← Forum

Login or Register to join the discussion!

• ← Group Forum | Forum Topic Directory

  fun/pretty rides in and around Toronto (17 posts)

• jean said 5 months, 1 week ago:

  I'm looking to start up a list of fun and pretty rides in and around Toronto that you don't need a car to get to. There are so many ugly and depressing ones!

  Here are the ones I know already. Some are really short bits of road I just really like.

  Lakefront Trail
  Spadina Rd. north of Casa Loma
  DVP trail
  Rosedale Valley Rd.
  Humber Trail

  Please add more!!! I want to get inspired! The more nice rides there are, the better!

• Duncan H said 5 months, 1 week ago:

  I'd add Mount Pleasant Cemetery (possibly depressing, but a very nice, calm area) and then on to the Belt Line trail. You can cut off the trail and explore the roads around the mansions of Rosedale, most streets in there are very quiet. Although looking at mansions may also be a little depressing to some.

  Great list, looking forward to more additions!

• Frank Lecky said 5 months, 1 week ago:

  I'm a loop guy and live in a pretty good location for a few (Ossington/Davenport). Here's one that uses routes you've already mentioned.

  Davenport down to Park Rd. and on to the Rosedale Valley Route.
  Along Bayview to Pottery Rd. (Bayview can be a little hairy but use the paved shoulder and the bike trail and you should be fine)
  Turn on to the Don Trail and take it to Taylor Creek creek
  Ride the Taylor Creek trail to the end at Victoria Park (there a short STEEP hill at the end)
  Ride Victoria Park down to Queen (turn right-east just past Kingston Rd. and then left at Scarborough Rd. ….i think and then head south down to Queen.
  Take Queen for a while (10-15 blocks and then head south to the Beach)
  Use the trails to Leslie and then south to Commissioners (a side trip to the Spit is also an option)
  Rip along Commissioners to Cherry St.
  Ride the trails through to Harbourfront (where's there's lotsa traffic) and to Coronation Park
  Head north at Strachan, find your way home and have a beer

  For me, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours…a great ride

• Joe T. said 5 months, 1 week ago:

  Super topic Jean!

  I love the Ravines, myself… so quiet and peaceful.

  Went and found a couple Ravine-related Photos of the Day:

  Taylor Creek Ravine:
  http://bikingtoronto.com/blog/photo-of-the-day-taylor-creek-ravine/

  Bat Girl in Moore Park Ravine:
  http://bikingtoronto.com/blog/photo-of-the-day-bat-girl-in-moore-park-ravine/

  For me, Moore Park Ravine is the most fun ride in the city… it may be the longest uninterupted downhill (car-free) ride in the city, although I'm not sure.

  I concur with Duncan's Mt. Pleasant Cemetery and Beltline recommendations… great rides through well-off neighbourhoods with huge trees. I'd done Rosedale a few times too… nice leisurely coasting checking out huge "someday" homes.

• Todd Tyrtle said 5 months, 1 week ago:

  Wow – do you know I don' think I've ever been to the Moore Park Ravine – even when I was living on the east end? I'll have to check it out when the weather gets a little better.

  Two more that might be so obvious that they're not worth mentioning:
  - Toronto Island – Requires a short ferry ride but once you're there it's carfree except for the occasional city vehicle.

  - West Toronto Railpath: A really nice addition to the west end. It's not terribly long but could be a part of a nice loop.

• Joe T. said 5 months, 1 week ago:

  I've been thinking a Rail-Trail Ride in the Spring may be a lot of fun. Maybe another one in the autumn as well to enjoy the fall foliage?

  Maybe combine the West Toronto Railpath, the Beltline (which actually has two sections… the western part of which is less well known, I think), and the Moore Park Ravine (which the Beltline Railway also went through, I believe).

  Here's where the western portion of the Beltline crosses Caledonia:
  http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=43.697671,-79.463111&spn=0,359.99742&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=43.697469,-79.463265&panoid=BIioeXDOkyJ-j6Jo7NCi1Q&cbp=12,39.23,,0,7.81

  Previous to a couple years ago, I thought the Beltline only went as far west as the Allen Rd… but it continues after an unfortunate interruption.

