Feeder Canal Bike Adventure
Dunnville to Rock Point Provincial Park
27 km—2 hours return trip by bike
START: Either at the Dunnville Farmer’s Market or Rock Point Provincial Park
Before trains were invented there were canals with horse drawn barges. North America went into a frenzy of canal building in the 1820s and 30s. Fortunes were made and then just as rapidly lost as most canals were abandoned for railroads. The Feeder Canal was built to take water from the Grand River at Dunnville to the original Welland Canal, which was completed in 1829.
This route is on paved roads and multi-use trails.
Dunnville to Lake Erie
Interactive Map of Feeder Canal Bike Adventure
Park your car in the parking lot at the Dunnville Farmers Market (1) on Main St E in Dunnville. Alternatively, you could camp at Rock Point Provincial Park (2) and start your ride there.
If you start at the farmers market, turn R as you exit the parking lot onto Main St E/N Shore Drive (busy paved road). Ride 5.8 km beside the old Feeder Canal, to Feeder Canal Ln. Turn L onto Feeder Canal Ln (paved laneway which turns into a paved trail) and continue for 1.1 km. Turn L back onto N Shore Dr and continue for 500 m to Feeder Canal Rd.
Turn R on Feeder Canal Rd towards Port Maitland East. Continue for 2.8 km to the banks of the Grand River. Stop at the cairns in Port Maitland East Park (3). The larger cairn recognizes the Grand River Naval Base, which operated from 1815 to 1834, protecting Upper Canada from another American invasion. The smaller cairn marks the start of the Grand Valley Trail. From here you can see the Port Maitland Lighthouse on the other side of the Grand River. Unfortunately, it is not possible to reach Lake Erie from here as the road enters a private cottage development.
Ride back along Feeder Canal Rd for 650 m to Siddall Rd. Turn R and ride 900 m to Niece Rd. (If you continue on Siddall Rd for another 350 m, you can access a beach on Lake Erie). Otherwise, turn L onto Niece Rd. The entrance to Rock Point Provincial Park (2) is on the R in 1.4 km. Make sure to bring a picnic and go for a swim at the beach where you can look for fossils from an ancient coral reef. In the fall, the park is on a migration route for Monarch butterflies.
After leaving the park turn R onto Niece Rd (paved country Rd) and continue for 250 m to Downey Rd (paved country road). Turn L and ride for 1 km to Rymer Rd. Turn R and in 550 return to N Shore Dr and turn L. In 1 km, N Shore Dr crosses Feeder Canal Rd. From here, retrace your ride back to the
After your biking adventure explore the town of Dunnville. There are numerous restaurants to choose from in the centre of town, but make sure to have some freshly caught lake fish. Go to Centennial Park to see “Muddy” (4), the world’s largest statue of a catfish (take care if you ride your bike along Main St W/Dunnville road, which is a busy highway with no cycling facilities). Afterwards, book a fishing trip with one of the many charter boats that operate on the Grand River out of Dunnville.
Visit Byng Island Conservation Area (5), which has camping, trails and a canoe launch, as well as Canada’s largest outdoor pool.
Remnants of an Old Lock along the Feeder Canal
