Exploring the historic Trent-Severn Waterway in the Ford F-150 Powerboost

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It’s a surreal feeling to see a boat up above you and watch it descend to be deposited into water far below. On the Trent-Severn Waterway, this happens all the time. Whether it’s through the towering gates of a flight lock, the caissons of a lift lock that seem like ponds suspended in mid-air, or a marine railway that’s unique in North America, the waterway is designed to allow boats to overcome the elevation changes of inland rivers and lakes while traveling from Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay.

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Its 44 locks spanning 386 kilometres were originally planned as a shipping route, but by the time the system was completed 101 years ago, its usefulness for commercial purposes was already obsolete. Instead, it’s enjoyed today almost exclusively by recreational boaters and the people who care to observe them from the shorelines.

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Avid boaters or hopeless nerds (like this writer) may already have their interest piqued. But those who doubt the value in driving around to watch other people in boats should consider giving it a chance: it’s a relaxed, easy-going, highly customizable, and interesting way to pass a day or a week in cottage country.

It’s also one of the safest possible excursions to take on during this second summer of COVID-19. It’s based entirely outdoors, social distancing is easy, and it’s relatively close to home for those in the Greater Toronto Area but still incorporates a road tripping feel. This makes it an especially good option for families, who may also be able to benefit from Parks Canada’s Xplorers program designed to help kids engage with Canada’s national parks and historic sites. Officially, the program is not being offered on the waterway this summer, but we happened upon the activity booklets and prizes anyway, thanks to several friendly lockmasters.

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We went full bore and spent an entire week exploring the 34 lock stations we could reasonably reach by road while driving a Ford F-150 Powerboost and towing a 10-foot trailer. But it’s not necessary to put this much time in to get a feel for how the system works. Three itinerary ideas are set out below: a single day, a weekend, and for the truly dedicated, some details on our longer-term approach.

2021 Ford F-150 Powerboost

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First, a little on our vehicular companion for this trip, the 2021 Ford F-150 Powerboost. With an as-tested price of $83,715, this F-150 in Lariat trim with the FX4 Off-road package is as decked out as one would expect at this price point: heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a power tailgate, a digital instrument cluster, a panoramic sunroof, and power-adjusting pedals (though I wish they could have been pulled away a little more for my optimal comfort). It also uses Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system, which makes it easy to switch between phone apps like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto and the system’s other functions. This was especially important on this trip where I was heavily dependent on reading maps I was familiar with.

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What sets this truck apart is Ford’s hybrid powertrain, a 3.5-litre V6 matched with a 35 kW electric motor and a 1.5 kWh battery. In regular use, the Natural Resources Canada figures show this truck as using roughly a third less fuel than most gas-only F-150s. With this trailer hooked up, I returned a week-long average of 18.0 litres per 100 kilometres, which is exactly in line with what I would expect from any gas-only half-ton truck driving this trailer through mostly rural roads. It’s entirely reasonable that the truck doesn’t use EV mode often while towing.

Where the Powerboost had its chance to shine was on one particularly humid and sticky night we spent at a campsite with no electricity. This truck had the $1,000 7.2 kW Pro Power Onboard system equipped, which allowed me to power the trailer off the truck, effectively using the latter as a generator. The system requires the truck to stay running, although it can be locked in the meantime, and it turns the truck’s engine off and on to recharge its battery during power output. Being able to cut the humidity by running the air conditioning for a couple of hours before bedtime made all the difference in the world to our comfort level that night, especially with no need to drag along a separate generator to do the job. For most truck owners, this is the biggest benefit to buying the hybrid; any fuel savings enjoyed while not using it for work or towing would be an added bonus.

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Level 1: A Trent-Severn day trip from the Greater Toronto Area

Most people will prefer to explore the Trent-Severn Waterway as one element of a cruise through the Kawartha Lakes, mixing boat viewing with breweries and wineries, ice cream and patio lunches, quaint village downtowns, and beautiful scenery.

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To get the most from this aspect of the waterway in one day, start your morning at lock 21, the Peterborough Lift Lock. Opened in 1904, this impressive feat of engineering is the tallest lift lock in the world with a rise of 19.8 metres or 65 feet. Its 1,500-ton caissons on hydraulic lifts operate on gravity alone with no external power required. Once locking starts on a nice summer day, it doesn’t typically take long to see this in action. (A dedicated Xplorers tag would typically be available here, but the Visitor Centre is closed in 2021 due to COVID-19, so collectors will need to return next summer.)

Next, navigate to Nassau Mills Road for the scenic drive to the village of Lakefield, which passes through Trent University and four more lock stations. Lock 22 at Nassau Mills is a great place to stop to see a single lock at work: it’s pretty, easy to access, and has plenty of parking. The lock station in Lakefield isn’t as easy to get to, but it’s worth a stop for ice cream at the Canoe and Paddle and a wander through the shops on Queen Street.

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Continue along Queen Street to leave Lakefield and head north on Highway 28. There’s an optional stop at the lock at Young’s Point, though lock 28 at Burleigh Falls has more scenic views. Burleigh Falls was once a flight lock but was converted to a single lock in 1967, which is why there’s no lock 29 today.

