Lock 28 — Lock 28 – Burleigh Falls

Lock 28 sits at Kilometre 181.8 (Mile 113.0) on the Trent-Severn Waterway, straddling the narrow gorge where Burleigh Falls tumbles between Stony Lake and Lovesick Lake in the Municipality of Trent Lakes, Ontario. This hydraulic lock is one of the most distinctive on the waterway: its 7.3-metre (24-foot) lift is powered by a bottom-fill system that produces noticeably less turbulence than conventional gate locks, and it is the sole reason Lock 29 no longer exists in the numbering sequence. The falls themselves are visible from the Highway 28 bridge directly above the lock chamber, making this one of the few lockstations where passing motorists can watch boats ascend through a gorge while rapids thunder alongside.

The original flight lock at Burleigh Falls was contracted to George Goodwin in 1882, part of the push to link the Kawartha Lakes chain by navigable water. Wooden dams raised water levels upstream but flooded several islands in the process; those dams were later rebuilt in concrete. In 1967, Parks Canada replaced the ageing two-chamber flight with the present single hydraulic lock, eliminating Lock 29 from the system entirely. The Highway 28 bridge spanning the lock provides a fixed vertical clearance of 9.4 metres (31 feet), and the lock chamber measures 37.8 metres by 9.7 metres (124 feet by 32 feet) — shorter than the standard TSW chamber length of 46.9 metres (154 feet). CHS CEN309 §147 Parks Canada

Boaters will find overnight mooring available for up to two nights, with a painted blue line on the north wall below the lock accommodating one or two vessels. Mooring on the south wall below is not permitted due to the narrow channel. Above the lock, the blue line shifts to the south wall with room for a few boats. Potable water, washrooms, a picnic area, and thru-camping are available at the lockstation. The Burleigh Falls Inn Marina and Suites on the Stony Lake side offers dockage with power, water, propane, and gasoline, while The Market at Burleigh Falls — a short walk south across Highway 28 — carries groceries, bait, and ice, and is locally known for its homemade pies. No shore power is available at the lockstation itself. When multiple boats are waiting, the locktender may request rafting, so keep extra fenders handy.

⚠ Report a Data Error on this page ↗

▲ Above Lock

▼ Below Lock

▲ Above Lock

▼ Below Lock

📍 GPS: 44.5595°N, 78.2082°W · 4834 Highway 28, Concession 1, Lot 5, Burleigh Falls, Ontario, Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield Township, Peterborough County, Ontario, ON · Get Directions ↗ · Street View ↗

For navigation, use CHS Chart #2024 — this map is for reference only and should not be used for marine navigation.

Boater Orientation Notes:

• Burleigh Falls is a very small, seasonal cottage community — services are extremely limited.
• No grocery store, pharmacy, hardware, laundromat, marine chandlery, or propane fill within walkable distance.
• Big Cedar Country Store (~1.2 km north along Hwy 28) is the only walkable retail — carries basic groceries plus LCBO and Beer Store agency. Walk is along a busy highway shoulder — use caution.
• Nearest full-service town is Lakefield (~16 km south). Taxi availability is unconfirmed — provision before arriving.
• Lock 28 has washrooms, potable water, picnic area, and paddle dock. Max mooring: 2 nights.

🛒 Grocery

🍴 Restaurants

🏛 Local Interests

🔧 Support & Services

No pharmacy, hardware store, laundromat, marine chandlery, propane fill, or marine repair within walkable range. Nearest hardware: Kawartha Home Hardware in Lakefield (~16 km south). Nearest pharmacy: Lakefield IDA Pharmacy (~16 km south). Provision and fuel up before arriving at Lock 28.

Last Updated: March 18, 2026

This one’s a favorite — pretty area. Before you even get to the lock, you pass the falls themselves on the port side as you head northbound. There’s always people playing in the falls and activity around the area. WATCH THIS CAREFULLY: as soon as you get past Burleigh Falls, you’re looking for a sharp, hard port turn that takes you into a narrow channel leading up to the lock. IT IS REALLY EASY TO MISS. Even knowing it’s there, I’ve gone past the entrance or failed to see it. Nothing bad happens if you blow past — as long as you’re paying attention you can correct — but plan ahead and know exactly where you’re turning. The lock itself has no major drama. All the turbulence is back at the waterfalls a mile or so behind you, not at the lock. You do have to cross back under the Highway 28 bridge, and then it’s a long, narrow run up to the lock approach. Easy navigation on the lower side because you’re sheltered from wind by the surrounding terrain. HEADS UP AT THE TOP: once you come out the upper side, expect to catch some wind — same pattern as a few of the other locks where you suddenly lose the shelter of the lower approach.

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 ↗