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Bicycling the |
| Your location: Rideau Region > Rideau Waterway > Bicycling the Rideau > Smiths Falls Loop |
 Smiths Falls Loop (93 kilometres) The following are directions for a self-guided bicycle tour. It is a loop that takes you from Smiths Falls, through to Merrickville, Jasper, Toledo, Lombardy, Rideau Ferry and back to Smiths Falls. Sights include the Rideau Canal Museum, Hershey's Chocolate Factory, Merrickville Blockhouse, several beautiful Rideau lockstations and lovely rural scenery. Merrickville provides many interesting shopping opportunities. Depending on your skill (stamina) as a bicycler, for the average bicycler, this is an easy day ride. Please note that the kilometre distances are only approximate, they have been measured off a map. All the roads are paved and in general, most are lower traffic back roads. |
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| Route Arrow - continue along main route | Right or Left Turn Arrow | Side Loop - a sidetrip off the main route | Stop of Interest | Bicycle Route - where this route intersects another bicycle route |
| Jones Falls Loop Directions | |||
| Km | Location | Description | |
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0 | Smiths Falls | If arriving by car, one option is to park in the public parking lot under the water tower (you can't miss it). Your first stop in Smiths Falls from that point will be the Smiths Falls Combined lockstation and the Rideau Canal Museum. Both are only a hundred metres from the parking lot. Feel free to explore other sites in Smiths Falls, but if you're ready to go, our next stop will be the Hershey's Chocolate Factory. |
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0 | Smiths Falls Combined Lock | From the Smiths Falls Combined lockstation, head south on Beckwith Street, across the bridge to the stop lights. |
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0.5 | Jasper Avenue | At the Beckwith stop lights, turn southeast onto Jasper Avenue. Follow Jasper Avenue to Old Slys Road and follow Old Slys Road to the Old Slys Locks. |
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3 | Old Slys Locks | Old Slys is another lovely Rideau lock. Picnic tables and washrooms. |
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3 | County Road 43 | From Old Slys, turn east onto County Road 43. At the next light turn left onto Hershey Drive if you would like to visit the Hershey's Chocolate Factory which is just a block up that road. |
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3.5 | Hershey's Chocolate Factory | The Hershey's Chocolate Factory offers free tours and has an attached retail outlet which caters to everyone's sweet tooth. Once you've loaded up on chocolate, return to County Road 43 |
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3.5 | County Road 43 | Continue east along County Road 43 to the turn-off for Kilmarnock. |
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10 | Kilmarnock Lock Side Trip (2 km) |
Kilmarnock Lock - a peaceful rural lock with a lovely wooden swing bridge. Picnic tables and washrooms. |
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10 | County Road 43 | Continue east on County Road 43 to Merrickville |
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18 | Merrickville | Merrickville is well worth a stop. Accommodations, groceries, restaurants, and many shopping opportunities. Visit the Blockhouse and the locks. While you are in Blockhouse Park, stop in at The Depot, run by Friends of the Rideau and pick up an interesting Rideau book. Take a boat tour of the Rideau on the electric cruise boat, the Harriet By. |
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18 | County Road 16 | Take St. Lawrence Street south out of Merrickville, and turn southwest onto County Road 16. Take County Road 16 to Jasper. |
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42 | Smiths Falls Shortcut | In Jasper, if you want to cut your trip short, you can take County Road 17 back to Smiths Falls. You'll end up on Jasper Road in Smiths Falls and take that back into town. The distance is 10 kilometres (as opposed to another 50 km following the main route back to Smiths Falls) |
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33 | County Road 16 | Continue from Jasper, along County Road 16, to County Road 29 |
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38 | County Road 29 | Turn south on County Road 29 and follow it to the exit for Toledo. |
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45 | County Road 8 | Turn west onto County Road 8 to Toledo |
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45 | Toledo | Gas station with groceries. Limited services. |
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46 | County Road 1 | From Toledo, head north along County Road 1 to Lombardy. |
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61 | County Road 1 | From Lombardy, continue north along County Road 1 to Rideau Ferry |
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66 | Rideau Ferry | Few facilities but if you are up for a swim, stop by at the Rideau Ferry Yacht Club Conservation Area which has a nice beach (a small day use fee applies). |
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66 | County Road 1 | Continue north along County Road 1 to County Road 18. |
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68 | County Road 18 | Turn northeast onto County Road 18 and take it to Beveridges Lockstation |
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70 | Beveridges Lockstation | Beveridges is another nice lockstation with picnic tables and washrooms. |
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70 | County Road 18 | Continue along County Road 18 from Beveridges to the intersection with County Road 43. |
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73 | County Road 43 | Turn east on County Road 43 (towards Port Elmsley) and follow County Road 43 back to Smiths Falls. |
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82 | William Street | On the outskirts of Smiths Falls, turn south onto William Street. This will take you by the Smiths Falls Railway Museum. If you have time, stop in for a visit. |
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82.5 | Abbott Street | Just south of the Railway museum, turn south onto Abbott Street. If you would like to see the Smiths Falls Detached Lock and the raised Bascule railway bridge, simply continue south on Abbott to the lock. If you're ready to go home, then turn east on Strathcona Street. |
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83 | Strathcona Street | Turn east onto Strathcona Street and follow it to Confederation Drive. |
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83.5 | Confederation Drive | Turn east onto Confederation Drive and follow it back to the parking lot under the water tower. |
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84 | Parking Lot | And we're back! |
 Back to Bicycling the Rideau |
Comments: send me email: Ken Watson