Travellers’ Tales is a section on our website and in our annual print magazine where we share cycling stories submitted by our readers – cyclists who love exploring Ontario by bike. The first story below ‘Bikepacking the Great Lakes’ was included in the 2026 Cycling in Ontario / Le vélo en Ontario guide.
Do you have a great Ontario ride or tour story you would like to share with us? We will be collecting stories from the road and trail all year, for possible inclusion in next year’s Cycling in Ontario Guide. Now’s your chance to inspire others to explore more of Ontario by bike! See bottom of page for more details.
Bikepacking the Great Lakes
This past summer, Sue McIver and her husband cycled across Canada, from British Columbia to Ontario. Sue’s story details the final leg of their journey, a nearly 1,300km ride from Sault Ste. Marie to their home in Kingston.
‘Hey, you guys want a slice of pizza?!’ My husband and I were at the border on our bikes in Sault Ste. Marie. The offer was from a guy in a convertible next to us. After cycling 100km that day, we were happy to accept. So, we quickly devoured a slice, wiping the last bits off our faces as we approached border security. The agent just laughed and waved us through. It was good to be back in Ontario!
Lake Huron North Channel – Sault Ste. Marie to Manitoulin Island
We’d been cycling across Canada for 50 days and were arriving in Ontario from the U.S.’s southern shore of Lake Superior. We would now follow the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail with signs to guide us along quiet back roads, gravel paths and highways with bike friendly shoulders.
We discovered the wonders of Northern Ontario along the Lake Huron North Channel, pedalling through Bruce Mines, Blind River and Espanola. We enjoyed lovely picnic stops and fondly remember a visit to the Little Rapids General Store. The warmth and kindness of the shop owner exemplified what we loved about our journey – meeting everyday Canadians who love their communities and want to make their corner of the world a better place. The trail eventually guided us through beautiful Manitoulin Island. The Chi-Cheemaun ferry escorted us to Tobermory and the Bruce Peninsula.
Bruce Peninsula, Lake Huron & the G2G Rail Trail
From Tobermory we discovered more scenic side roads for a quick visit with Wiarton Willie. Then we went southwest to Saugeen Beach and Southampton where observing the luxurious ‘cottages’ kept us entertained – especially since our home was a tent!
A day spent travelling the farm roads in Huron County led us to the Goderich to Guelph (G2G) Trail – a beautiful crushed gravel rail trail. Family connections brought us to Kitchener-Waterloo where we were pleasantly surprised by the bike infrastructure.
Southern Ontario – Toronto to Kingston
We finished our last few days of this epic journey through densely populated southern Ontario, again following the Waterfront Trail. Although it was an adjustment to be surrounded by so many people, biking (not driving) across Toronto brought us a certain pious joy.
Finding our way to the Millennium Trail in Prince Edward County meant that we were almost home. One more night camping at Sandbanks Provincial Park; one more ferry at Glenora and a final, familiar ride on the Waterfront Trail into Kingston, our home and final destination.
Riding from Sault St Marie to Kingston opened our eyes to more of the stunning beauty of our province and the ever-improving bike infrastructure. Makes you proud to be an Ontarian. And makes you want to get out there and ride!
View videos documenting Sue’s route on YouTube, and her route map on Garmin Connect.
Thornbury to Toronto – Exploring the Ontario Countryside by Bike!
To celebrate my 65th birthday, I wanted to do something different and somewhat challenging – and decided that a 2-day bike ride from Thornbury to my home in Etobicoke would fit the bill. When I mentioned this to my daughter and jokingly asked if she wanted to join me, she graciously said “I’m in!” – and we were off! With the help of the folks at Ontario by Bike, we designed a 190km route that would take us through quiet country roads and rail trails, while avoiding big steep hills as much as possible.
Day 1 – 80km – Thornbury to Alliston
It was a cool but sunny September morning when we left our friends’ place in Thornbury. We immediately hopped on the Georgian Trail (a rail trail) which took us along Georgian Bay to Collingwood – a great way to start. From Collingwood, we hooked up with the Stayner Rail Trail which leads directly to Stayner where we stopped for a welcome brunch break. Re-energized, we then headed due south on the country roads – a quiet ride with rolling hills and little traffic to speak of – which made for great cycling. We arrived at our overnight stop just outside of Alliston by mid-afternoon – the Stevenson Inn & Spa. It was a little hairy getting there as we had a big unavoidable steep hill to climb at the end, and the last couple of kilometres of road to the Inn was pretty busy – but we made it! We rewarded ourselves with a couple of local cold beers and a well-deserved massage – a successful Day 1!
Day 2 – 110km – Alliston to Etobicoke
We had a relatively early start on the second day – another beautiful day for cycling. The first leg took us down some more quiet rolling country roads to Tottenham, where we joined the Caledon Trailway Path (love these rail trails!). After a lunch stop in Caledon East at the Trans Canada Trail Pavillion, we continued on the trail southwest to Kennedy Road. Kennedy Road (with its bike lanes) took us south into north Brampton, at which point we hooked up to the windy but paved Etobicoke Creek trail. This trail took us through Brampton and popped us out in Mississauga near Pearson Airport. We had a quick stop at Tim Hortons, and then connected back up to the Etobicoke Creek trail and rode around the airport (interesting!) until we hit the Welcome to Toronto sign on Eglinton Ave. From there, we hightailed it home to central Etobicoke – exhausted but exhilarated.