The next lock accessible by road is Lock 31 in Buckhorn, roughly 15 minutes west on County Road 36. Many boaters stop for a rest and a restock in this small village, which also has waterside dining and gift shops in easy walking distance. Be sure to snap a selfie with the Buckhorn Buck.

Further along County Road 36, Kawartha Country Wines is five minutes outside of Buckhorn producing a wide variety of fruit wines and ciders, including a very popular strawberry rhubarb sparkling wine and specialty products like Saskatoon berry, cranberry, and rhubarb wines.

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No Tragically Hip fan’s tour of the Trent-Severn would be complete without a stop at Lock 32 in Bobcaygeon, which was the first lock completed more than 160 years ago. Downtown Bobcaygeon is home to the famous Bigley family of shops, offering everything from shoes and clothing to high-end kitchen gadgets and sweet treats, as well as numerous smaller boutiques and the Old Dog Brewing Company.

Finally, end the day with a visit to lock 34 in Fenelon Falls. Enjoy dinner overlooking the lock at Fenelon Falls Brewing Company, or cross the bridge to dine at The Locker at the Falls for the best views of the town’s namesake waterfall.

Level 2: Make it a weekend

If you’re willing to invest in an overnight stay along the route, it’s possible to fit all of the waterway’s major attractions into a weekend.

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Start day 1 in Campbellford with a walk across the suspension bridge above the Ranney Gorge for a view of Ranney Falls, then walk over to locks 11 and 12 a few steps away. This is the first of the system’s two flight locks where boats traverse two locks in succession to overcome a large elevation change. It’s especially interesting if you come across two-way boat traffic and can see both locks operating at once. Don’t leave town without visiting Empire Cheese, where you can sometimes pick up fresh curd and always find some of the best cheddar anywhere in Ontario.

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Locks 16 and 17, the Healey Falls flight lock, is also worth a visit. This is the taller of the two flight locks at 16.5 metres or 54 feet, and it’s an impressive structure to see in action. These two locks along with lock 15 are on a remote gravel road, but it’s a lovely cottaging area with picturesque scenery. Plenty of parking is available at lock 15, and the flight locks are a short five-minute walk up the road. From here, continue on to the Peterborough Lift Lock and continue with the single-day itinerary above, stopping at one of the villages overnight.

On departing Fenelon Falls, the highest point in the waterway at the Kirkfield Lift Lock, lock 36, is a few minutes away. This lock doesn’t get as much love as the Peterborough Lift Lock — it’s only the second-tallest hydraulic lift lock in the world, after all — but that means it’s also less busy, which makes it a nice spot to linger away from crowds on busier weekends.

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Next, head to lock 41 at Gamebridge. This lock sits at the end of a long man-made canal and is easily accessible from Highway 12 to the west. If you’re feeling energetic, it’s possible to walk from here to locks 40 and 39 via a closed access road to get a better view of the length of the canal. At a leisurely pace, this would take roughly two hours for the round trip.

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Finally, though it’s a fair drive from other points in the waterway, the Big Chute Marine Railway at lock 44 shouldn’t be missed. Unique in North America, this two-storey structure is part ferry, part rail car. It dips into the Severn River so that boats can navigate into place, then a sling system secures the boats and the rail car lifts them out of the water, past a road-level rail crossing, and down a 17.7-metre (58 ft) descent to be deposited into the waters below. It really is a marvelous feat of engineering that’s extremely cool to watch.

After a few minutes back on the road, highway 400 provides easy access back to the GTA.

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Level 3: Travel the entire waterway

If you’re really into it, visiting as many locks as possible is a fun project and a wonderful way to spend a few days. Apart from locks 30 and 43, the rest of the system’s 42 lock stations can be reached by road.

I had 20-plus pages of turn-by-turn directions, only because I was towing a trailer and needed to make sure I always had a way to turn around. (If anyone out there wants to try this while towing, send me an email and I’ll be happy to pass my notes along to you.) By car alone, this is much easier: nearly all road-accessible lock stations have parking on-site, and the few that don’t are remote enough that it’s not a problem to park on the road’s shoulder for a few minutes.

Hotels are always an option, but we went at a leisurely pace and overnighted at a series of convenient Ontario provincial parks along the route: Presqu’ile, Ferris, Emily, Balsam Lake, and McRae Point worked well for us. Parks Canada also has tent camping and permanent accommodation options for land-based visitors at some lock stations.

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This longer-term approach offers a chance to visit some of the more remote hidden gems. We had a fabulous experience at lock 7 in Glen Ross thanks to the very friendly lockmasters and well-manicured grounds. Lock 20 is just a couple of minutes away from the Peterborough Lift Lock and is next to a large city park with a splash pad, beach, and playground. The Mnjikaning Fish Weirs National Historic Site, which today sits under a highway overpass in Orillia, has been a sacred Indigenous fishing ground for more than 5,000 years and provides an important reminder that these waters have been integral to humanity for far longer than the century-plus of the waterway’s innovations. And, of course, visiting lock 1 in Trenton and lock 45 in Port Severn offers a bookended perspective on the expansiveness of the system’s nearly 400 kilometres.

And if time or distance make visiting in person challenging, Parks Canada has put together a Google Earth project to celebrate the waterway’s 101st anniversary. Travel the Trent-Severn Waterway virtually by clicking here.