Bri’s Trans Canada Trail: How the Trail Taught Me to Love Biking in Ontario
Written by Bri Mitchell
Without even realizing it, the Trans Canada Trail was a formative part of my childhood in Toronto and learning to love biking. I grew up in the ’90s in Scarborough, right around the time the Trail was shifting from an idea into a mapped trail network.
My dad patiently taught me how to bike on the cul-de-sac outside our house. As I shakily biked in circles — my awkward training wheels vibrating on the pavement beneath me — my mom and dad cheered me on from the driveway. With experience and confidence, this graduated to my dad and I biking the short distance from our house down into the valley of Morningside Park. We’d take the paved trail that runs along the flowing waters of Highland Creek until the thick, towering trees would open up to the shores of Lake Ontario and the Waterfront Trail at Rouge Hill (all routes I would later learn are part of the Trans Canada Trail).
These days on a bike as a kid were the best. You could go for what felt like forever on the trail, and never have to worry about a car, a traffic light, or a reason to stop. I entered some of my best flow states on a bike in my early years here!
As a young person, when the world felt a little too chaotic, I always knew I could find peace on the trail in the valley. I’d meet friends for walks here, take the bike out with my dad, or bring a book and bike out to Lake Ontario on my own. I vividly remember these days on the trail from my childhood, and regularly seek out opportunities to use trails today, which is just part of why the Trans Canada Trail matters to me.
Photo credit: Bri Mitchell
Why the Trans Canada Trail Matters
Today, I live in more central Toronto, and have spent a lot of time away from the valley in Scarborough in my work as a travel blogger with my partner, Chris. While we’ve both travelled, lived and worked abroad for significant periods of time, our time away has also taught us both a lot about what we have to appreciate in Canada. Access to nature and infrastructure like the Trans Canada Trail is definitely one of the things we’re both grateful for.
There are a lot of things Chris and I share, and a love for biking is one of them. No matter where we go in Ontario or across Canada, it seems like a part of the Trans Canada Trail is always nearby. The Trans Canada Trail is the longest multi-use recreational trail in the world, and whether it’s by foot or by bike, we’ve shared a lot of experiences together on it.
Photo credit: Bri Mitchell
Here are a few reasons why Chris and I love this trail network:
• The Trans Canada Trail is for everyone. There’s no right or wrong way to use the trails. You don’t have to be a skilled trail runner or professional cyclist to use them. Whether you’re a family with a stroller, a multi-generational group with various ability levels, a trail user with diverse ability needs, a group of friends looking for a peaceful way to connect, or just on your own looking for a quick reset in nature, the trail is for you.
• The trail is often closer than you think. It’s truly remarkable how many places in Ontario and across the country are connected to the trail. Chances are, if you take a look at the map, there will be a section of the trail that’s either not too far from where you live, or a short driving distance to make a half- or full-day event out of.
• It’s a place to connect with and be a part of a community. Whether it’s a quick smile, wave, and saying “Hi” as you pass someone else appreciating the trails, the act of keeping the trails clean together and picking up trash to keep it better than when you found it, or the decision to volunteer your time or donate to the trail’s stewardship, there are a lot of ways to feel connected through the trails.
• The Trail offers a space to create core memories in nature together. The trail is a great place to be active and screen-free and enjoy it the way I did growing up. From sharing a bike ride or walk with someone you love, to stopping to listen to wildlife, or admiring the trails in all seasons, spending time on the trail will stay with you for years to come.
For more reasons to love the Trail, check out Chris’s article here.
Photo credit: Bri Mitchell
Where to go cycling in Ontario on the Trans Canada Trail
Chris and I have had the pleasure of using the Trans Canada Trail in many parts of the country, but for now let’s focus on our home base of Ontario. Cycling is something we’ve both found a lot of happiness in over the years. It’s a great way to get outside and feel energized by nature, but also an efficient way to cover a lot of ground in a day and see several different spots in our travels.
Whether you’re looking to do anything from hopping on a trail to cycle a few kilometres after work to planning a multi-day ride with overnight stops, here are a few great routes to go cycling along the trail, which Chris and I have cycled ourselves:
• The Niagara River Recreation Trail (56.2 km): A lot of people talk about biking between wineries in Niagara, but the paved, dedicated stretch of trail from Niagara-on-the-Lake along the Niagara River is far superior, in my opinion. My sister and I have enjoyed biking along here in the summer, and it continues with a few shared roadway sections down through Niagara Falls to Fort Erie.
• The Cataraqui Trail (81.2 km): This dedicated, former CN Railway trail near Kingston runs flat on a gravel path from Harrowsmith to Smiths Falls. It’s an excellent Trail section connected to uninterrupted nature, with several entrance and exit points. If you’re looking for a full cycling day, this full trail is a great idea, but there are also access points throughout the trail, like along Perth Road near Perth Road Village.
• The Waterfront – Martin Goodman Trail (24 km): Beginning in Toronto’s Beaches neighbourhood to the east and following the waterfront all the way west to Mimico, this mostly dedicated path follows beaches, recreational areas and offers beautiful views of Lake Ontario and the city of Toronto. Whether you live in or near Toronto and own your own bike, or if you want to easily rent a Bike Share Toronto bike along the way, this is an excellent trail that combines city and nature.
• The Capital Pathway (25.7 km): Biking in and around Ottawa is a dream. There are tens of kilometres of uninterrupted bike paths that aren’t only practical for commuting to and from work, but for enjoying the city recreationally. Many of these trails run along the Rideau Canal, the Ottawa River and pass museums, parks, gardens and other major attractions in Canada’s capital.
For a full guide to where to use the Trans Canada Trail in Ontario, feel free to check out Chris’s full article about it here.
Photo credit: Bri Mitchell
The importance of practicing good stewardship for future generations
If it weren’t for the Trans Canada Trail, I don’t know if I would have fully appreciated the joy of riding a bike long distances. Having access to the trails I did as a kid was a huge part of my childhood, and our collective stewardship of infrastructure like this is the key to healthy, happy and confident future generations for Canadians.
So what are you waiting for? Get on that bike and set off on your next adventure down the Trans Canada Trail routes in Ontario!
Bri Mitchell (@brimitchelltravels) is a travel blogger & content creator based in Toronto. She and her partner Chris Mitchell (@travelingmitch) share travel stories from Canada and beyond about everything from cycling and soft adventures to city guides and unique travel tips on their websites travelingmitch.com, UltimateOntario.com & WeExploreCanada.com. Bri also shares The Weekly Traveller newsletter on Substack each week.
Find more bike trails in Ontario on our interactive map.
About the Trans Canada Trail
The Trans Canada Trail is the longest multi-use trail system in the world and it is always growing. It reaches every province and territory, and connects all three of Canada’s coastlines.
Donate today to keep the Trail safe and accessible, all year long.
Main photo credit: Bri Mitchell
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