Paddling — Flatwater.
The Merrickville public beach and boat launch put paddlers directly into the Rideau Canal beside Locks 21–23 — the village's three-lock flight in the heart of the Rideau Canal World Heritage corridor. From the launch, the Rideau Migratory Bird Sanctuary covers 5.6 km of canal and river immediately upstream, and the canal navigation system extends 202 km north toward Smiths Falls and Ottawa or south through Westport and Kingston Mills toward Lake Ontario.
The brief.
The Merrickville reach of the Rideau is true flatwater — canal-corridor paddling, sheltered through the village, opening into wider river above and below the locks. The Township's RiverPaddle programme promotes recreational paddling on the village reach.
Paddlers can lock through Locks 21–23 under the Parks Canada navigation-season schedule (roughly mid-May through mid-October); locking-through requires the navigation fee. Within the Rideau Migratory Bird Sanctuary upstream, motorized navigation is permitted but paddling is the quieter approach; federal Migratory Bird Sanctuary Regulations prohibit hunting and disturbance of birds.
Best season is late May through October. The Rideau Canal is a multi-day system — Merrickville is a logical Day 1 or Day 2 stopover for paddlers running the canal end-to-end.
3. places.
- 01
Merrickville stretch of the Rideau Canal / Rideau River
Village public beach and boat launch, paddling immediately upstream into the Rideau Migratory Bird Sanctuary.
- 02
RiverPaddle Recreational Paddle
Township-promoted recreational paddling route on the Rideau through Merrickville-Wolford.
- 03
Rideau Canal navigation
202 km canal corridor extending upstream toward Smiths Falls, Westport, and Ottawa, downstream toward Kingston Mills and Lake Ontario.
Today's read.
Temperature (4.1°C) below the typical range.
By the book.
- 01Paddlers locking through Merrickville Locks 21–23 must follow the Parks Canada navigation-season schedule and pay the navigation fee.Source ↗
- 02The Rideau Migratory Bird Sanctuary is administered under federal Migratory Bird Sanctuary Regulations; hunting and disturbance of birds are prohibited.Source ↗