[VVagabond]

I am looking for suggestions for gravel road rides in Ontario. We have this thread from last year but it doesn't have specific routes in it.

So, what are your favourite gravel routes? Bonus points if you share a mapped route or gpx file!
Thanks!

 

[garage monster]

The Dundas Monstercross was designed to highlight the best-of-the-best gravel roads in my neighborhood.

We're lucky, Hamilton is packed with great routes!

 

[CptSydor]

The Dundas Monstercross was designed to highlight the best-of-the-best gravel roads in my neighborhood.

We're lucky, Hamilton is packed with great routes!

We just need the snow to melt

I did a P2A prep ride this weekend, trying to get as much gravel in as possible, but seeing as most of our great CX riding is in green space, there was very little available. Paddy Green from Jerseyville to Powerline was a fun little adventure however.

 

[garage monster]

Paddy Green from Jerseyville to Powerline was a fun little adventure however.

I drove along there a couple times this winter just for giggles. That is a gem of a road.

 

[noonievut]

I was just thinking about the next few weeks and that I wanted to explore a mix of paved/gravel roads north of Caledon East...I'm not very familiar with these so I cannot tell you a route, but if you look at a map of the area in between the following four roads I think you'll be able to piece something together (I'm going to try this myself in the next few weeks):

- McLaughlin Rd (west). I'm planning to start here, in Inglewood (good roads, not all gravel: Grange, Escarpment, McLaughlin north to Forks of the Credit rd)

- Boston Mills / Castlederg (south). Stay above here otherwise you're on King, Mayfield...and they're busy. You can use the rail trail when it's dry...or move the boundary up (Grange)

- Duffys Ln (east). Any further east and your by Highway 50. Probably good riding on the other side of 50 though.

- Adjala 30 Sideroad (north). Depending on how much riding you want to do, you can ride north to the other side of 9 as far as you like (Adjala 30 is pretty far, almost at 89). I guess you could go as far as Adjala 5 or 10 and still get in a good ride, and while I haven't explored much up here, I'm betting there are gravel roads).

My plan: ride east from Inglewood along the rail trail or Grange. Up Duffys. Then hit Coolihans, Finnerty, Centerville, Escarpment, Grange (whatever zig zag route works), heading north to north of highway 9. Ride those roads and then head south hitting the east/west roads you didn't already use. I think there is a good 60-100k ride possible, maybe with 50% gravel???

Good luck and let us know what you discover!

 

[VVagabond]

Thank you for the detailed suggestion, noonievut! That sounds great! I will definitely put it on my list of places to explore. I've heard good things about that area.

Totally agree there is already excellent gravel at my doorstep! Trying to be patient for the snow to melt so I can ride the monstercross route and other currently inaccessible spots.

 

[secret agent]

The Caledon Trailway from Terra Cotta to Palgrave is listed as 35 km each way. I have only ridden a portion of it and taken offshoots into some of the parks along the way. Here is a link to the map and all the trails in Peel.

Peel Trails Map

 

[Slash5]

Paddy Green from Jerseyville to Powerline was a fun little adventure however.

I was up there yesterday for a bit of training. Tried Paddy Green from Powerline but gave up when I hit the snow covered part - and of course it was running with water. Had to stick with up and down Slote and Powerline. I am going to suck so bad at P2A.

 

[dskunk]

There are quite a few nice dirt roads going in and out of the Hockley Valley. Some good dirt roads just north of it too. You can head up towards Mansfield easily from there too.

 

[Enduramil]

Have not checked this at all yet.

Cataraqui Trail

The K&P as well.
K&P Trail - City of Kingston

Keep in mind though that the mapping of that K&P is week and lacking. I can confirm that it goes all the way up to Harrowsmith and connects to the Cat trail.

 

[VVagabond]

Enduramil, the Cataraqui Trail looks great. I'm curious if you could combine it with the Rideau Trail and do a big loop from Smith Falls to Kingston and back. I know the RT is a little rough in some parts and may not be bike friendly. Still an interesting thought.

Some great suggestions so far in this thread! Thanks.

 

[Enduramil]

Enduramil, the Cataraqui Trail looks great. I'm curious if you could combine it with the Rideau Trail and do a big loop from Smith Falls to Kingston and back. I know the RT is a little rough in some parts and may not be bike friendly. Still an interesting thought.

Some great suggestions so far in this thread! Thanks.

If you connect the Cat and K&P there is out and back from Smith Falls potential. But it is hard to know as there are a lot of lakes and such north of Unity Rd you can see if you look at Google Maps in the satellite setting. So it will probably be more challenging then expected here.

