Chasing Fall on the Trent–Severn Waterway
The arrival of autumn on the Trent–Severn Waterway happens in bursts. One morning the maples along the banks show the first traces of red, and a few days later the forests glow gold and copper, their reflections stretching across still water.
By October, the route that winds 386 kilometres from Trenton to Port Severn becomes one of Ontario’s most beautiful journeys — lock by lock, lake by lake — through the heart of cottage country.
Long before it became the interconnected Trent–Severn Waterway, this natural network of lakes and rivers formed travel routes used by Indigenous Peoples for millennia. Completed in 1920 after decades of construction, the Waterway brought these lakes and rivers together through more than 40 locks, roughly 50 kilometres of constructed canals, and a series of dams that created a continuous navigable route between Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay.
In autumn, the journey takes on a particular magic. Cool air sharpens the colours of the forest, morning mist rises from the lakes, and the pace of travel slows as the season settles in.
For those chasing fall across Ontario, the waterway offers a natural route through some of the province’s most beloved resort regions:
Peterborough & The Kawarthas
At the eastern end of the waterway is Peterborough and the Kawartha Lakes. Rolling farmland meets quiet shorelines here, and in mid-to-late September the first reds and golds begin to appear.
Travelling this section of the Trent–Severn is particularly beautiful in the fall. Boats move through narrow channels between lakes, while paddlers explore sheltered bays where crimson maples are reflected in the water. The scenery invites travellers to linger and resorts in the region offer an ideal vantage point for the changing season.
At Elmhirst’s Resort on Rice Lake, guests wake to wide lake views framed by trees beginning their seasonal transformation. Canoes slip quietly along the shoreline and cyclists set out along country roads lined with fields and forests.
Elmhirst's Resort
Elmhirst's Resort
Father north, Pine Vista Resort sits on Gilchrist Bay on scenic Stoney Lake, a landscape of rocky islands, outcrops and shoals characteristic of the Kawarthas. Complimentary canoes and kayaks offer a quiet way to explore the lake, while boats are available to rent for those wanting to venture farther. Stoney Lake is also known for its fishing, with pickerel, bass, perch, and muskellunge (or the muskie) among the species found in these waters.
Pine Vista Resort
Pine Vista Resort
For a fall stay along the Trent-Severn Waterway, Beachwood Resort offers a chance to slow down beside Lower Buckhorn Lake. Set along the waterway between Peterborough and Bobcaygeon, the resort is surrounded by the forests and lakes that define this stretch of the Kawarthas. It makes a natural place to pause along the route, with time to enjoy the changing colours, explore the shoreline and settle into the quieter pace of the season.
Beachwood Resort
Beachwood Resort
Attractions not to miss in the Kawarthas:
Peterborough Lift Lock: Visit Lock 21, part of the Trent–Severn Waterway National Historic Site, cared for by Parks Canada, and one of the route’s most remarkable feats of engineering.
Canadian Canoe Museum: Explore the history and enduring cultures of paddling at this waterfront museum on Little Lake in Peterborough.
Petroglyphs Provincial Park: Visit Kinoomaagewaabkong (the Teaching Rocks), home to the largest known concentration of Indigenous rock carvings in Canada.
Burleigh Falls: Stop where the water rushes between Lovesick and Stoney lakes, surrounded by rocky Canadian Shield and forest.
Lake Simcoe & Orillia
As the route continues west, the waterway winds deeper into Ontario’s cottage country. Lakes widen, granite edges the shoreline, and forests of maple and birch intensify in colour as October approaches.
Nearby, resorts welcome travellers exploring the waterway. At Bayview Wildwood Resort on Sparrow Lake, fall days often begin with quiet walks through the forest trails that surround the historic property, where leaves crunch underfoot and the scent of pine fills the cool air.
Bayview Wildwood Resort
Bayview Wildwood Resort
On the shores of Lake Couchiching, just north of Orillia, Fern Resort is a natural base for exploring this stretch of the Trent-Severn Waterway. Its lakeside setting makes it an especially appealing place to settle in during the fall. After a day following the waterway and exploring Orillia, return to Fern for time by the lake, seasonal activities and the relaxed rhythm of a classic Ontario resort stay.
Attractions not to miss in the Orillia & Lake Simcoe:
The Narrows & Mnjikaning Fish Weirs: The Narrows, connecting Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching, is one of the most significant points along this stretch of the Trent-Severn Waterway. The passage has served as a fishing and transportation corridor for thousands of years. Here, the Mnjikaning Fish Weirs National Historic Site preserves evidence of Indigenous fishing practices dating back at least 5,000 years, offering a glimpse into the much deeper history of the waterway.
Orillia: Explore downtown Orillia, where historic streets are lined with independent shops, galleries, cafés and restaurants. Then head to the Port of Orillia on Lake Couchiching to see the Trent-Severn Waterway from a boater's perspective. The harbour is a popular stopping point for vessels travelling the waterway and offers a good sense of the recreational life that continues along the route today.
Leacock Museum: Overlooking Lake Couchiching, the former summer home of Canadian humourist Stephen Leacock offers a glimpse into another chapter of Orillia's history. Explore the historic house and grounds, then take in the lake views that helped make the area a popular summer destination.
Muskoka & Georgian Bay
As the Trent–Severn approaches its western end, the landscape opens into the rugged beauty of Muskoka and Georgian Bay. Granite outcrops rise from the water, towering pines frame the shoreline, and autumn spreads across the hills in vivid layers of gold, orange, and deep red.
This region has drawn visitors for more than a century, and the tradition of the resort getaway remains strong.
Near Port Severn, where the Trent-Severn Waterway makes its final approach to Georgian Bay, Severn Lodge offers a fitting place to settle in for the northern stretch of the journey. Set on Gloucester Pool and surrounded by 100 acres of forest, the resort puts you in the heart of the Muskoka-Georgian Bay landscape. In fall, spend time exploring the wooded trails and lakefront before continuing toward Port Severn and the final lock on the waterway.
Attractions not to miss in Muskoka & Georgian Bay:
Big Chute Marine Railway: Instead of lifting boats through a traditional lock, the railway carries them over land in a giant steel cradle, moving vessels between two levels of water. In autumn, the surrounding hills glow with colour as boats slowly roll up the rails.
Port Severn: Port Severn marks the southern end of Georgian Bay and the final navigable stretch of the Trent-Severn Waterway. Stop here to see where the waterway meets Georgian Bay and get a sense of the transition from the inland lakes and rivers of the Trent-Severn to the open waters of Georgian Bay.
Severn River: The final stretch of the waterway follows the Severn River through a landscape of rocky Canadian Shield, forests and lakes before reaching Georgian Bay. In fall, this is one of the most scenic portions of the journey.
Lock 45: The final lock on the Trent-Severn Waterway is known as Lock 45. It's a fitting place to mark the end of the 386-kilometre water route before it opens into Georgian Bay.
Great Escapes Magazine is a publication of Resorts of Ontario, a not-for-profit organization that advocates for resorts, lodges and inns of Ontario's tourism industry.
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