
Explore the Lake Ontario Waterfront
- Cycle from Niagara-on-the-Lake on the southern side of Lake Ontario to the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, just under 600 km of trail to explore.
- Experience the Niagara Wine Region from the mouth of the Niagara River, excellent waterfront family-friendly off-road cycling in the the Greater Toronto Area, and Wolfe and Howe Islands.
- Where City Living Meets the Waterfront — Enjoy 26 Beaches, 6 provincial parks, and 19 conservation areas.
- 28 communities connected by The Trail along Lake Ontario’s waterfront.
- Heritage — Heritage streets, museums, historical landmarks, tours, art galleries, and more! Visit the oldest operating lighthouse on the north shore of Lake Ontario in Brighton.
- Nestled in the picturesque countryside along Lake Ontario and the Niagara River, vineyards in the Niagara Peninsula, Niagara Benchlands and Niagara-on-the-Lake flourish making the area a premiere wine region.
Mini guides for our Self-Guided Tours include detailed itineraries for 4-6 day tours from sections of the trail across Lake Ontario, and include suggestions for overnight accommodations, rest stops, free route maps and gps routing.
What You Need to Know
Nearly 600km long
Niagara-on-the-Lake – Greater Napanee at the Mouth of the St. Lawrence River
- Close to 200 km of off-road trail, with the majority of the route on paved off-road and rural roads.
- Route includes roughly 85km of roadways without a shoulder or bike lane.
- Some sections of highway have a speed limit of 80 km per hour; use caution on busy roads.
- Interactive map notes trail information when you click on the route.
- Downloadable maps include attentions and alerts.
- Cautions/alerts on all maps are highlighted in yellow.
- Part of the Trans Canada Trail
- 28 Communities and First Nations, with 12 designated Bicycle Friendly Communities and +400 bike friendly businesses recognized by Ontario by Bike.
- Great Lakes to Greenbelt Loops — Loops range in distance from 30 km to 195 km using a combination of paths and roads. Perfect for a day-trip or a last-minute get-away.
Family Friendly Sections
- Ajax; Completely off-road multi-use trail with great views of Lake Ontario (7km)
- Summer Adventure—Durham West (The Rouge to Oshawa Harbour, 40km)
- Hamilton to Burlington Trip Ideas (cumulative 30km)
- Lynde Shores Conservation Area, Second Marsh, and Darlington Provincial Park
- Check out Shawn Smith’ s book Happy Trails for 40 day trip ideas to get outdoors and explore the Greater Toronto Area through off-road trails. Many of the trip ideas include the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail–as well as so many more trail ideas.
“I am very familiar with the Kingston region, but had done virtually no cycling west of Kingston. It was great to see this beautiful area from a bike! I loved the combination of biking and multi-use trails, and the good quality shoulders on the regular roads. Beautiful views everywhere!”
“After riding we’ve realized that in driving the 401 along Lake Ontario, we’ve been trading interest for time. The whole ride was delightful—both scenic and full of things to pique your interest.”
Shouldered Section of Highway 33 (Glenora to Kingston)

Off Road Trail
Lake Ontario Partners
