[boarder4life]

Does anyone know anywhere that you can go bikepacking in Ontario?

Algonqion doesn't allow bike anywhere but 2 trails and they are short.

I was thinking of doing a 3-4 day trip either hiking deep into somewhere or if i can find it biking.

 

[electrik]

Quebec might be a better place to start off.

 

[BlackCanoeDog]

Does anyone know anywhere that you can go bikepacking in Ontario?

Algonqion doesn't allow bike anywhere but 2 trails and they are short.

I was thinking of doing a 3-4 day trip either hiking deep into somewhere or if i can find it biking.

Please expand on what exactly you are looking for. I can't imagine how Ontario could NOT be full of fabulous bikepacking options! I suggest you message my friend Biff Pedachenko on this forum, because he is into this, and thinks nothing of doing 240k daytrips or three week bikepacking adventures!

 

[hmto]

this sounds like a very cool thing to do and had tried recently to look into what others were doing in our neck of the woods but unfortunately bikepacking.net is primarily US

 

[boarder4life]

Please expand on what exactly you are looking for. I can't imagine how Ontario could NOT be full of fabulous bikepacking options! I suggest you message my friend Biff Pedachenko on this forum, because he is into this, and thinks nothing of doing 240k daytrips or three week bikepacking adventures!

I use to be an avid camper and would go into Algonquin and either canoe in or hike in and site hop for a week. I wanted to do something similar with the bike.
I will give Biff a message and see what he knows about the area. I know there will be somewhere good in Ontario, I just someone to point me in the right direction.

 

[BlackCanoeDog]

I use to be an avid camper and would go into Algonquin and either canoe in or hike in and site hop for a week. I wanted to do something similar with the bike.
I will give Biff a message and see what he knows about the area. I know there will be somewhere good in Ontario, I just someone to point me in the right direction.

yes, and here is a link that might help too...

Hitting the Road | Pedachenko Media

 

[Biff Pedachenko]

Interesting to find others who actually care about this type of ride locally - I've put together a bunch of information on bike packing in Ontario the hard way and always thought about getting it onto a web site of some form (I'm a web developer in my non-bike life) but never thought there was enough interest. So far it's only been myself and one other guy, we haven't found anyone else who will join even short trips...

Sent you a message Boarder

 

[Cycle_Buhda]

I presently trying to put a s24o together utilizing local trails, conservation areas and rail trails in my area.

 

[elTwitcho]

Interesting to find others who actually care about this type of ride locally - I've put together a bunch of information on bike packing in Ontario the hard way and always thought about getting it onto a web site of some form (I'm a web developer in my non-bike life) but never thought there was enough interest. So far it's only been myself and one other guy, we haven't found anyone else who will join even short trips...

Sent you a message Boarder

I've always been blown away by how much forest we have and how little info there is on bikepacking or even places you could set up a basecamp and ride the surrounding trails all day. I'd read every word if you eve set up a website as this is something I'd like to try out myself

 

[shirk]

I've always wanted to do an end to end Bruce trail bikepacking trip.

Yes I realize vast sections are not legal.

 

[Cycle_Buhda]

There was a bit of chatter on the bikepacking.net forum last summer about routes in Southern Ontario that was helpful for me

 

[Kay.]

I've seen the odd cycle tourist on pavement and they usually seem to be very heavily laden. It works on pavement, but how practical is it off-road? Interestingly with respect to the Bruce trail, campsite limitation is more of an issue than restrictions on cycling per se. There are few designated camping areas on the route itself and people who want to thru-hike longer sections of it often resort to stealth camping. Which pisses off land-owners as much if not more so than cycling. Whereas on a bike, you would have way more range to search out legit camping at some distance off the trail.

 

[Nerdgirl]

I've always wanted to do an end to end Bruce trail bikepacking trip.

Yes I realize vast sections are not legal.

I know someone who did the Tobermory section on bikes. It was a bit of a disaster. Having hiked it, I can see why. Hauling your laden bike up six foot ledges is not that much fun. It's been a long time though, and I hear the park is becoming bike friendly, so it might have more potential...