Seems like no one here is checking out the other routes around here like in Dundas. But there are options to create out and back routes that will more take in the less maintained road options.

There is a potential out and back route up Fishing Lake road near Inverary however it will be about a week before I can access this entrance as well as the other end. Out and back doesn't seem that big a deal. But when couples with North Shore Road which may as well be gravel based on it's condition should make for a good ride.



A lot of what I have learned so far has been through simply look at Google Sat view and where does that track go. As well as asking Rob and some of the club members who also are dirt bikers. And learned that this of Jim Snow Drive was the old Number 6 road before they decommissioned it.



No GPS to date as I am to Dirt Bag to actually have one. But please feel free to donate one to the cause.

 

[Unglued]

The Red Hill Valley Trail in Stoney Creek is pretty good. It is a 20km out and back so I usually do it twice. There are some pretty tough climbs and a bit of rocky stuff but it is eminently rideable on a CX bike. I used it for P2A prep last year and it worked well.

It is a multi-use trail and there are a lot of hikers/dog walkers around so tread lightly...

 

[cyclelicious]

I like the rail trail that runs between Terra Cotta to Tottenham. The route is about 36km. Singlesprocket and I have done this trail a few times and have posted ride reports and pics. It's a good option for spring time rides when the trails are pudding.

 

[Jouko]

Starting from Erin, we have so many gravel choices...

We did much of our 2013 training on these roads, mostly on our mountain bikes, in preparation for Leadville. We have a number of loops of just under 100km to over 150km with various elevation gains. For us, heading northwest is flatter and heading northeast is hilly, so it's relatively easy to plan a route depending on your desire for climbing each day.

Sample routes for the bonus points:

Mountain Bike Ride Profile | Gravely MTB endurance near Erin | Times and Records | Strava
Mountain Bike Ride Profile | Another wet and gritty 100 on the MTB near Erin | Times and Records | Strava
Bike Ride Profile | Gravel group fun! near Erin | Times and Records | Strava
Mountain Bike Ride Profile | Rainy MTB endurance near Erin | Times and Records | Strava

 

[VVagabond]

Starting from Erin, we have so many gravel choices...

We did much of our 2013 training on these roads, mostly on our mountain bikes, in preparation for Leadville. We have a number of loops of just under 100km to over 150km with various elevation gains. For us, heading northwest is flatter and heading northeast is hilly, so it's relatively easy to plan a route depending on your desire for climbing each day.

Sample routes for the bonus points:

Mountain Bike Ride Profile | Gravely MTB endurance near Erin | Times and Records | Strava
Mountain Bike Ride Profile | Another wet and gritty 100 on the MTB near Erin | Times and Records | Strava
Bike Ride Profile | Gravel group fun! near Erin | Times and Records | Strava
Mountain Bike Ride Profile | Rainy MTB endurance near Erin | Times and Records | Strava

Excellent! Not only do you get bonus points Jouko, you might just win the thread! Thank you. You guys are lucky to have so much choice near by. I think we will definitely try at least one of these sample routes soon.

Thanks to everyone else too. Lots of potential here.

 

[Enduramil]

14 Stone may know of some routes.

I can't remember the route but I know there is a a way to create sort of a loop from Ben Trash at Beare Road. Would be definite monster cross. Will look for it in July as will be spending a lot more time in the area after school let's out.

 

[Thatshowiroll]

I like the rail trail that runs between Terra Cotta to Tottenham. The route is about 36km. Singlesprocket and I have done this trail a few times and have posted ride reports and pics. It's a good option for spring time rides when the trails are pudding.

View attachment 881972

Is the rail trail clear yet?

 

[shirk]

Mulmur, Mono, Melancthon township roads are almost all gravel and almost no traffic.

A few gems to work into a route starting in Mono would be north on Hurontario cross 89 to 1st EHS then back west on 5 sideroad to link up to Centre Rd. Maps don't show the connection of Centre Rd down to River Rd at Kilgorie but it's there and has a neat old mill just off River Rd. Continue up Centre Rd to Lavender then blast down into Dunedin. Hook over onto Notty 6-7 and into Creemore. Loop back on anything to 21 as it's all gravel then down the 4th to River Rd, it's a nice one. West on River to Terra Nova so you can grab 2nd line EHS back to 10 sideroad. Cross over to the 5th line to head south.

Those are gems that unless you live in the area or have driven around them extensively you would not find.

 

[Enduramil]

Veteran Youth will know of some stuff within Toronto itself.