• Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
MapsPlease Donate
Great Lakes Waterfront Trail
  • Our Work
    • Overview
    • Pauline Browes Fellowship
    • Publications
    • Our Impact
    • Board & Staff
    • Partners
    • Strategic Plan
  • The Trail
  • Maps
    • Downloadable Maps
    • Interactive Map
    • Trail GPS Data
    • Buy Map
  • Trip Ideas
    • Farm Fresh Tours
    • Featured Trips
    • Great Lakes to Greenbelt
    • 1000km Itinerary
    • Family Friendly Ideas
    • Self-Guided Cycle Tours
    • Regional Loops
    • Cycle + Transit
    • Camping
    • Distance Chart
  • Community Profiles
  • Great Waterfront Trail Adventure
    • GWTA 2025 Overview
    • 2025 Route & Itinerary
    • Registration and Fees
    • Accommodations
    • Fundraising
    • GWTA Volunteer
    • GWTA History
    • GWTA Partners
    • FAQS
  • Donate
  • Media
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Subscribe
  • Search
  • Menu

Niagara-on-the-Lake

You are here: Home / Community Profiles / Communities / Niagara-on-the-Lake

Beautiful and quaint, Niagara-on-the-Lake is the official western terminus of the Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail and the northern terminus of the very popular Niagara River Recreation Trail. Along the Trail, you’ll discover two historic military forts, the Shaw Festival, dozens of shops, restaurants and wineries. To see more of the Lake and the lovely neighborhoods in NOTL, start at Nelson Park and follow the residential streets (Ricardo, Queen and Niagara Blvd.) Niagara on the Lake is located on the Niagara Peninsula where Lake Ontario meets the Niagara River. It is brimming with history and culture and loads of things to enjoy!

  • Bike rentals and tours available from Zoom Leisure Bikes
  • Fort George Niagara Historic Site—Tours
  • Fort Mississauga
  • Shaw Festival
  • Wineries

Download Printable Map

Niagara

Trail Attributes

Distance: 27 km

  • Off-road portion of the Trail meanders through the Common.
  • On-road portion follows Mary Street/Lakeshore Rd. (13.7 km)
  • Caution required along stretches of Lake Shore Rd (approximately 6km) where there are no or narrow shoulders and the speed limit is 60kph. This portion is not yet signed or designated as Trail at this time. Official Trail resumes at Townline Road.
  • Trail continues from Fort George south to Niagara Falls along the Niagara River Recreational Trail (13 km)

Short-Dalhousie Shakeup

38 km Loop

Garden City Glide

30 km Loop

Wine Country Roundabout

49 km Loop

Greater Niagara Circle Route

140 km Loop

Local Maps and ConnectionsStaging AreasAmenities and TransitHelpful Links

Links to Local Maps

Niagara Regional Cycling Route Map (PDF) — Provides a comprehensive guide to cycling in Niagara. Both the Lake Ontario and Lake Erie sections of Waterfront Trail are clearly marked, as well as the connections on the Niagara River Recreation Path and the Welland Canal Trail. The map is also available as an downloadable interactive PDF map for iPhone and iPad devices.

Greater Niagara Cycle Route (PDF)

Tourism Niagara’s Cycling Route Maps — Developed in collaboration with the Regional Niagara Cycling Committee, the Cycling in Niagara Map offers six different day trips in the region. It is available in English and French.

Niagara Parks Commission Interactive Map — A comprehensive map showing attractions and amenities along the 56 km Niagara River Recreational Trail (signed as both Trans Canada Trail and Waterfront Trail).

Legacy Niagara Cycling Routes — 12 legacy cycling routes developed by the Regional Niagara Bicycle Committee, formerly published on the Cycle Niagara website.

Connections

Niagara River Recreation Trail — Intersects with the Waterfront Trail at Fort George.

Greater Niagara Circle Route

The Greenbelt Route — This 475km cycling route connects businesses, farms and communities from the scenic Twenty Valley wine region in Niagara to the stunning vistas of Northumberland from Queenston to Roseneath near Rice Lake. The Greenbelt Route terminus and connection with the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail can be found in Queenston, just north of Queenston Heights, a short distance from the Laura Secord Homestead.

The Lake Ontario Watershed Network — The growing Lake Ontario Watershed Network links many communities in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, Northumberland County and the Niagara region via the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, Greenbelt Route and a growing number of signed connectors and signature loops.

In Niagara there are a number of signed connections between the Greenbelt Route and Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, forming four distinct (and overlapping) signature loops:

  • Short-Dalhousie Shakeup — 38km route linking Short Hills Provincial Park to St. Catharines and the beaches of Port Dalhousie
  • Garden City Glide — 30km route connecting St. Catharines to Port Weller and Port Dalhousie via 12 Mile Creek and the Welland Canal
  • Wine Country Roundabout — 49km route circling much of the lower Niagara wine region
  • Greater Niagara Circle Route — 140km connecting Port Weller, Niagara on the Lake, Niagara Falls, Fort Erie, Port Colborne, Welland, Thorhold and St. Catharines.

Community Links

Niagara-on-the-Lake

Staging Areas

  • Fort George – Queen’s Parade
  • Nelson Park (secondary) – located at Nelson and Ricardo Street. Waterfront Trailhead sign located at the Trail entrance across the road from the park.
  • Paradise Grove Park – located on Queen’s Parade N of John St. Waterfront Trailhead sign located within park southeast of parking lot.

Amenities

  • Accommodations, Campground
  • Accommodations, Roofed
  • Beaches
  • Groceries
  • Hospital
  • LCBO (Includes Breweries and Wineries)
  • Marinas
  • Museums
  • Outfitters
  • Restaurants
  • Shopping Areas
  • Tourist Information
  • Washrooms
  • WIFI
  • Winter Maintenance

Transit

• GO Transit — Train & Bus Station.

• Zoom Leisure Bike Rentals

• Niagara-on-the-Lake Transit

• Niagara Parks WEGO Service — The Niagara Parks commission offers transportation around the Niagara Falls Tourism area, with shuttles to Niagara-on-the-Lake. The service operates in the Summer months.

• FlixBus (Niagara Falls Stop, St. Catharines Stop)

Helpful Links

Regional Tourism Organization

Regional Niagara Bicycling Committee

Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce

Regional Municipality of Niagara

Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority

Ontario By Bike — Cycle Friendly Businesses and Trip Ideas.

Protecting. Connecting. Celebrating. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.

The Waterfront Regeneration Trust is a registered charity. Charitable Registration Number: 86767 9821 RR0001
Ontario Trail of Distinction

Newsletter Signup

Address

Select list(s) to subscribe to


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Waterfront Regeneration Trust, 4195 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON, M8X 1Y4, http://www.waterfronttrail.org. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

Waterfront Regeneration Trust

4195 Dundas St. West - Suite 327
Toronto, Ontario M8X 1Y4
(416) 943-8080
info@wrtrust.com

Partners Resource Centre

  • 2025 Tourism Workshop Registration
  • Download our Logos
  • Signage Guidelines & Templates
  • Boiler Plate Statements
  • Resources
  • GWTA Participant Surveys
  • State of the Trail
  • 2017 Trail-Wide Partners Meeting
  • 2014 Trail-Wide Partners Meeting
  • Georgian Bay Cycling Route Expansion
  • Lake Superior Expansion
  • Pauline Browes Fellowship
  • Partner Update
  • S-GWTA
© 2018 Great Lakes Waterfront Trail. Made by 9 Lives Design.
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
Scroll to top