Steamboat Alley… where the steamships use to run on the Grand River
Our 10km York to Cayuga Paddle
Prices include your boat, PFD lifejacket, safety kit, map talk, shuttle ride and parking.
Driving Location
Click Here for Location of Steamboat Alley in Cayuga, Ontario
Trip Description
Discover Steamboat Alley… paddle the lower section of the Grand River below the Six Nations Territory
First, drive to Kinsman Park in the old town of Cayuga (61 Ouse St S. Cayuga)
Park there, get outfitted and do a map talk of your trip, then we shuttle you upstream to the old steamship village of York… where you paddle back to your vehicle.
With us, there is no waiting for a return pickup… because your trip ends where your car is parked!
There are washrooms & picnic tables at the beginning and end, plus across the road is the York Country Store for snacks!
This section has lots of easy swifts to paddle through and then flattens out for the last kilometer.
The York to Cayuga River trip is excellent for all skill levels… we will see you alive at the end!
Along the way there are spots to stop and swim. Finding swimming spots is easy… peer over the side of your boat… put your paddle down and see how deep it is! The river averages 1-2 meters in depth.
This section of the Grand river has a stone-clay bottom… so having shoes to protect your feet from the rocks, is a very good idea.
There are lots of bird sightings from Bald Eagles to Blue Herons. There are turtles, wildlife and fish… but nothing dangerous to people. But best of all, no mosquitos.
Also along this route you will see the famous Mansion called Ruthven owned by one of the River Barons.
This is an excellent route for beginners to safely paddle, because it is shallow in most spots, allowing non-swimmers to stand up!
It is a 10km river trip. You paddle one way with the current. How long it takes depends on the type of boat, how much you paddle… and whether you stop to swim!
If tubing, most people take 3.5 hours. Tubes are designed so that parents can tow their children.
If in a canoe, kayak or SUP… people average 2.5 tp 3 hours at a leisurely pace. When the river is flowing fast after heavy rain, you don’t have to paddle at all!
We normally suggest 4 years of age and up.
For weight, if over 270lbs, please call or email our office to see what boat is best.
We are certified By Ontario Tourism Safe Traveler Stamp… visit our Health Protocols.
We do offer three other Grand River trips… the Five Oaks Trip (5km)… Link, the Glen Morris to Paris Trip (11.5kms) Link… the Paris to Brant Park Trip(13kms)… Link
Further away, near Long Point on Lake Erie… we offer a very unique Canadian Amazon paddling trip for 9kms through an overhead forest canopy. Big Creek Paddling Link
Hours of Operation
Advanced Reservations required because of limited capacity
Open June 1 til September 22, 2024
Hours of Operation are Saturday, Sunday and Holiday Mondays
Spring Hours
June 1 to June 16… start times are 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm
Summer Hours
June 22 to September 2… start times are 9:30am, 10:15am, 11am, 11:45am, 12:30pm, 1:15pm, 2pm
Fall Hours
September 7 to September 22… start times are 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm
If you have a large group wishing to do a week day experience… please call our office for availability… 519-442-2519
What To Bring
- Good sunscreen, hat, sun glasses, retainer string for eye glasses, water & snacks, gloves if hands blister easily, lip balm.
- Bring footwear you don’t mind getting wet… the river bottom is rocky.
- If you burn easy… long sleeves and pants… otherwise swim suits or clothes that dry quickly. Denim jeans are not a good idea… they stay wet forever!
- If cooler weather… dress in layers so you can strip down as you get hot.
- Due to health protocols we are not supplying dry bags… so please bring zip-lock bags or bags capable of keeping car keys, cell phones and personals dry
- We have water refill station for bring-your-own-water bottle.
Check Our Weather Alert Before Coming!
The weather apps can be so generic that they are almost useless… especially forecasts that are more then 48 hours out.
It is important to remember, that the weather on the Grand River… can be totally different from where you are living.
We are good at weather… because we want you to enjoy your trip… not endure it!
So before driving to the Grand River Valley… please check our updated Grand River Weather Alert link on the day of your trip.
Steamboat Alley Trip Map
History of Steamboat Alley
In 1832 the Grand River Navigation Company was founded to build 7 sets of locks and canals to allow steamships to move 90kms up the Grand River from Lake Erie to the agricultural hub of Brantford.
A major portion of the funding was monies taken from the Six Nations Land Trust without their consent.
By 1846 there were 566 scows and barges passing through the Grand River Canals.
Seven years later the traffic doubled.
In 1848 there were three schooners moving through called the Tuscarora, Onondaga and Mohawk, plus two passenger steamboats called the Red Jacket and The Queen.
The Queen operated in 1851 with a capacity of 40 passengers and a crew of 13… a master, a mate, one engineer, two firemen, two wheelmen, two deckhands, a cook, steward, stewardess and purser.
Steamship towns sprung up along the Grand River like Indiana, Mt Healy, York, Middleport, Newport… and of course the still-standing famous mansion of the Thompson river baron called Ruthven.
With the building of the Buffalo-Brantford-Goderich railway line, the Grand River Navigation Company went belly up… and all Six Nations Trust Funds were lost in this illegal investment.
No Alcohol Allowed
Please remember that no alcoholic beverages are allowed on the river… it is Federal Law and can result in OPP charges.
Grand River Rafting reserves the rights to inspect all bags and coolers being brought on trips. If alcoholic beverages are found, you will be asked to kindly return the beverages to your vehicle. If someone refuses inspection or refuses to leave alcoholic beverages behind, they will not be allowed to go on the river… and there will be no refund.
Customer Review By Lily Gypzy’s Labs
I did the Steamboat Alley section, York to Cayuga, with my son in a canoe. We saw Osprey, Red-tailed Hawks, various smaller birds, fish jumping, muskrats, 15 turtles sunning on various logs (some of which I had no idea turtles could climb that high!), cows, and even 2 turkeys drinking from the river! (Never thought I’d see turkeys!) My son told me he saw a Bald Eagle the first time he went down the river here. It was a great adventure as the river twines through many islands giving multiple choices of different routes. We could probably do the same York to Cayuga section 3x and not take every route available. I highly recommend Grand River Rafting and Steamboat Alley!