St. Peters Canal National Historic Site

160 Toulouse St, St. Peter's, NS B0E 3B0, Canada

45°39'12.7905" N 60°52'11.0154" W (45.654398, -60.869451)

Google Maps + Code: M43J+Q7 St. Peter's, Nova Scotia, Canada

Admission: FREE. Grounds open year-round.

Lock Hours vary based on season: Mid April-Mid December

Drive from Port Hawkesbury: 37km (via NS Trunk 4 & NS 104)

Marine VHF Radio Channel 10

Lockmaster 902-535-2118

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Before the canal was built in 1869, Mi'kmaq carried their canoes over the half mile portage trail across the isthmus between Bras D'or to the Atlantic Ocean. The tidal differences between each side of the canal can be up to 4.5 feet.

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Medium length heading copy goes here.

Parks Canada Lock Operators help tie down the boat Wind Shift from Edgewater, Maryland before the water can be adjusted to be level with the Bras d'Or side of the Canal. Many house boats transit through this canal in the summer months for a smoother lake sailing to get to the Gulf of St. Lawrence then up the St. Lawrence River Seaway to the 1,000 Islands, the Great Lakes and Erie Canal in New York State and Welland Canal in Ontario. The people on the boats are eager to have conversation with you as they wait for the opposite lock gate to open.

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Lobster traps are stored on the east side of the locks. You can cross the narrow lock gates when they are closed. It is not handicap accessible but a small stroller can be pushed across it. Most adults and children can easily walk across the locks without any issues. There are also signs about Mackerel size and quantity limits posted here.

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The east side of the locks can be accessed by vehicle via Nova Scotia Battery Provincial Park. There is a sign for Battery Park on the west side of the canal on NS-Trunk 4, you can access the east side by walking across the walkway on top of a closed lock gate. One side is always closed because of the differences of water level between Bras d'Or Lake and the Atlantic Ocean.

Things to do: Boating, Picnicking, Camping, Hiking trails, Fishing, Swimming

Vacation

Based off a Nova Scotia road trip in July 2023.