10 Best Mountain Biking Trails in Toronto
The most populous city in Canada, Toronto has many options for mountain biking trails for GTA riders. The city has done its very best to fulfill the requirements of both mountain bike riders and tourists. Toronto MTB riders will find routes both inside and outside of the city boundary.
Generally, outer city trails are much more sprawling and technical, while inner-city trails are well maintained and generally easier to navigate.
If you have already got yourself a mountain bike from a reliable brand, the sky’s the limit. According to this guide , brand selection can play a key role in determining what kind of trail and season you choose for your outing.
However, to get you started, here is the list of the 10 Best Mountain Biking Trails in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Don Valley
- Warden Woods
- Earl Bales Park
- West Don Parklands
- Humber River Valley
- High Park
- Crothers Woods
- David A. Balfour Ravine Park
- Toronto Port Lands
- Kay Gardner Beltline Trail
Guide to Mountain Biking Trails in Toronto
- Don Valley
On the east side of Toronto’s downtown, Don Valley has abundant trails and tracks for mountain biking. This region has 392 mountain-biking courses, including easy, intermediate, advanced, and double diamond according to trail forks. The CXCT (Cyclocross Central Toronto) route joins Don Valley with the shortest distance.
The most challenging track in the Don Valley is Bunny Run which is a 1 km track full of climbs and descents.
It’s a black diamond-rated advanced trail for expert mountain bikers. Another popular mountain biking track is “The Ridge,” which is intermediate in difficulty.
Distance: 20 km
Type: Cross-Country/ Trail Biking
Difficulty: Advanced
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/RNuByw64NbvAWB6k6
- Warden Woods
Warden Woods, a popular area in Toronto with many mountain biking trails, is generally a municipal park with 41 mountain biking trails.
The most popular track is Breanne’s Northern Run, which covers 510 m in single tracks.
Warden Woods has five double diamond advanced trails, making this region extremely popular among intermediate and more experienced mountain bike riders. Warden woods overall covers a distance of 19 km. The trail is better suited to cross-country riders.
Distance: 19km:
Type: Cross-country
Difficulty: Intermediate
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/8u44fNfgbsfbWsT2A
- Earl Bales Park
Earls Bales Park has 18 mountain-biking trails, out of which two are advanced, and nine of them are intermediate, while the remaining seven tracks are considered easy.
The total park area is 127 acres with several different trails; mountain biking, trail running hike, E-biking & Nordic-Ski & Snow hoe.
Earl Bales Park also has six E-bike trails which makes this area an all-rounder; You will find every rider here. Popular advance trails are Exit Stage Left and Ski Hill Sidekick. Both are nearly 230 m long with 30 m descents.
Distance: 17 km
Type: Trail Biking
Difficulty: Intermediate
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/jkp8EvF7sPAuZgrb8
- West Don Parklands
The West Don Parklands lies near the Don Valley. A 27 km-long series of trails make it ideal for cross-country riding. It is accessible with mostly intermediate type trails and only one advanced route.
The most popular tracks are Addington Greenbelt Ravine, which is a 726 m long course with a medium difficulty level.
Another popular trail is the Portuguese lunchbox, which covers a distance of 746 m. Overall, it has 14 easy, nine intermediate, and one advanced trail.
Distance: 27 km
Type: Cross-Country
Difficulty: Intermediate
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/rWKtNwnCsVpiwMKX8
- Humber River Valley
Humber River Valley is best for nature-active types of riders. This 39 km natural track has ten easy, two intermediate, and one advanced course. It is the most groomed track and features a river sidebar. Most of the part is composed of Access roads and trails with an easy difficulty level.
Distance: 39 km
Type: Trail Riding
Difficulty: Easy
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/VjYxBp6MzzHAcXkJA
- High Park
Another municipal part of Toronto has plenty of mountain biking trails; High Park has 13 mountain-biking trails and six E-bike trails. Out of 13, one is intermediate, one is advanced, and the remaining trails are accessible to all. The most popular course in this park is only 100 m long Splash Pad HD, a double diamond advanced track.
