Port Severn and Lock 45

Port Severn is shaped by its location on the Trent-Severn Waterway and by Lock 45: it is the waterway’s northern gateway and also its smallest lock. There are also different ways to include the town and the waterway in your travel plans—from a self-guided tour at the Welcome Centre to a designated paddling route and a challenging route that leads to Port Severn. You can then decide whether to focus on lock history, paddling, or a longer route.

Lock 45: the lock and self-guided tour

Lock 45 was completed as a small lock and was initially intended to be temporary. It remains in operation today. This combination makes the lock a distinctive stop on the Trent-Severn Waterway: its role as the northern gateway and its small size are part of its specific function on this waterway.

A self-guided tour is offered at the Lock 45 Welcome Centre during the lock’s operating hours. If you want to include this in your visit, plan around the lock’s operating hours. The tour is a way to explore Lock 45 on your own; it should not be mistaken for a guided tour. For a travel group with different interests, the lock can be a shared starting point, while plans for the rest of the day can differ.

Routes to Port Severn

The Upper Big Chute Loop is 56 km long, has a moderate-to-challenging difficulty level, and leads to Port Severn. Its length and difficulty help you assess this route as a focus in its own right. The route follows Big Chute Road or County Road 17, Whites Falls Road, and Honey Harbour Road, crosses Highway 400, and reaches Port Severn. These specific road names and the crossing over the highway are therefore part of the route description.

Port Severn is also on the Big Chute Loop section of the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail. If you are initially considering a land-based route when choosing between different experiences, you can take this into account alongside the information about the Upper Big Chute Loop. In addition, Parks Canada designates a paddling route from Bobcaygeon to Port Severn on the northern section of the Trent-Severn Waterway. It offers a different way to experience the waterway than the Upper Big Chute Loop description: a designated route for paddlers, with Port Severn as its destination.

Choose your stay based on your interests

The Trent-Severn Waterway runs from Trenton to Port Severn and is operated and maintained by Parks Canada as a year-round destination for recreational boaters and paddlers. For planning purposes, it is helpful to distinguish this general description of the waterway from the details of individual routes: the paddling route is designated for the northern section from Bobcaygeon to Port Severn, while the Upper Big Chute Loop has its own length, difficulty, and road route.

If you choose Port Severn as your destination, you can tailor your stay to your interests: Lock 45 and the self-guided tour focus on the lock, the paddling route offers a way to plan a waterway trip, and the Upper Big Chute Loop is a longer route with a moderate-to-challenging difficulty level. Search specifically for a vacation rental in Port Severn if you want the town itself to be your starting point for this trip. The details for each route can help you decide in advance which one suits your plans.

More destinations to explore: Waubaushene, Port Mcnicoll, Washago, Duntroon, Alliston, Tiny, Innisfil and Wymbolwood Beach.

For the broader travel overview: Simcoe County.