Roughly six million people live within an easy hour’s drive of this paddling paradise but you’re unlikely to encounter any of them on this hidden jewel.


Flowing through both the exquisite beau- ty of Ontario’s largest preserved Carolinian forest and a number of towns and cities, the Grand offers a rare contrast of urban and wild settings.With an early start there’s a good chance of glimpsing deer, raccoon, beaver and coyote.And you may become tired of counting the plentiful bird species including blue herons, cranes, ducks, red tailed hawks and even bald eagles. Canada added the Grand River to its


exclusive list of Heritage Rivers in 1994, as much for its human heritage as for the preservation of its unique natural setting.


Evidence of aboriginal culture dating back 10,000 years has been uncovered along the banks of this ancient human highway.The 1800s saw the completion of a series of dams and locks, which allowed the Grand River Navigation Company to warp scows and barges laden with commerce to and from the many settlers in the bustling river- side communities—settlements that grew into present-day cities like Kitchener, Cambridge, Brantford and Paris. The canals and barges are long gone, but several dams remain, regulated by the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) to ensure


adequate flows year-round for water quality and recreational purposes. While much of the lower half of the


Grand is navigable by kayak, the most enjoy- able section is the 18 kilometres between the south end of Cambridge and the pictur- esque town of Paris (named after plaster-of- paris and not the famous French city).This section’s swifter current and steep forested bluffs block out signs of city life, intensifying the wilderness experience, while the shal- low water negates any chance of encounter- ing the drone of power boats.


The towering abut- ments of an aban- doned CNR railway bridge mark the last mile of the journey to Paris.


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