Lock 17 — Lock 17 – Healey Falls (Flight Upper)

Lock 17 is the upper chamber of the Healey Falls flight lock pair, positioned at kilometre 58.5 on the Trent-Severn Waterway in the Municipality of Trent Hills, Northumberland County. Vessels travelling northbound enter Lock 16 at the base of the flight, ascend through that lower chamber, then transit directly into Lock 17 without leaving the lock canal. Upon exiting Lock 17, boats emerge into the upper basin and the reach leading northwest toward Seymour Lake and the village of Hastings, some 22 kilometres ahead. The flight lock installation sits on a 1.4-kilometre canal cut west of Crowe Bay, bypassing the rapids and falls on the Trent River at this point — approximately 11 kilometres upstream from Campbellford.

The Healey Falls locks were part of the Ontario–Rice Lake section of the Trent-Severn Waterway, constructed in the early twentieth century as the canal system neared completion. Engineer R.B. Rogers originally proposed a hydraulic lift lock at this site, similar to the design later built at Peterborough (Lock 21), but the decision was made to construct a conventional flight lock instead. An extensive concrete dam and retaining wall were built to regulate the Healey Falls, and a hydroelectric generating station — the largest on the Trent River — was constructed alongside the lock installation to harness the power of the falls. Lock 17 itself was fully replaced in a major rehabilitation project by Facca Incorporated, which removed the century-old original concrete structure and poured 3,300 cubic metres of new concrete, with all work restricted to the October–May off-season to avoid disrupting navigation. The east wall of Lock 16 was also reconstructed in 2017–2018. Parks Canada

Above Lock 17, a painted blue line on the west wall marks the overnight mooring area, with a picnic spot adjacent to the upper basin. Boaters should be aware that the proximity of the Trent River’s largest hydroelectric generating station means ambient noise is a constant companion at this tie-up — not ideal for a peaceful overnight, though convenient as a lunch stop or brief rest. Potable water and washrooms are available at the lockstation, along with camping facilities and a picnic area. There is no shore power and no fuel at this location. The nearest full services, groceries, and restaurants are in Campbellford, roughly 11 kilometres downstream. Above the lock, the Healey Falls highway bridge at kilometre 59 has a fixed vertical clearance of 6.7 m22 ft, and beyond it the channel opens into Seymour Lake and Burnt Point Bay — areas of mostly foul ground marked by spar buoys, where staying in the marked channel is essential. CHS CEN309 TSW Database

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▲ Above Lock

▲ Above Lock

📍 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

Upper chamber of the Healey Falls Flight — paired with Lock 16. True two-chamber flight lock. After ascending Lock 16, restart your engine when the upper gates open, motor forward a few meters into Lock 17, shut down again, tie off, and ascend a second time. While you’re in the flight, look starboard at the infrastructure: three or four pipes about twelve feet in diameter — roughly the size of a boat — installed to carry the flow rather than let the rapids erode the land and rocks. Volume of water coming out of those pipes into the rapids below is pretty unbelievable, well worth pointing out to the crew. 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 ↗