Fenelon Falls Paddling Routes

Routes designed by: The Land Canadian Adventures

My kids on a day trip are like little heat-seeking missiles for fun: acquire the target, get the goods, move on to the next mission. Also, there’s often explosions. I respect the here and now orientation of my younger humans and try to balance my parenting responsibilities of training them for patience and consideration against the intuition of when now means NOW! We’re outdoor educators, so Briagh and I always have at least a loose plan for a well-rounded experience that ticks all the family fun boxes. Part of what makes a day adventure in Fenelon so appealing to us is that there are so many ways to build spontaneous fun into the interstices of your itinerary through sightseeing, window-shopping and the parks and playgrounds along this rich slice of the Trent Severn Waterway. 

We were able to perform all the typical end of road-trip maneuvers at our chosen lunch spot, Murphy’s Lockside Pub. I placed the orders at the bar while the girls hit the head and got some fresh juice. We had our choice of dining in, taking a seat on the sun-kissed patio, or taking our food to go, and we opted for a picnic table on the island above the upper reach of lock 34. Our food was made to order and ready to take away in biodegradable clamshells in under 20 minutes, which was barely enough time for the kids to play a round of life-sized Connect Four and collect some impressive, hand-drawn maps of the region at the Explore Fenelon Falls visitors centre. We spread out the food like a buffet and shared our tacos, salads, poutine and delicious sammies between the crew before embarking on our island portaging tour. 

The Lockside area is rich with sightseeing possibilities, from the multitude of boats locking through to the walking street traffic around the ice-creamery and brewery and creamery. Maybe we’re nerdier than most, but there’s always some natural and cultural history interpretation along these stations, and Fenelon is no different: in addition to perusing the Parks Canada-classic interpretive signage with maps and keystone species, you can visit the original lock master’s “tiny home” and imagine their solitary watch in an era long gone. The Parks Canada walking path is a real world maze for a young family that runs alongside the lock, with criss-crossing swing bridges over the channels, and even features a pedestrian underpass under the main drag of Hwy 121 Lindsay Street.

The Oh Wow! moment when you first glimpse the namesake falls comes as you sneak under the bridge and emerge on the southeast side of the island. Fenelon Falls is an impressive cataract made from a scaled limestone ledge with a highwater height of seven meters across a 50 m span of the Fenelon River. The washout from the falls forms a stunning meander that is so fun to explore and photograph from the boats. We paddled alongside limestone cliffs bounding the pool of the lower reach and silently cheered on the stoic heron fishing in the shallows while an osprey boasted a fresh catch in its talons overhead. Lily and I exercised caution while venturing upstream into the eddy on river-left to play in the current and get the best views of the falls from the hull of the boat.   

This lock station is exceptional for paddling accessibility and even features paddlecraft steps at the end of the paved walkway for a very easy canoe or kayak launch. We’d left our vehicle parked back on quiet May Street and portaged the boats through town and around the island like a family of hearty canucks, but noticed that you can drive and park right down by the river on Colborne Street on the north side of the channel. Also for next time, we noticed that The Locker has an enviable dining location overlooking the brink of the falls on the south side of the Fenelon, and would pair nicely with a visit to the plein air collection at the Colborne Street Gallery. 

Our little heat-seekers were warming up for a new target, and they’d heard about the zipline at Garnet Graham Beach Park. Briagh and the girls picked up some fresh-fruit frozen yogurt (and a gift for an upcoming birthday party) at the Country Cupboard, while I picked up a brew or two for later at the Fenelon Falls Brewing Company and tied down the boats, and then we bounced down Francis Street to the park. The kids had to finish off their cold treats riding the spring loaded, rocking canoe play-features before they were ready to grip the zipline with both hands. Long story short, this playground will blow your kids’ hair back, and when they’re ready to change gears, you’re right on the shoreline of Cameron Lake whose crystal clear limestone shoreline is so inviting, especially on a warm sunny day!      

The beach launch is a stone’s throw from the park, so carrying boats and gear was easy for the family. There are erosion fissures in the packed sand where the field meets the beach, so we had to guide the steps of our youngest as she carried paddles and pfds. Avery and Briagh took the lead while Lily and I followed in their path. We paddled out into the bay, and turned south to  follow the lakeside section of the Victoria Rail Trail, observing how other families enjoyed the pavilions, benches and BBQ areas arranged alongside this delightful public hiking path. Briagh scooped up a feather from a belted kingfisher who’d bounded off laughing up ahead.

The lead boat turned just before the cribbing of the upper reach of the lock station, and we followed suit, tracing the naturally green shoreline and showing off our canoe dance skills for our drone flying overhead. Six year-old Avery even surprised us with a spontaneous cross-bow draw upon our return to the sandy pullout back by the park! After our paddle, the whole family quenched our bodies’ thirst with a plunge in the autumn-chilled lake. Fun, food and a variety of opportunities for paddling frolic make Fenelon Falls a perfect spot for a perennial family day adventure.

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