Lock 16 — Lock 16 – Healey Falls (Flight Lower)

Lock 16 is the lower chamber of the Healey Falls flight lock, the second set of flight locks on the Trent-Severn Waterway after Ranney Falls (Locks 11–12). Situated at KM 58.5Mile 36.5 on a 1.4-kilometre0.9-mile bypass channel west of Crowe Bay, the flight lock operates as a continuous two-chamber transit: vessels entering Lock 16 from below are raised into Lock 17 directly above without exiting the lock system between chambers. Traffic signal lights govern entry at both ends of the flight, and the locktender coordinates the entire sequence. Lock 15, a separate single lock, sits immediately downstream at the foot of the same channel.

Engineer R.B. Rogers originally proposed a hydraulic lift lock at Healey Falls, similar to the one later built at Peterborough (Lock 21). The design was ultimately changed to a flight lock configuration, and construction of the Healey Falls complex — including an extensive concrete dam and retaining wall to regulate the falls — was part of the Ontario–Rice Lake section of the waterway. The nearby Lock 15 contract was awarded to Haney, Quinlan and Robertson in May 1910. Healey Falls is the site of the Trent River’s largest dam and electricity generating station, and the area has historical significance as an old First Nations battleground. [VERIFY — Parks Canada: exact construction completion date for Locks 16–17]

The lockstation offers overnight mooring with a maximum stay of five nights, potable water, washrooms, camping, and picnic facilities — but no shore power. Above Lock 17, painted blue-line mooring is available on the west wall near a pleasant picnic area, though the adjacent hydroelectric generating station creates noticeable noise that may discourage overnighting at the upper level. Below the flight lock, blue-line mooring runs along the west wall in the basin between Locks 15 and 16. Boaters should be prepared for turbulence inside the flight lock chambers and follow the locktender’s instructions closely. The nearest supplies and restaurants are in Campbellford, approximately 11 km7 mi downstream.

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📍 GPS: 44.3728352°N, 77.7817333°W · 222 Canal Rd, Seymour Twp., Ontario, Trent Hills (Hastings), Ontario, ON · Get Directions ↗ · Street View ↗

For navigation, use CHS Chart #2021 — this map is for reference only and should not be used for marine navigation.

Boater Orientation Notes:

• Locks 16—17 are in a remote, rural setting ~11 km north of downtown Campbellford — no walkable commercial amenities.
• Campbellford (~11 km south, ~10 min drive) is the hub for all grocery, dining, pharmacy, and hardware services.
• Best strategy: provision at Campbellford Town Dock (Old Mill Park, Lock 13 area) before transiting north through Locks 13—17.
• Lock station offers overnight mooring (max 5 nights), camping, washrooms, potable water, and the Healey Falls dam viewpoint.
• Upper basin near Lock 17 is adjacent to Trent’s biggest hydroelectric station — expect noise if mooring above the lock.

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Last Updated: March 18, 2026

Lower chamber of the Healey Falls Flight — paired with Lock 17 as a true two-chamber flight lock. Once you arrive from Lock 15, Lock 16 is easy to enter. Standard flight procedure: tie up in 16, shut your engine off, ascend, then be ready to turn the engine back on, motor forward a few meters into Lock 17, shut down again, tie off, and ascend a second time. Worth a look while you’re locking through — on the starboard side of 16 and 17, there’s an impressive piece of infrastructure. Rather than let the rapids erode the land and break up the rocks, they’ve installed three or four pipes about twelve feet in diameter — roughly the size of a boat — to carry the flow. You can see them straight from the lock. Looking at the volume of water coming out of those pipes into the rapids below is pretty unbelievable. Tell the crew to look starboard while you’re ascending. See Lock 15 notes for the approach to the Healey Falls group.

Weather data for navigation planning purposes only. Always check Environment and Climate Change Canada’s official marine forecast before making operational decisions. weather.gc.ca ↗