Trip Rating: 4.0/5
The Tunnel of Love is one of the most legendary local paddles in the Niagara region, and easily one of my all-time favourites. All over these creeks and harbours you’ll find wooden markers placed by a mysterious sign-maker: high-water boards, directional arrows, and—most famously—the Tunnel of Love sign.
Side note: during the high-water years on the Great Lakes, the “killer swan” sign washed away. Later that summer, we spotted it in the back of a guy’s truck at Jordan Harbour. Turns out he was the sign-maker himself. He was on his way to replace the damaged sign—but not before fixing the one in the harbour. Legend status confirmed.
The high-water tracking board.
The sign itself.
The Search Begins
This trip launches at the same spot as the 15 Mile Creek paddle. Usually, you can’t get very far—there’s an enormous beaver dam about 400 m upstream that blocks all access. But on this particular day, luck was on our side: someone had recently opened a narrow passage with a chainsaw. After years of wondering, we could finally explore the upstream stretch.
Obstacles came fast—logs, tight bends, downed trees—but the creek soon widened into beautiful, quiet stretches that felt untouched. The first “tunnel” we encountered didn’t match the lore. It was small, the wrong stone, and clearly not the canal-era structure we were hoping for.
Finding the Real Tunnel
After another few kilometres of weaving through the trees, a stone wall appeared on the hillside—exactly as the stories described. Finally, after years of rumours and dead ends, we had found the true Tunnel of Love.
A small current flows through the tunnel.
Exploring Upstream
Since the launch is so close, we continued exploring upstream. The scenery kept delivering—tight log squeezes, quiet bends, and a small rapid where we played around for a while. For a small creek, this place was packed with character.
Part puzzle, part paddle.
Eventually we reached a fallen tree that blocked any further progress. We could have climbed over and continued, but daylight was fading and nobody felt like getting wet. Time to turn around and enjoy the return trip.
The end of the road.
Notes
- This paddle depends entirely on water levels and obstacles. Some days you can go 400 m, some days you can go several kilometres.
- You will encounter many logs and strainers. Strong maneuvering skills are recommended.
- This is a low-risk creek compared to bigger routes, but good judgment is still required.
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