Published
At a Glance
- The Rideau Canal National Historic Site welcomed 888,454 visitors in fiscal 2025-26 (the year ending March 2026), down 3.7% on 2024-251.
- Visits have stayed close to 900,000 a year since 2019-20, ranging from 838,386 in 2022-23 to 942,049 in 2019-202.
- Visits in 2025-26 were still 5.7% below pre-pandemic 2019-20.3
- The pandemic barely dented visits: they fell only 5.8% in 2020-214, then rose 5.3% in 2021-22.5
- Land-based visits to lockstations are free6, as is the Rideau Canal Skateway7; boating fees are charged per foot of vessel length.8
- The Skateway logged more than one million visits in its 2025-26 winter season9.
How many people visit the Rideau Canal National Historic Site each year?
About 900,000 people visit the Rideau Canal National Historic Site in a typical year, and the total has changed little since 2019-20.
Parks Canada counted 888,454 visitors in 2025-261 (the 12 months to March 2026), down 3.7% from 922,897 in 2024-2510.
Over the past seven years, visits have ranged from 838,386 in 2022-232 to 942,049 in 2019-203. The table below shows every year since 2017-18.
Rideau Canal visitors by year
| Year | Visitors | Change vs previous year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 888,4541 | -3.7% |
| 2024-25 | 922,89710 | +4.5% |
| 2023-24 | 883,23711 | +5.3% |
| 2022-23 | 838,3862 | -10.3% |
| 2021-22 | 934,4985 | +5.3% |
| 2020-21 | 887,5294 | -5.8% |
| 2019-20 | 942,0493 | -4.0% |
| 2018-19 | 981,48312 | -3.3% |
| 2017-18 | 1,014,80112 | +0.5% |
Source · Parks Canada, attendance by park and historic site, 2001-02 to 2025-26.
How have Rideau Canal visitor numbers changed since 2017?
- Visits were already falling before the pandemic, from 1,014,801 in 2017-1812 to 942,049 in 2019-20.3
- The pandemic cut visits by only 5.8%, to 887,529 in 2020-214, even with travel restrictions in place. As an outdoor site, the canal kept drawing people.
- Visits recovered by 5.3% to 934,498 in 2021-225, then fell 10.3% to 838,386 in 2022-232, the lowest year in the series.
- Visits then rose for two years, to 883,237 in 2023-2411 and 922,897 in 2024-25,10 before dipping 3.7% to 888,454 in 2025-261, the latest year Parks Canada has published.
How much does it cost to visit the Rideau Canal?
Visiting the Rideau Canal's lockstations and scenic areas by land is free.6 Visitors 17 and under also get in free at every Parks Canada site.8 The fees below are Parks Canada's current Rideau Canal rates, checked in October 2026.
Rideau Canal lock fees (per foot of vessel length)
- Single lock passage and return: CAD $1.508
- One-day boating pass: CAD $2.258
- Complete canal transit: CAD $6.008
- Six-day boating pass: CAD $6.508
- Seasonal recreational pass: CAD $11.258
Boats 12 feet and under pay a minimum rate.13 In 2026, lockage was free from June 19 to September 7 under Parks Canada's Canada Strong offer.14
Other fees
- Boat launching at designated lockstations: CAD $15 per day or CAD $146 per season.8
- Overnight mooring: CAD $1.50 per foot per night.8
- Parks Canada oTENTiks: CAD $147.50 per night for up to 6 people.8
- Reservable campsites at Kilmarnock, Upper Beveridges and Newboro lockstations: CAD $31.75 per night.8
- Parking: CAD $2.50-$17.50, depending on the lockstation and how long you stay.8 Newboro charges CAD $346.00 for seasonal parking.
In winter, skating the Rideau Canal Skateway is free whenever it is open7.
Boating the Rideau Canal: trip length, lock hours and costs
Parks Canada says a boat trip along the full 202 km between Kingston and Ottawa takes about five days.15 Shorter trips work too, right down to a single day.
When the locks are open
The 2026 navigation season ran from May 15 to October 12.16 Hours are longest in summer: from June 19 to September 7, lockstations opened 9:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday to Thursday and 9:00 am to 7:00 pm Friday to Sunday. Hours are shorter in spring and fall: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday to Thursday from May 15 to June 18, and Monday to Friday from September 8 to October 12. At lockstations with more than one lock, boaters need to arrive before closing with 30 minutes to spare for each lock chamber, or they won't get through.
