rideau canal - jones falls defensible lockmasters house

tomhW6293WV

The Rideau Canal is a jewel in Eastern Ontario.Whether you boat or kayak or drive the Rideau route this is a great historic sight.The locks- Jones, Chaffeys, Upper and Lower Brewers are picturesque and wonderful to explore.

LauraJ754

We rented a 40 foot houseboat from Big Rideau Houseboat Rentals out of Portland. Spectacular! Jones Falls was our best ever lock station - four locks - all staff were incredibly helpful. Scenery is beyond compare - how fortunate we are to live in Ontario!

811sued

First time to the Redeau Canal, so much to see in Ontario and so little time on a holiday, but we will be back to see more.

sweetsue4

There is so much history in our Rideau Canal system. We went twice in the last week and once by boat. The grandkids loved to watch the boats going through the locks and see the big doors opening by hand. Fabulous that we are still able to see and enjoy this treasure of a waterway. We then went with friends through several of the locks with friends . Jones Falls is one of the prettiest.

DianeKing2014

We visit here each summer, only 40 minutes from Kingston. Clear waters, appropriate for swimming (no walk in/beach area though so difficult for young children), walking trails, electrical dam and working man-powered lock system. The lock system, opened my four men, is impressive to watch. Sadly, in recent years, funding has been cut and a blacksmith is no longer employed (big downfall) and blockhouse/guardhouse was closed up. Still worth a visit. Bring a picnic lunch and have some ice cream in the shop!

jimmy1234567

We would go here often for a short interesting loop walk. You can cross the locks to include a trail into the woods along the north side with of trailends near the blacksmith building and lockmaster's house. Be sure to include a look at the blockhouse up the hill, especially if there are interpreters on duty. An excellent place for a picnic or even a refreshing swim in the area between the upper and lower sets of locks.

130TerryB

Worth the small detour to stop and watch the watercraft making their way thru the locks. A very beautiful setting.

PhotosbyPharos

Last fall we made the trip from Ottawa by road and promised we would make the trip by cruise ship down the Rideau Canal on the Kawartha Voyageur in June 2014. Both visits were delightful and fascinating. The canal's history and the lock construction interested both of us. The scenery by water is spectacular, though by car it is more difficult to appreciate. Jones Falls is a picturesque place with Kenney's Hotel by the river. We enjoyed a home-style lunch here in the fall. But it is the flight of locks and the huge dam here that intrigue. The dam is much the same as it was when built by Colonel By's Royal Engineers in the 1820-30s. The arched masonry dam spans 350 feet and is 62 feet high; if you stand at one end and whisper, a person at the other end can hear you. It impresses. In the summer, pleasure boats line up at the top and bottom of the locks to make their way up or down the canal and provide endless entertainment for onlookers. Visitors can walk up the locks and watch; they can also have a swim at the lower pool in front of the hotel. Recommended for a day trip or a stay.

Jocb33

A great way to spend an afternoon. Nice place to walk and swim and have a picnic too. No much docking for boats though.

funnyfacefan

Amazing place want to move back!! So many spots to explore and always something fun to learn. It don't matter if its summer or winter t still is beautiful to see a must go spot for anyone who loves history

CruisingNanna

The locks are impressive to watch. It takes time for them to fill and drain the water which allows boats to travel on the Rideau River. Plan to spend some time to observe this transformation as it is all done by hand cranking. The Lockmaster's House contains furnishings form that time period when the canal was actually manned 24 hours a day. Plan to spend 1 to 2 hours minimum to really enjoy.

Bettia

We traveled up the Rideau this summer and had a great time and learned a lot about the history. There area a number of museums along the way. The Jones Falls Lockmaster House can only be seem from the outside so there is not much there. To really understand the history and see what the buildings were like you are better off going to the Rideau Canal Museum in Smiths Falls and/or the museum at Merrickville. There is also a nice house museum at Chaffeys Lock which is worth a looksee.

30DaveH

A short drive from downtown Kingston offers a great picnic spot where you can read about the Rideau lock system and best of all, watch the parks staff open and close the manually operated locks - yup, the same technology used over a century ago enthralled everyone in our group from age 9 to 70! This is an example of all there is to see when we take the time to enjoy the journey instead of racing along the 401 between our destinations and I'd highly recommend it.

Kevfins13

Having seen the Rideau Canal in Ottawa we decided to see the other end of the canal in Kingston. Set in beautiful countryside it was a great place to walk and relax.

Heather0664

I found watching the boats travelling through the locks to be very interesting. I had never seen a working lock before, so it was great to be able to view it right up close. The Poutine at the nearby cafe was also excellent!!