Canoeing the Grand River

This is a summary of the access points, portages and camping facilities along the Grand River between Elora and Lake Erie. Each grouping, or segment, represents a contiguous stretch, covered by one map in the GRCA book: "Canoeing on the Grand River". Numbering follows the book:

S2 - S10 -- Section number (map number)
#1 - #33 -- Canoe access and pull-out points
*A - *G -- Portage points (dams and weirs)
> Campsites, conservation areas

>Elora Gorge Conservation Area, Elora, 519-846-5356. GRCA Camping.
# 3. Elora Gorge Conservation Area (Fee for entry, fee for camping)
# 4. Downstream of Inverhaugh at Wilson’s Flats

>West Montrose Camping and Picnic Area, Elmira, 519-669-2129
# 5. West Montrose – Downstream of covered bridge
# 6. Winterbourne – Downstream of bridge
# 7. Conestogo – Under the hydro tower corridor
# 8. Kaufman’s Flats – Woolwich Street
# 9. Kitchener (Bridgeport) – Joe Thompson Sportsfield
# 10 a) Kitchener – Bingeman Park (Fee for camping)
>Bingemans, Kitchener, 519-546-7010, www.bingemans.com, camping@bingemans.com
# 10 b) Kitchener – Victoria Street Park

# 11. Kitchener (Freeport) – Downsteam of King Street East bridge

*A. Kitchener (Freeport) - portage on left; <1km downstream of Highway#8 bridge, opposite water treatment intake.
# 12. Blair – Moyer’s Landing
# 13. Cambridge (Galt) – Riverbluffs Park

*B. Cambridge (Galt) – Parkhill Road Dam - portage on right; 0.5km downstream of CPR railway bridge, just past the start of cement flood wall, take out on small island just above the dam. Follow stairs. HIGH FLOW, take out before the railway bridge at boat ramp Riverbluffs Park.
# 14. Cambridge (Galt) – Parkhill Road Bridge
# 15. Cambridge (Galt) – GTO Gas Bar. (Cambridge-Paris Rail Trail)
>Sir Winston Churchill Park, Cambridge, 519-623-1340

# 16. South of Cambridge – Shep’s Subdivision, Footbridge Road
# 17. Glen Morris – Washington Street
# 18. Paris – Willow Street below the dam

*C. Paris – Penman’s Dam - portage on left; prior to railway bridge; walk along dike, put in at access ramp below dam.

# 19. Brant Conservation Area (Fee for entry, fee for camping)
>Brant Conservation Area, Brantford, 519-752-2040. GRCA Camping.

*D. Brantford – Wilkes Dam - portage on right; half hour past the start of Brant Conservation area.
*E. Brantford – Remains of Indian Dam - portage on right; or, bypass through shallow gap on right bank ~500m down from Wilkes.
# 20. Brantford – Ballantyne Drive
# 21. Brantford – Gilkison’s Flats
# 22. Brantford – Cockshutt Bridge
# 23. Ohsweken – Upstream of the bridge, or Chiefswood Tent and Trailer Park (Fee for entry, fee for camping)
>Chiefswood Tent and Trailer Park, Ohsweken, 519-752-3969
>Rio Grande Trailer Park, 3 km upriver of Caledonia, 519-753-5465
# 24. North of Caledonia – LaFortune Park (Fee for entry, fee for camping)
>LaFortune Park, Caledonia, 905-765-4993, lafortune@haldimandcounty.on.ca,     Haldimand County Campground list
# 25. Caledonia – Kinsmen Park

*F. Caledonia Dam - portage on left; take the boat mooring just upstream of railway bridge, portage through parkette.

# 26. York – Seneca Park
>Grand Oaks Trailer Park, between York and Cayuga 905-772-3713 (in the book this is listed before LaFortune, but listed after on www; need to verify this on a real map TBD...)
>Riverview Camp, Cayuga, 905-772-5967

# 27. Cayuga – Ouse Street boat ramp
# 29. Dunnville – Wingfield Park
# 28. Dunnville – Byng Island Conservation Area (Fee for entry, fee for camping)
>Byng Island Conservation Area, Dunnville, 905-774-5755. GRCA Camping.

*G. Dunnville Dam and Weirs - portage on right; LOW FLOW: right bank prior to Dunnville bridge. HIGH FLOW & campers: as you approach the city of Dunnville, you will pass to the right of a large island, this is the main flow side; follow the first channel to the right and use boat docks near weir #4 (2nd and 3rd channels posted no trespassing). Byng Island Conservation Area -- ~1km east to re-entry point. Dunnville Dam considered "dangerous" (book).

# 30. Dunnville – Grand Island Bar-B-Q (Launch fee)
# 31. Dunnville – Dunnville Boat Club (Launch fee)
# 32. Dunnville – Betamik Harbour (Launch fee)
# 33. Port Maitland on Lake Erie
>Rock Point PP ~3km south east of the P. Maitland breakwater

This summary of Grand River Canoe segments is organized for my convenience -- it will inevitably contain inaccuracies and omissions. You do need to take the responsibility to validate its accuracy relative to your own requirements since yours are undoubtedly different than my own -- the only one responsible for your safety is you.