What a full trip costs
Lockage and mooring are charged per foot of boat length, and boats 12 feet and under pay a minimum rate.13 For a 25-foot boat traveling the whole canal over five days:
- One-way transit permit: 25 × CAD $6.00 = CAD $1508
- Four nights of overnight mooring at lockstations: 4 × 25 × CAD $1.50 = CAD $1508
- Total: about CAD $300, before fuel, food and any boat rental
In 2026, lockage was free from June 19 to September 7 under Parks Canada's Canada Strong offer, so the same trip in summer cost only the mooring.14
Renting a boat
Parks Canada does not rent boats on the canal, but private marinas and licensed local operators along the route rent family cruisers and run charter tours.15
How many people skate the Rideau Canal Skateway?
The Rideau Canal Skateway is run by the National Capital Commission (NCC), not Parks Canada, and the NCC reports its own visit counts.
- The 2025-26 season topped one million visits. The Skateway opened on December 31, 2025, and closed on March 4, 2026, after 56 days on the ice.9
- The Skateway runs for 7.8 km through central Ottawa7, and the NCC calls it the world's largest skating rink.
- The skating season usually runs from January to early March, depending on the weather.7 The Skateway is free, and in season you can skate at any hour of the day or night.
- The average season lasts 50 days, and the longest was 90 days, in 1971-72.17 The record for visits is 1,493,524, set in 2018-19.
- In 2022-23 the Skateway did not open at all, the first time since it began in 1971.18 The 2023-24 season lasted just 10 days,19 before 2024-25 recovered to 52 days and more than 1.1 million visits.20
Rideau Canal Skateway seasons and visits by year
| Season | Opened | Closed | Days open | Visits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Dec 319 | Mar 49 | 569 | 1 million+9 |
| 2024-25 | Jan 1117 | Mar 1017 | 5220 | 1.1 million+20 |
| 2023-24 | Jan 2117 | Feb 2517 | 1019 | — |
| 2022-23 | Did not open18 | — | 0 | — |
| 2021-22 | Jan 1417 | Mar 517 | 4117 | — |
| 2020-21 | Jan 2817 | Feb 2517 | 2617 | — |
| 2019-20 | Jan 1817 | Feb 2217 | 3117 | — |
| 2018-19 | Dec 3017 | Mar 1017 | 5917 | 1,493,52417 |
| 2017-18 | Jan 517 | Feb 2117 | 3517 | — |
| 2016-17 | Jan 1417 | Feb 1817 | 2517 | — |
| 2015-16 | Jan 2317 | Feb 2517 | 1817 | — |
| 2014-15 | Jan 1017 | Mar 917 | 5917 | — |
| 2013-14 | Dec 3117 | Mar 1117 | 5817 | — |
| 2012-13 | Jan 1817 | Feb 2817 | 3817 | — |
Source · National Capital Commission, History of the Rideau Canal Skateway and NCC news releases; 2022-23 to 2024-25 from CBC News and CTV News reports of NCC announcements.
Camping and RV trips along the Rideau Canal
The canal's 24 lockstations21 are natural stopping points on the 202 km route between Ottawa and Kingston22. They have washrooms, drinking water and campsites21, though most of those campsites are only for people arriving by boat, on foot or by bike.
- Reservable campsites at Kilmarnock, Upper Beveridges and Newboro lockstations cost CAD $31.75 per night.8 Parks Canada's oTENTiks cost CAD $147.50 per night for up to six people.
- Boaters can moor overnight at lockstations with a mooring permit (CAD $1.50 per foot)8, on a first-come, first-served basis23. Boaters with a mooring permit camp free.24
- Lockstations are open from Victoria Day to Thanksgiving (mid-May to mid-October).22 Outside that period the site is closed to the public and not maintained, so plan any road trip for the navigation season.
Can you take an RV to the Rideau Canal?
Not to camp at the lockstations. Parks Canada does not allow RVs at its lockstation campsites, and the sites have no electrical service.24 Drive-up camping is only allowed at the reservable sites; the other lockstation campsites are for visitors arriving by boat, on foot or by bike.
For RV camping, look to the provincial parks and private campgrounds along the canal:24
- Rideau River Provincial Park, near Kemptville and about 40 minutes from Ottawa,25 has almost 200 campsites, and a quarter of them have electrical service.26 Its 2026 season ran from May 8 to October 13.25
- Murphys Point Provincial Park, on Big Rideau Lake near Perth, offers car and RV camping,27 with electrical pull-through sites for larger trailers in its Hogg Bay campground.28
Lockstation camping rules
- Tent camping is allowed at most lockstations at the lockmaster's discretion,24 but not at Ottawa Locks or Brass Point Bridge.
