishing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

How to get here

Location

34 Beckwith Street South
Smiths Falls ON K7A 2A8

Phone
613-283-5170

Email
rideau@pc.gc.ca

Directions

The Rideau Canal's 22 lockstations are all accessible by road, and therefore by vehicle, bicycle or on foot. The canal lockstations are generally accessible by all-season roads.

 

Facilities and services

Accessible Facilities Accessible services
Information Information
Gift Shop Gift shop
Parking Parking
Restrooms Restrooms
Electric car charging station Electric car charging station
Picnic area Picnic area
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