Lock 39 - Portage

Lock 39, isolated from road traffic, is a very popular spot with well-maintained grounds and a reasonably large boater camping area. It is an easy walk down a gravel road or a short bike ride to the Talbot Dam, a popular tourist spot for the two-week pickerel run in mid-April and whitefish run in the fall.

Getting here
  • Address: 33245 Region Road #50, Beaverton, Ontario
  • Nautical chart: #2025 (more on Nautical charts)
  • Kilometer marker: 289.1km (mile 179.6)
  • GPS: 44°29'56.4"N 79°07'57.2"W

Hours of Operation

Contact:
Navigational data
  • Lock length: 36.6 m (120 ft)
  • Lock width: 9.7 m (32 ft)
  • Average lift: 4.0 m (13 ft)
  • Max. mooring period: 2 nights
Facilities and services
  • Overnight mooring
  • Camping (not recommended)
  • Washrooms
  • Potable water
  • Picnic area
  • Visitor information
History
Portage lockstation
Constructed: 1900-1907

The area’s landscape and infrastructure are a view into the decisions of the past. Just upstream, the Talbot Dam creates a small bay where the Talbot River diverges from the canal - two routes of navigation that took decades to determine. For an iconic view, look west from atop the lock gates at Lock 39, and see the entire canal from Locks 39 - 41, and right to Lake Simcoe.

Tourism information