 

[garage monster]

I've always wanted to do an end to end Bruce trail bikepacking trip.

Yes I realize vast sections are not legal.

A friend of mine attempted to do the section from Tobermory to Wiarton on a bike and found it challenging. After lugging their bikes up and down some of the steeper stuff early on, they kinda gave up and opted to ride the road in a lot of places.

We attempted an overnight trip in Manitoba years ago and it was pretty fun. We kept things light by leaving the tent in the car and "squatting" in a XC ski hut.

 

[shirk]

I've seen the odd cycle tourist on pavement and they usually seem to be very heavily laden. It works on pavement, but how practical is it off-road? Interestingly with respect to the Bruce trail, campsite limitation is more of an issue than restrictions on cycling per se. There are few designated camping areas on the route itself and people who want to thru-hike longer sections of it often resort to stealth camping. Which pisses off land-owners as much if not more so than cycling. Whereas on a bike, you would have way more range to search out legit camping at some distance off the trail.

Modern bikepacking with ultra light gear is nothing like the way over laden touring cyclists you usually see on the road. Think of minimalist mountaineering (cutting the handle off your toothbrush) type stuff and you get the idea.

 

[shirk]

I know someone who did the Tobermory section on bikes. It was a bit of a disaster. Having hiked it, I can see why. Hauling your laden bike up six foot ledges is not that much fun. It's been a long time though, and I hear the park is becoming bike friendly, so it might have more potential...

Between what I've already ridden and what I've hiked there would be some crappy sections. With light enough gear and knowing that some sections are just going to suck I think it would still be fun.

 

[Kay.]

I'd tend to agree, there's more than enough good stuff on the northern part of Bruce trail to make the unrideable stuff worthwhile, it all depends on the weight of gear. I'd guess end-to-end would be a 5 day trip at the absolute minimum, but could it possibly be less?

 

[electrik]

I've always wanted to do an end to end Bruce trail bikepacking trip.

Yes I realize vast sections are not legal.

Vastly illegal and borderline stupid as almost all your camping would not be permitted use(not to mention your bicycle) and as others have found out sections of the trail are not rideable with a loaded bicycle. You'd be much better to try and ride a snow-mobile route. You are warned though you might end up swimming it and be sure to tie a string to your sidi's so you can pull them out of the muskeg.

Anyways this is why I suggested Quebec, if you're going to spend the time to organize a real bikepacking trip i think you will get much more bang for your hr up there.

The best option for southern ontario is straight up touring on the backroads, with some singletrack thrown in if you're creative.

 

[shirk]

Vastly illegal and borderline stupid as almost all your camping would not be permitted use(not to mention your bicycle) and as others have found out sections of the trail are not rideable with a loaded bicycle.

Why you no like adventure?

How hard is it to go knock on a door and ask for the land owners permission to camp? You afraid to go talk to some mean old farmer?

My girlfriends brother kayaked from Prince Rupert to L'Anse aux Meadows and not once did he stay in a "permitted" campsite. Not once did anyone kick him off their land, usually they invited him in for food and beer. Nice people these Canadians that live in rural areas.

I am pretty sure I've seen the worst that the Bruce has to offer it wouldn't be a deterrent. Besides what is the worst that can happen? It takes more time than expected to cover some small portion? Never are you far from a road.

The only issue is how you feel about illegally riding on private land.

 

[BlackCanoeDog]

Modern bikepacking with ultra light gear is nothing like the way over laden touring cyclists you usually see on the road. Think of minimalist mountaineering (cutting the handle off your toothbrush) type stuff and you get the idea.

Yes, that's it, very similar setups are used by fatbikers for multiday adventures. If I were doing this I would look at (for instance) a book like Backroads of Ontario and I wouldn't be looking at southern Ontario. But Muskoka, Haliburton, Algonquin districts and points north have countless forest access roads & trails that invariably pass by lovely little lakes, rivers etc mostly on crown lands with gorgeous, secluded , and free camping. Further north around Timmins etc I suspect it only gets better!