All in all, a fantastic couple of days, and a great way to see and experience the Ontario countryside and towns, and all of its beauty. And awesome, not just to do this ride, but to do it with my daughter – a great way to celebrate my 65th!
View Stephen’s route map on the Ontario By Bike Ride with GPS Tourism Account (Free navigation available).
Exploring Lake Erie – All Rivers Flow Downhill
Last summer, Emily travelled from her home in Kitchener to Lake Erie on a 287km four-day, three-night cycling adventure on a mix of paved and gravel roads and rail trails.
“No cars passed me for over an hour and I had an almost constant view of the Grand River as I made my way past farms and forests…”
Day 1 – 138km – Kitchener to Rock Point Provincial Park on Lake Erie
My first day was mostly downhill from Kitchener, passing through Ayr, Paris and onto the SC Johnson Trail to Brantford, with beautiful scenery along the Grand River. Cycling through Six Nations of the Grand River yielded quiet and peaceful roads. Just past Cayuga, I took River Road, an unpaved quiet country road and my favourite part of the ride. No cars passed me for over an hour and I had an almost constant view of the river as I made my way past farms and forests, towards Byng. The entire tour had only 20% gravel roads and I had no issues with my 28mm tires. In Dunnville I had fantastic jambalaya and a chicken sandwich at Debb’s Cuisine. Finally, I reached Lake Erie, ending my day camping at Rock Point Provincial Park.
Day 2 – 40km – Rock Point Provincial Park to Selkirk Provincial Park
The next day I had a rainy morning exploring Rock Point’s walking trails and famous beach fossils. The park has trails to various lookouts and access to the pebble beach on Lake Erie. The rest of the day was spent on a sunny ride along Lakeshore Road to Selkirk Provincial Park past many beautiful communities and RV parks along the Lake Erie shoreline. I also loved seeing many cormorants sunning themselves on the trees and rocks in the area. The ride from Rock Point to Selkirk this day was only about 40km and made for a lovely and relaxing ride.
Days 3 & 4 – 60km & 48km – Selkirk Provincial Park to Brant Conservation Area & Return to Kitchener
After a night in Selkirk, I started the ride home, passed through Hagersville, and had a final night at Brant Conservation area. On the final foggy morning, as I crossed Brant’s Crossing Bridge in Brantford, I spotted a deer and beaver along the Grand River, signaling good luck to the end of my adventure.
Exploring by bike has allowed me to become more connected to the routes, trails and natural areas I live close to. We are so lucky to have so many lovely farms, communities and small towns in Ontario!
See Emily’s route map available on the Ontario By Bike Ride with GPS Tourism Account (all routes available with free navigation): ridewithgps.com/routes/49113682
Petawawa to Meaford – Josie Dinsmore, Adventures with Josie
In June 2024 my mom and I completed our longest bike journey yet. Eight days, 762 km across Ontario, between the towns of Petawawa and Meaford. It was an amazing adventure! We travelled along rail trails, bike routes, quiet country roads, through scenic towns, and right in the middle of busy cities. We crossed over and rode along beautiful rivers, lakes, and wetlands. We spent the nights at comfortable B&Bs and hotels. The days were long, the longest being 122 km, and a major four day long heatwave, the hottest days of the year, ended up happening right in the middle of the trip. Even though there were a few struggles, such as getting caught in a bad thunderstorm, and bike issues, we loved every minute of it!
It is such a different experience travelling across Ontario by bike compared to riding in a vehicle. You go at a slow enough pace that you can really take it all in. You can immerse yourself in your surroundings. You can hear the sounds, the birds, crashes of waves by the shoreline. You can smell the air, pine forests, fields of ripe strawberries. You can see a lot more and it’s much easier to stop anywhere to view beautiful landscapes, interesting buildings, tourism attractions, and historic sites. You also meet more people while travelling by bike. Friendly people who ask about your trip, and love to tell stories about the area where they live that you are travelling through.
Biking the G2G Trail
Last summer Lillian Lahe from Pefferlaw and her niece Tiia enjoyed a cycling adventure on the G2G Rail Trail. Beginning in Guelph, over three days they logged 142km, including the five detours that were all easy to navigate.
Since our trip was during the spring, we were greeted by blooming and fragrant lilac bushes.
Day 1 – 45km – Guelph to Millbank (Kissing Bridge Railway)
We found this section of the trail to be the most interesting and best maintained with small towns of West Montrose, Wallenstein and Linwood. Since our trip was during the spring, we were greeted by blooming and fragrant lilac bushes. It wasn’t long on the trail till we encountered horse drawn carriages carrying Mennonite families, creating a very calming ride as we stopped at concession roads to let them pass. West Montrose featured the West Montrose Covered Bridge. Often called the Kissing Bridge, it provides a great selfie opportunity, with the feeling of moving back in time. In Millbank we went to Anna Mae’s for dinner and picked up supplies for our next day’s lunch at the General Store.