• Todd Tyrtle said 5 months, 1 week ago:

  I like the idea – let's pick a couple dates (regular and rain?) – maybe in Bike Month – and make it happen. Looks like you could do a nice half-loop up the rail trail, on the road a bit then the Belt Line & Moore Park Ravines. For a longer ride you could squeeze in part of the Rosedale Ravine, cross over at Riverdale park and then down the Don trail to the lakeshore and either loop back to the west end, head out to the Beaches or maybe the spit. Cool idea!

• Joe T. said 5 months, 1 week ago:

  Sounds good. End the ride with a bite/drink in Riverdale or Cabbagetown or the Beaches… depending where we end.

• Joe T. said 5 months, 1 week ago:

  Found this great site about the history of the Beltline.
  http://www.trha.ca/beltline.html

  It looks like "Spring Valley" is what Moore Park Ravine was called back then… you can see it mentioned in the historical drawings on that site.

• Michael S. said 4 months, 3 weeks ago:

  I really enjoy the ride that Todd describing, linking all the rail trails maybe adding the Don and MG trails to make a loop. To get from the Railpath to the York Beltline, I ride through Prospect Cemetery. Do other people do that too? I made a map of what I mean at

  http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=43.683205,-79.409094&spn=0.039725,0.121794&t=h&z=14&msid=105295808792519513430.000480f31525f04f52225

• Miss Lynx said 4 months, 3 weeks ago:

  Can't think of any to add to the ones here – most of those I've enjoyed most have already been mentioned.

  Rosedale Valley Road in particular was a ton of fun the one time I tried it – not only pretty, but long, winding, all downhill, and with no stops! However, I wasn't really expecting to get dumped out onto a multi-lane highway – my (mis-)reading of the Toronto Cycling Map had made me think I could avoid Bayview and end up in Winchester Park, but if there was an opportunity to escape before Bayview, I clearly missed it.

  Frank, I'm curious about two things in the route you listed – you seem to have ended up going north on Bayview? I got dumped out into Bayview southbound, and there didn't seem to be any way to get turned around – however, I was riding after dark, and wasn't expecting to end up Bayview at all, so I may have missed something due to lessened visibility and/or oh-god-oh-god-I'm-going-to-die nerves.

  Also – you said there was a bike trail on Bayview? I didn't see anything like that, but maybe it's only the northbound side?

• Frank Lecky said 4 months, 3 weeks ago:

  Miss Lynx –

  When the Rosedale Valley Road path butts into Bayview, cross the street at the lights (they will change if you press the button) and head north. The paved shoulder there is sufficient that it should separate you from the traffic and drivers, while still not happy with you being there, are pretty used to cyclists along this stretch.

  About 200m or so along, you'll see the bike path, it's crap but it's there and runs under the DVP to dump you out back on Bayview across from Greenworks (?). Again there is a healthy shoulder that will take you safely to Pottery Rd. and the Don Valley path. I should point out that once you're on Pottery Rd. for the 50m or so, don't be meek! Take the lane, because cars will buzz by you if they can and there's a really narrow section there.

  And, personally, don't do Bayview at night!!

• AnnieD said 4 months, 3 weeks ago:

  I had the same problem with Bayview – being under the impression from the bike map that there was more path/more connections than there really is. After my rather traumatic experience (I was heading S., never found the path which is only on the Northbound side and poorly indicated, ended up walking my bike part of the way) I wrote the City to highlight how this dangerous stretch and complain about the poor signage and misleading bike map. Apparently, nothing has changed. Connecting Rosedale Valley Drive to the Don Valley seems like a no-brainer – don't know why it hasn't happened yet…

• sidewinder said 4 months, 1 week ago:

  I would love to start a easy pace Vintage bicycle ride. Doesn't have to be vintage as pimped out bike would be cool too.

• Joe T. said 4 months, 1 week ago:

  Hi Sidewinder. Welcome to the site. If you want to plan something for BikeMonth, the deadline for submission in the City's printed calendars is March 25th:

  http://bikingtoronto.com/groups/city-of-toronto/forum/topic/bikemonth-event-submissions