Distance: 8 km
Type: Cross-Country
Difficulty: Easy
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/ccP9defDWSBTJyab6
- Crothers Woods
Located near the Don River Valley, Crothers Woods is a 52-acre mature oak-beech forest. Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) assigned this area as an Environmental Friendly Area because it contains a mature, diverse forest and rare plant species.
The region includes a natural trail with six easy and 13 intermediate tracks. 3 Rocks to Redway Road Downhill is considered the most popular side trail, a 590 m long middle single route. This trail is bi-directional, so riders have to be aware all the time during the downhill.
Distance: 13 km
Type: Cross Country
Difficulty: Intermediate
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/AUEkemWbqSg1Fu2K8
- David A. Balfour Ravine Park
The Ave Ravine park doesn’t have many technical rides, but the beautiful and mystic scenery there can’t be replaced. At the start, there are downhill tracks for 1.5 km with zero obstacles and difficulties, which makes it the best trail for beginners mountain bike riders.
In winter, this downhill track turns into snowshoe and Nordic ski tracks due to snow layers. So, this track is open all year, and you will find tourists here every single day. In total, it has six easy and five intermediate trails.
Distance: 6 km
Type: Trail Riding
Difficulty: Easy
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/Cvy9PpCrDMbPLBoSA
- Toronto Port Lands
Toronto’s Port Lands area is a popular spot for beginner riders due to less human interference and the lure of beautiful Tommy Thompson Park. The Tommy Thompson park shares many easy mountain biking trails with ten easy and three intermediate trails in total.
Tommy Thompsom park is open 4 – 9 pm on working days and 6 am – 9 pm on weekends. This trail area has several easy & popular mountain biking trails, such as a Lighthouse climb, a 260m long intermediate track. On average, you can complete this track in 3 minutes of climbing.
Distance: 52km
Type: Cross-Country
Difficulty: Easy
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/YZpE6avQUbvoFxSSA10.
10. Kay Gardner Beltline Trail
Kay Gardner Beltline Trail (close to Davisville station), is a beautiful most;y gravel or dirt 9 km walking and cycling trail stretching from midtown to the Danforth. Follow the trail through Mount Pleasant Cemetery. This mis one of the city’s hidden gems, and too beautiful to miss. It has a network of paths to guide you through each section, and includes an incredible wide variety of trees and plants.
Distance: 9 km
Type: Trail-riding
Difficulty: Easy
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/YZpE6avQUbvoFxSSA
FAQS for Toronto Mountain Bikers
Can I ride my bike on the sidewalk in Toronto?
No! You cannot ride a bike on the sidewalk if you are more than 14 years old. City Council adopted this law to reduce interruptions for walkers. You will be charged a $60 fine if they find you riding on the sidewalk.
Where is the longest bicycle route in Toronto?
Waterfront Trail (Etobicoke) is a 5.2 km trail that is the longest bicycle route in Toronto. It is a paved path, so AM, XC, RD, Fat, Adaptive MTB, CX, Gravel bikes are preferable. On average, it takes 24 minutes to cover this trail on a bike.
Is Toronto a bike-friendly city?
Yes, Toronto has a large number of mountain biking trails, although it has a large population. Don Valley, Ravine park, and other municipal parks share magnificent mountain bike and trail biking tracks. You can rent a bike for $8/day in Toronto and enjoy the whole day.
Conclusion
Toronto has the largest population in Canada, and that’s why it’s the country’s most prominent city. It’s also the reason Toronto has so many popular and diverse mountain biking trails.
Most trail trails in Toronto are intermediate and easy, so we get that Toronto is not a severe highly technical mountain biking hub. Still, it has plenty of fantastic mountain biking tracks. You can enjoy riding mountain biking in Toronto if you are a beginner or intermediate type of rider. It will be an excellent adventure.
by Tom Fortune
Tom is a mountain biking enthusiast and freelance writer.
“Bike riding is my passion from doing to writing.”
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