York to Cayuga 3 Hour Trip
Prices include boat, PFD, paddle, safety kit, orientation map talk, shuttle ride and parking.
Turbo Tube
$40/person plus HST
Kayak
$60/ person plus HST
SUP
$60/ person plus HST
Yak
$100/ two people plus HST
Tandem Kayak
$100/ two people plus HST
Canoe
$110/ two people plus HST
Brief 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.
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.
Trip Details
Discover Steamboat Alley…
Your trip starts at what remains of the steamship village York.
To begin this trip, we have you drive to Kinsman Park in the old town of Cayuga, get outfitted, then we shuttle you upstream to the 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 the York Country Store for snacks is located at your start point!
This section has lots of easy swifts to paddle through and then flattens out for the last kilometer.
The York 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.
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
