Lock 24 — Lock 24 – Douro

Lock 24 Douro sits on the Otonabee River at kilometre 155.1 of the Trent-Severn Waterway, roughly midway between the city of Peterborough to the south and the village of Lakefield to the north. The lockstation occupies a quiet, wooded stretch of river within the Township of Douro-Dummer in Peterborough County. It is one of only two lockstations on the entire waterway that offers Parks Canada oTENTik camping accommodations — the other being Lock 35 Rosedale — making it a notable overnight destination for boaters and paddlers alike. The writer Catherine Parr Traill documented this section of the Otonabee as a notorious series of rapids and waterfalls before the canal was built, and even today the surrounding landscape retains a wild, parkland character.

Construction on the Otonabee River locks began in 1895 under the direction of engineer R.B. Rogers, who designed eleven locks to handle the elevation change between Peterborough and Chemong Lake. Lock 24 and its associated dam were completed in 1898, replacing what had been an unnavigable stretch of rapids. The lock is a slow-operating valve-gate type with a lift of 3.7 metres (12 feet), and its chamber measures 36.6 metres by 9.7 metres (120 feet by 32 feet). No bridges are associated directly with this lockstation.

For boaters, Lock 24 offers overnight mooring for up to two nights with potable water, washrooms, showers, and picnic areas on site. Shore power is not available. Three of the four oTENTik sites are located on a small island between the canal and the river, giving them a secluded, wilderness feel despite being just a five-minute drive from Lakefield and ten minutes from Peterborough. The lockstation also features a community “salad garden” where campers can pick fresh produce in season. Boaters should be aware that this is a slow-operating valve-gate lock — lockages take longer than standard hydraulic locks, and weekend traffic between Peterborough and Lakefield can create queues.

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📍 GPS: 44.3886°N, 78.2717°W · 4052 County Road 32, Douro-Dummer, Ontario, Douro-Dummer Township, Peterborough County, Ontario, ON · Get Directions ↗ · Street View ↗

For navigation, use CHS Chart #2023 — this map is for reference only and should not be used for marine navigation.

Boater Orientation Notes:

• Lock 24 is a quiet, rural lock — no commercial amenities within walking distance. Surrounded by farmland and the Centennial Marsh.
• All services require a short drive (~5 km / 5 min) to downtown Lakefield on Queen St.
• Lock station has washrooms, showers ($3 key deposit), potable water, ice, firewood, small gift shop, BBQs, and picnic tables. Max 2-night mooring.
• Lakefield is a charming village with grocery, LCBO, restaurants, pharmacy, hardware, and laundromat — all clustered within a few blocks on Queen St.
• Rotary Greenway Trail runs directly from Lock 24 north to Lakefield (~4 km) — a practical cycling route for provisioning.

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Last Updated: March 18, 2026

Pretty isolated location, not much around. Plenty of room to let the dog out for a run if you need it. On approach: BE PREPARED FOR GUSTY WINDS and some swirling current on the lower side of the lock. Read the conditions before you commit — the gusts can move you around more than you’d expect for a routine lock. IMPORTANT: there’s been a report of a channel obstruction at Douro in the past. Check your security callouts before you transit — Parks Canada and Coast Guard notices should be reviewed for current status. Don’t assume the channel is clean. Otherwise, routine.

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 ↗