If you ask where to find an adventure for canoes around Toronto ... one will find them facing the "West" to the biggest kayaking place in Southern Ontario ... Grand River. Once Grand was unknown, "North" was a place for canoeing. But with a shrinking “holiday dollar,” a website - the ease of searching and intensive environmental management ... the Grand River watershed quickly became the No. 1 canoe route in Southern Ontario.
People in Toronto want to watch a canoe in the desert, but they don’t want the stamina of a heavy cottage movement. Easy access to Grand Valley opened the ceiling gates of Toronto. To go by canoe, you simply jump to a nearby 401 or 403, drive west, and for 60-90 minutes walk along the Grand River.
People from the subway want to experience wildlife with nearby amenities. They need gas bars, fast food, corner shops and flash toilets! The river cities of Cambridge, Paris and Brantford meet these needs. You can make 12 kilometers of canoeing in the desert between cities. “Spartan” endurance is not required to enjoy a canoeing trip.
People from Toronto want to know where they can rent canoes, who to trust and what their dollar is buying. By typing the words “Grand River Canoe”, these doors will open where you can rent boats. For reliability, it is wise to check customer feedback on weapons such as Trip Advisor, Canadian Canoe Routes (choose Grand River) or Yelp. Prices vary depending on the chosen route, lessons or guides and quality of equipment services.
There are two different 12-kilometer canoes in the Grand River that correspond to the skill level. Bean Park in Brant Nature Reserve is the recommended route for beginners (called Cayuga). Glen Morris in Paris (Oneida) is not for beginners ... there are risks, and anything can happen. It is always better to be experienced in driving a canoe before taking a walk on the Odeida route. For an experienced kayaker ... a combination from Glen Morris to Brant Conservation is the best choice.
A canoe lesson before the start is worth the investment. Canoeing learns more skills than kayak training. People who don't know spend a lot of energy driving a canoe and exhausting themselves. For those who want to learn about the valley ... an interpretation guide makes this area lively.
Rental companies that cut prices can cut services. Make sure you have all the equipment ... a map, a safety kit, paddles, life jackets and a good boat. As a first timer, avoid companies offering mass kayaking. Choose a service that takes time to review all the information with individual groups to make sure they understand the route. Such attention is worth the calm!
With equipment and instructions ... canoeing begins. For most people, the river is the biggest surprise. To be sixty miles from Toronto, drifting into the desert of beauty and wilderness, completely unexpected. This amazing setting did not happen by chance. Through diligent work, foresight, and intensive management practices ... the Great River Environmental Organization (GRCA) is the author of this success story.
In 1960, the Grand River was a cesspool ... it did not float, not fishing or canoeing. GRCA fulfilled four main areas: wastewater management, reforestation, river flow control, and farming support without re-growing. With these efforts, the quality of the water improved ... and the species of fish, animals, and birds returned.
But not only the return of wildlife ... it attracted fisherman, tourists and canoes from Toronto and its surroundings. What made Grand River Toronto the most famous canoe route; ease of access, rental canoes and the presence of wildlife. Today this river is a famous stone in the backyard of Toronto. For more information on trips and canoeing on the Grand River, visit http://www.grandriverrafting.ca/content/guided-canoe-kayak-trips.