Day 2 – 53km – Millbank to Blyth (Perth Harvest Pathway)
We noticed that there was a different feel to this section of the G2G, featuring more open spaces, sun and exposure to the west headwinds. At our rest stop at the store in Moncton, we met local cyclists who explained that the holes on the trail we had to dodge were made my gophers, and that they pop up overnight, despite frequent maintenance. We later arrived at Blyth, a quiet town offering a grocery store to stock up on water or snacks, LCBO, and the famous Cowbell Brewery, an opportunity for a delicious dinner and beer. Here we had booked ‘luxury’ accommodations and were able to walk to all we needed, a great feature, since we were not in the mood to get back on our bicycles after our second day of cycling.
Day 3 – 27Km with 14 Km detour) Blyth to Goderich (Auburn Trail)
The 14km detour to cross the Maitland River was the most significant yet and quite hilly. It was well marked, but did involve cycling along a highway at one short point, and a section more suited to mountain biking on the connecting Maitland Trail. Entering Goderich we were welcomed with a beautiful beach providing a perfect place for a swim, rest and lunch celebration at the Beach Street Station. Having booked with 519 Tours a van that could accommodating up to 8 bikes showed up to taxi us back to Guelph. Being able to avoid returning by trail was a luxury and perfect ending to our cycling trip.
For more information visit www.g2grailtrail.com
A Mix Up and Max Out South of Algonquin
From Cary Weitzman, Peterborough. Wanting to enjoy peak fall colours not too far from home, we created two looped routes south of Algonquin in Haliburton and near Bancroft. With lots of lakes they’d be great summer rides too.
Wilberforce Mixed Surface Loop
Starting from Wilberforce this was a fun and challenging loop, perfect for us gravel riders looking for a short, satisfying 45km introduction to the Ontario Highlands region.
From the small village of Wilberforce we enjoyed lakeside views skirting the shores of Dark Lake followed by a great road ride on the smooth shoulders of Loop Road. We then rode along quiet and scenic Elephant Lake Road. Eventually, a left on to Sumcot Road for a steep climb followed by a wonderful 12km of gravel, ups and downs with cottages and lake views sprinkled along the way.
Once the gravel ends you face quiet, lonely and excellently paved Burleigh Road, more hills and another serious climb of 1.5km with a max grade just under 15% and a few more lake views as excellent distractions. Eventually, all good things end and the ride finishes with an exhilarating descent back into Wilberforce.
Serious climbing and descending? Check. Kilometers of beautiful gravel? Check. Quiet well-paved roads? Check. Wonderful Haliburton Highlands scenery? Check. A public beach just south of the beginning/end point for a post-ride dip? Check.
Checks all the boxes.
Route Map: www.ridewithgps.com/trips/135292579
Bancroft Colour Ride
Northeast of Bancroft it’s hilly. Really. Really. Hilly. Like “Holy @^#$, am I in Ontario?” hilly. But it’s also wonderfully scenic and totally worth the effort as we found out on this 53km, 920m elevation loop. Lakes, hills. Hills, lakes. If you’re not having a view of one, you’re enjoying the other.
Bancroft clings tightly to Highway 62 and you quickly leave it behind for the Hastings Highlands. Riding just a short distance up Snow Road, it feels as though you’ve been climbing in the hills for hours, The pavement tends to be rough in places, a reason to ride on fatter tires, we were on 42mm and 48mm and happy to have them. Musclow Greenview Road is the exception, but with big, relentless climbs you won’t have much energy to focus on the quality of the asphalt.
The gravel roads on the other hand were in excellent condition, Category 1 Gravel, Hero Gravel, whatever you like to call it. East Loop Road is a pleasure from end to end, as is Mountney Road. Where the pavement is not great, the views more than make up for it and the gravel offers great surfaces together with views. It all ends as it begins, on quiet rural roads right up until the final descent back to Hwy. 62 and Bancroft.
Route Map: www.ridewithgps.com/trips/136253377
Do you have a great Ontario ride or tour story you would like to share with us?
We are collecting stories from the road and trail all year, for possible inclusion in next year’s Cycling in Ontario Guide. Now’s your chance to inspire others to explore more of Ontario by bike!
Please submit no more than 250 words describing the ride. Also include 1 to 3 high quality photos, and route maps if possible. Email info@ontariobybike.ca with the subject line “Travellers’ Tales” by Monday, November 10, 2026. We’ll connect back with you if story is selected and for any additional info.
We suggest you submit the writeup in the style of how you would share the story with a friend – focusing on the highlights, the challenges, and what made the journey, scenery, and destinations unforgettable. We would also love to hear about the interesting and unique stops you found along the way.
Also see more info about our 2025 Photo Contest HERE.
The post Travellers’ Tales – Ontario Cycling Stories from the Road and Trail appeared first on Ontario By Bike.
