By Trevor Thompson

 

 

 

There aren’t a lot of river systems you can do as a loop. Sure, you can paddle upstream on a lazy river and then paddle back down, but a complete loop is rare.

 

The Sydenham/Snye/Running Creek loop in Wallaceburg may be unique in all of Ontario for your ability to leave the launch and come back to the launch from the other direction.

If you decide to try the loop, there are numerous options for starts, stops and launches, but we decided to launch at Crother’s Conservation area on a dreary October day. Little did we know, it would rain off and on our whole paddle. Parking is free, and there’s a floating dock to make launching easy.

The first (and last) section is a smaller tributary, about 75’ across called Running Creek. Don’t let the name fool you!  All of this water is nearly as flat as a lake with only a minor current.

The water is beautiful blue because it’s actually fed from Lake Huron and the St. Clair River.

We set out heading east down Running Creek, as it winds behind houses until you hit the Sydenham.

The Sydenham is a wider, muddier river and from this point forward, you’ll be turning right at each confluence.

Paddling through Wallaceburg is a typical urban affair. Bridges, roads, and houses. It was quiet on our trip, but in the summer keep an eye out for slow moving pleasure boats. You’ll pass three branches of the river, each are navigable for quite the distance, one will take you to/from Dresden if you have the time, but that’s a paddle for another day. There’s a lot to explore, and it would take multiple trips to see it all.

As we headed down river and out of town the river becomes wider still and far more natural.

After about 6km, you will come to where the Snye meets the Sydenham, and you’ll begin an upriver stretch. You can’t miss the turn, the water is the original blue you started out in on Running Creek.

This stretch borders the Walpole Island First Nation and is the most scenic of the route.  Look out for deer, Bald Eagles, and all sorts of wildlife.

You’ll now be able to decide how far you want to take this trip, as there are three options: Two drainage channels, or all the way to Running Creek. Going to the end will add 10km to the trip we did. Again, the current is minor, but you can feel it as you paddle.

We took the first drainage canal, about 4km upstream from the Sydenham. There are two low level bridges to get under and you have to duck!  Water levels rarely fluctuate enough that you’d need to portage around, and there’s always plenty of depth to paddle in.

We headed up the channel until we got back to Running Creek and again turned right. This stretch is quiet, narrow and travels through farmer fields.  We’re heading downstream again, and you can feel it in your arms!

We wrapped up about 3-3.5 hours after we started.  It was a steady paddle without breaks, but we weren’t looking to set any records either. If you’re looking for a more scenic sea kayak style adventure, or just want to get out on some flat water to practice your skills, this is a great trip in southwestern Ontario.

COST: Free kayaking, free parking.

Difficulty: Easy.  Rivers are deep and wide. There are a number of loop routes ranging from 16km to 26km, or pick a tributary and follow it.

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This trip would require a minimum of level 1 or higher skills depending on the conditions.