Cycling the Rideau Canal: Smiths Falls Loop

Your location: Rideau Canal Home Page > Cycling the Rideau > Smiths Falls Loop

Smiths Falls Loop
(93 kilometres)
The following are turn by turn directions for a self-guided bicycle tour. Mate this information with a paper or digital map (see the Maps Page for information on various maps of the Rideau).

This is a loop tour that takes you from Smiths Falls, through to Merrickville, Jasper, Toledo, Lombardy, Rideau Ferry and back to Smiths Falls. Sights include the Rideau Canal Visitor Information Centre, 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.

Symbol Legend

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
	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 Visitor Information Centre. Both are only a hundred metres from the parking lot. Feel free to explore other sites in Smiths Falls.
	0	Smiths Falls Combined Lock	From the Smiths Falls Combined lockstation, head south on Beckwith Street, across the bridge to the stop lights.
	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.
	3	Old Slys Locks	Old Slys is another lovely Rideau lock. Picnic tables and washrooms.
	3	County Road 43	From Old Slys, turn east onto County Road 43.
	3.5	County Road 43	Continue east along County Road 43 to the turn-off for Kilmarnock.
	10	Kilmarnock Lock Side Trip (2 km)	Kilmarnock Lock - a peaceful rural lock with a lovely wooden swing bridge. Picnic tables and washrooms.
	10	County Road 43	Continue east on County Road 43 to Merrickville
	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.
	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.
	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)
	33	County Road 16	Continue from Jasper, along County Road 16, to County Road 29
	38	County Road 29	Turn south on County Road 29 and follow it to the exit for Toledo.
	45	County Road 8	Turn west onto County Road 8 to Toledo
	45	Toledo	Gas station with groceries. Limited services.
	46	County Road 1	From Toledo, head north along County Road 1 to Lombardy.
	61	County Road 1	From Lombardy, continue north along County Road 1 to Rideau Ferry
	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).
	66	County Road 1	Continue north along County Road 1 to County Road 18.
	68	County Road 18	Turn northeast onto County Road 18 and take it to Beveridges Lockstation
	70	Beveridges Lockstation	Beveridges is another nice lockstation with picnic tables and washrooms.
	70	County Road 18	Continue along County Road 18 from Beveridges to the intersection with County Road 43.
	73	County Road 43	Turn east on County Road 43 (towards Port Elmsley) and follow County Road 43 back to Smiths Falls.
	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.
	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.
	83	Strathcona Street	Turn east onto Strathcona Street and follow it to Confederation Drive.
	83.5	Confederation Drive	Turn east onto Confederation Drive and follow it back to the parking lot under the water tower.
	84	Parking Lot	And we're back!

Back to Bicycling the Rideau

QUICK MENU