Saugeen River Country's Canoe Routes
One of the best canoe routes in Southern Ontario and only a few hours drive from home! Winding 102 km through the scenic countryside and pretty "small-town Ontario", the Saugeen River stretches from Hanover to Southampton, where it empties into Lake Huron. The trip can be completed in 3 to 4 days, with easy, but slow, portages around the three dams. Supplies can be purchased en route. Stay overnight in one of the riverside towns or camp at Saugeen Bluffs Conservation Area, with its canoe launches, treed campsites and beautiful hiking trails. McBeath Conservation Area at Paisley is only accessible by the river and offers a good overnight stop over. Several private campgrounds offer riverside camping, too.
Rapids
Broad calm sections of the river combined with stretches of rapids and eddies make the Saugeen ideal for family outings. It's also perfect for learning the basics of rapid water navigation. The rapids are not difficult to negotiate, but are a challenge in the early spring when the water is high and fast moving. In late summer, some parts of the river can become trickier to navigate as water levels may drop.
Wildlife
Keep your eyes peeled--and your camera ready!--for the local wildlife. Great blue herons, mallards, beavers and muskrats all make the river their home.
Copies of the Saugeen River Canoe route are available at www.svca.on.ca or at any information centre.
It's not nice to fool mother nature!
But unpredictable Mother Nature can fool the unwary paddler! Paddling conditions along the Saugeen are affected by natural processes and change continuously. Our web site contains general information only; it is not to be used as a detailed guide for the actual conditions of the river.
PADDLING CAN BE A DANGEROUS SPORT. Take all necessary precautions when planning your trip (outfitters can help you with this!). For current conditions and water levels, check out the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority website at www.svca.on.ca Camping info is available on this site as well.
Related Info
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