Paddle the Grand River
from Caledonia to Dunnville
8-12 hours paddling
The river widens and slows below Caledonia. This section can be split into 2 or 3 sections by using the river access points in York and Cayuga. There are several dams in Dunnville which must be avoided. It is possible to pull out on the L bank in Dunnville, or in Byng Island Conservation Area, on the other side of the river.
Paddlers are now joined on the river by water skiers and power boats. You may see remnants of the old Grand River Navigation Company canals, used to bypass shallow sections of the river. Despite all the activity, there is plenty of wildlife in the marshy areas beside the river.
Always consult the GRCA website for up-to-date safety information and river flows.
Grand River Access Points Between Caledonia and Dunnville
Caledonia to Cayuga
5-7 hours paddling
Park at the lower end of Kinsmen Park in Caledonia and put your canoe or kayak in the river well below the Caledonia dam. The river may be shallow between here and York. Look out for the remnants of the locks and canals of the Grand River Navigation Company, which permitted paddle wheelers to ply the Grand River as far north as Brantford in the 19th century. You can pull out your canoe on the L bank at York Park in the village of York. Bring a picnic or buy snacks at the York General Store, across the road from the park, as there are no restaurants in York.
Continue downstream to Cayuga. Just below York, you will pass Ruthven House and Park a National Historic Site. Pull out at Bob Baigent Park (free parking) on the L bank of the river in the small town of Cayuga. Take some time to explore Cayuga and have a meal or a snack at one of a number of restaurants in the town.
Cayuga to Dunnville
3-5 hours paddling
The paddling is easy between Cayuga and Dunnville. There are several dams across the Grand River in Dunnville that must be avoided. There are access points on both sides of the river. On the L bank, there is a boat launch with free parking at Wingfield Park in the town of Dunnville, well above the main dam. Alternatively, you can pull out at the main boat launch (day use fees) at Byng Island Conservation Area. If you plan to continue down the river, you can enter the next channel on the right, past the boat launch. This leads to the Weir 4 dam, which is a dangerous low head dam that must be portaged. Pull out at the access point on the R, well above the bridge and dam. There is a short portage which leads to the main channel. Follow this, keeping to the R, which returns to the Grand River, well below the Dunnville Dam. You can camp at the conservation area, which boasts the largest outdoor swimming pool in Canada.
Ruthven House, Cayuga
