Facebook GroupFor much of the year, water flowing through the Severn River is fed through the Big Chute Hydroelectric plant. This generates 10 MW of power, but sucks almost all of water from the river. When river flows are too high, however, the excess is drained through an otherwise dry rocky spillway just to the east. This brings Big Chute to life.
The long deep gorge is somewhat rare for the Canadian Shield falls, and contains much polished bedrock. Even if you arrive on a day when the falls is completely dry, it's still an interesting site.
The cascade is set beside the Big Chute Marine Railway, which is a sort of overland conveyor belt for pleasure boats. This feature alone makes the site worthy of a visit, even if the falls themselves aren't flowing. There simply aren't too many of these around, and at one point it was said that this is one of the most photographed things in Ontario. The area can be a hive of activity during Ontaro's summer boating season.
| Region | Cottage |
|---|---|
| County | Muskoka |
| Near | Big Chute |
| Watercourse | Severn River into Gloucester Pool |
| Watershed / % Lakes | 4 / 32% |
| Ownership | Parks Canada |
| Landscape | Cottage Country, open |
| Size | Small |
| Type | Slope Cascade |
| Modification | Bridge. Regulated for Hydroelectric Power. |
| Access | Easy |
| Top / Bottom | Easy to view / Prohibited |
| Trail conditions | Uneven rock |
| Hiking Time | 5 mins |
| Coordinates | 44.8846,-79.6737 |
| Parking | 44.8845,-79.6724  |
| Site ID | WOO.MUS.002 |
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