- Each site takes up to 2 tents and 6 people,24 and generators can only run from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm.
- Group camping without showers costs CAD $6.25 per person per night.8
- Booking a reservable site or oTENTik costs CAD $11.50 online or CAD $13.50 by phone, on top of the nightly fee.8
- oTENTiks are at Upper Nicholsons, Upper Beveridges and Upper Brewers, and have no electricity, running water or heat.29
FAQs
Where is the Rideau Canal, and how long is it?
The Rideau Canal is in Ontario, Canada. It runs 202 km between Ottawa and Kingston.22
When is the Rideau Canal open?
The lockstations open for the navigation season, from Victoria Day to Thanksgiving (mid-May to mid-October).22 The site is closed to the public for the rest of the year.
How many lockstations are on the Rideau Canal?
There are 24 lockstations along the canal, staffed by Parks Canada lockmasters during the navigation season21.
What makes the Rideau Canal unique?
It is the only canal from the 19th-century canal-building era that still operates along its original route, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.22
What can visitors do at the Rideau Canal?
Visitors can watch the locks operate, go boating or paddling, and camp along the waterway. In winter, they can skate the Rideau Canal Skateway for free whenever it is open.7
Can you stay overnight along the Rideau Canal?
Yes. Parks Canada's oTENTiks cost CAD $147.50 per night for up to six people8, and boaters can moor overnight for CAD $1.50 per foot of vessel length.
Other Resources
RV rental in Canada
- Calgary RV rental
- Calgary to Vancouver RV rental
- RV rental in Edmonton
- RV rental in Montreal
- RV rental in Toronto
- RV rental in Vancouver
- Vancouver to Calgary
References
- Parks Canada attendance 2025-26 · open.canada.ca ↑ b c d e
- Parks Canada attendance 2022-23 · open.canada.ca ↑ b c d e
- Parks Canada attendance 2019-20 · open.canada.ca ↑ b c d
- Parks Canada attendance 2020-21 · open.canada.ca ↑ b c
- Parks Canada attendance 2021-22 · open.canada.ca ↑ b c
- Fees and promotions at historic canals and waterways · parks.canada.ca ↑ b c
- Rideau Canal Skateway — National Capital Commission · ncc-ccn.gc.ca ↑ b c d e f g
- Rideau Canal National Historic Site — Fees · parks.canada.ca ↑ b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t
- Rideau Canal Skateway 56th season ends tomorrow · ncc-ccn.gc.ca ↑ b c d e f g
- Parks Canada attendance 2024-25 · open.canada.ca ↑ b c
- Parks Canada attendance 2023-24 · open.canada.ca ↑ b
- Parks Canada attendance 2001-02 to 2018-19 · open.canada.ca ↑ b c
- Rideau Canal National Historic Site — Passes and permits · parks.canada.ca ↑ b
- Canada Strong Pass discounts on lockage, camping and accommodations — Rideau Canal National Historic Site (Parks Canada) · parks.canada.ca ↑ b
- Rideau Canal National Historic Site — Boating · parks.canada.ca ↑ b
- Rideau Canal National Historic Site — Hours of operation · parks.canada.ca ↑
- History of the Rideau Canal Skateway · ncc-ccn.gc.ca ↑ b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 g2 h2 i2 j2
- Rideau Canal Skateway won't open this winter · cbc.ca ↑ b
- Rideau Canal Skateway closing for the season on Sunday night · cbc.ca ↑ b
- Rideau Canal Skateway season officially ends after 52 skating days · ctvnews.ca ↑ b c
- Rideau Canal National Historic Site — Lockstations · parks.canada.ca ↑ b c
- Rideau Canal National Historic Site — Parks Canada · parks.canada.ca ↑ b c d e
- Rideau Canal National Historic Site — Camping and accommodations · parks.canada.ca ↑
- Rideau Canal National Historic Site — Camping at lockstations · parks.canada.ca ↑ b c d e
- Rideau River Provincial Park · ontarioparks.ca ↑ b
- Rideau River Provincial Park — Camping · ontarioparks.ca ↑
- Murphys Point Provincial Park · ontarioparks.ca ↑
- Murphys Point Provincial Park — Camping · ontarioparks.ca ↑
- Rideau Canal National Historic Site — oTENTik · parks.canada.ca ↑
