Paddles and Packs

Kayak the Grand River: The Oxbow – Brantford

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Looking for a lazy river to kayak in Southern Ontario? Read on to find out why this gentle stretch of the Grand River, which meanders through Brantford, might be just what you’re looking for!

A quiet stretch along the Oxbow. While the Grand loops around Brantford, you’d never know you were close to the city.

Our Recommended Trip

Put In: We launched at the Cockshutt Bridge Access Point, 406 Erie Ave #426, Brantford, ON N3T 5L9 (43.1101385, -80.2452739). There is a large free parking lot.

Take Out: We took the kayaks out at the Newport Road Access Point, 165 Brant 18, Brantford, ON N3T 5L9 (43.1003953, -80.2412666). There is only roadside parking here. The road curves around, which reduces visibility for oncoming traffic and pedestrians so please pull over as far as you can and take care when unloading.

Trip Length: 15km, approximately 3-4 hours

Shuttling Optional: There are lots of stretches of the Grand River that are great for kayaking but this stretch of river is unique amongst the Grand trips and most other river trips, because you don’t need a shuttle and it still doesn’t require any up-river paddling! The Oxbow is a large horseshoe-shaped loop that spans 15km in Brantford, yet the put in and take out points are just over 1km apart. If you’re up for a short walk at the beginning or end of your trip, you can decide at which end to leave your vehicle and walk back. We opted to move the car at the beginning, when the road-side parking along the takeout wasn’t as busy to drop car and trailer. We unloaded all the boats and gear at the Put In and then I left, and by the time I got back, the gear was all sorted and the kids were sunscreened up. Win! We do recommend that you paddle with someone who can stay with the gear while you move your vehicle, and hopefully it goes without saying that it’s not recommended to leave either kids or gear unattended at either end! 🙂

Cost: There are no admission or launch fees.

High banks, rather than shoreline, line this stretch of the Grand River. The vegetation is tall.

Degree of Difficulty: Intermediate. The launch and river are fairly straight forward and there are no swift moving spots. This stretch of the river is wide and mostly fairly deep, but it has steep, muddy banks that make it very hard to get out after about the first 45 minutes. This means that if you fall out, you will likely need to be able to re-board from the water. It also means if you want to picnic, you will likely need to do it from your boat! Note that water temperatures in the spring are cold, so you need to be able to re-board in moving water quickly. Please read more below in the Gear Recommendations section and use caution if you decide to paddle this section of the Grand.

We attempted to get out on a muddy bank for lunch. I wasn’t successful getting back in. My co-pilot wasn’t much help – he giggled and then largely ignored me while I reboarded…

My co-pilot fell asleep – doesn’t look too comfortable…

Gear Recommendations

Life jackets and all Transport Canada required safety gear are always a must. Sunscreen and sun hats are definitely recommended when you’re on the water.

Be sure to dress for the water temperatures, not the air temperatures, when paddling in the early spring. Immersion, even for short periods, can be dangerous. A wet or dry suit is ideal for this trip if you decide to do it before the water reaches warmer Sumer temperature. As this stretch can be hard to find a safe spot to get out mid trip, you should prepare for the chance that you could end up in the water if you try to step out. 

​A throw rope and and extra paddle are always recommended for paddling on moving rivers.

Rested up and ready to soak any unsuspecting kayakers (namely Dad)

Turtles Galore

While this stretch of the Grand meanders along the urban boundary of Brantford, you’d never know you were close to the city when you’re on the water. The shores are lined with towering hardwood and willow trees, and you may see farmers working in the nearby fields. For the most part, the banks are high enough that you won’t see far from the shoreline at all. 

The muddy banks are cut deep by the raging Grand during its peak in the spring run-off, but by the time we paddled this stretch in Late May, the water was slow and lazy, with very little current, and no rapids. The steep sides were home to lots of holes – for muskrat at the bottom and bank swallows nearer the top. We saw loads of song birds, including blue jays, killdeer, cardinals, robins, common grackles, and more. High above, turkey vultures soared. We spotted several Canada Geese families sitting on the sunny banks. 

Our older son in his 8 foot Pelican.

And all along the river, sitting on the clay in the warm sunshine, and nestled upon almost every floating log we came to, were turtles. We started out counting them but soon stopped… we couldn’t keep up!

15km is a long paddle for a child – we had a tow line ready for this trip, and our son alternated between paddling on his own and being towed.

Further Reading

From Wikipedia: “The Iroquois Confederacy sided with the British during the American War of Independence; they were unwelcome in the newly created nation. In gratitude for their assistance, the Crown awarded the Iroquois land in Upper Canada, where the settled at what is present-day Brantford. In 1784, the British Crown awarded the Six Nations the Haldimand Tract, land six miles deep from either side of the river beginning at Lake Erie and extending in that proportion to the source of the river.” Read more about the history of the Grand on Wikipedia.

More Kayaking Destinations

For more trip planning inspiration, don’t miss our Where to Paddle page for links to more great kayaking destinations in Southern Ontario and beyond.

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