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Every time I head out for a first ride along one of the many trails near Lake Ontario, I come home thinking that  trail is my favorite. Pickering and Ajax are together on one web page because, together, they a make a spectacular bike trail that actually runs (for most of it's length) right beside the lake. Pickering and Ajax are unique of the trails described so far in that they are truly a waterfront trail  with views of the lake, rivers, bluffs, bays, and beaches. Every year I make sure I get at least one ride out that way.

The Waterfront trail picks up from the entrance to the Rouge River Beach Park. Since there is no Waterfront trail through Scarborough, I take the Go train east to the Rouge Hill Go Station. Bikes are allowed in off peak times and directions. 2 bikes can be stationed at each door according to the signs posted above the door seats.

I exit the station and enter the parking lot heading right to continue heading east, passing the TTC Bus drop off and follow along Lawrence Ave running beside the train tracks and into the Park entrance. The entrance road is a steep downhill car road that drops you down into the parking lot. Along the Rouge river itself, there are often people with their  fishing poles angled over the banks. There is also a public beach with washrooms lakeside if you cycle under the rail bridge and follow the pedestrian trail to the lake.

City of Pickering

The Waterfront trail crosses the large pedestrian bridge spanning the river and continues up the east embankment a short distance on the other side. You have to walk your bike up and across the bridge due to the stairs. Once on the east shore, the route becomes a dirt foot path and  forks into two. Follow the main trail that goes under the railway bridge to the south (lake) side and continue up the embankment to the top. The trail crosses a small field to reach  Rodd Ave.  Turn left away from the lake for a very short distance  then right on Rodd Ave. and follow on road to the entrance of Petticoat Creek Conservation Park at the end of Rodd Ave.

Petticoat Creek - First Nations Trail

From the west entrance of the park, there is now a paved path with people jogging, cycling and roller blading. Once at the bluff, you'll see further up along the shore in the distance, the Pickering Nuclear Power Plant. The cycle path now curves inward and passes a public washroom before turning again and heading towards the creek. Cross the (new) Petticoat Creek (French for small and short?) pedestrian bridge to cross to the east side. On the east side, you'll see a short path leading to a lookout point the main trail however continues up to where it joins Park Cress. and becomes on-road turning east at Surf Ave. and then shortly after, head back south to the lake at West Shore Blvd. only to turn eastward again where the bike trail picks up once more and continues on Beachpoint Promenade.

As you cross Petticoat Creek, deep below the earth, you are also crossing the Central Metasedimentary Belt Boundary Zone (CMBBZ) where the Canadian Shield has a rift extending across the lake to St Catharines. This break within plates gets jostled from time to time as the whole plate slowly drifts westward causing the occasional small quake such as in September 1998.

Frenchman's Bay - Monarch Trail

Beachpoint becomes a gravel/limestone road as it heads toward Frenchman's Bay.  The Waterfront trail branches north, away from the lake, just before the sand bar, but I always include a ride out onto the sandy road to enjoy the warm beaches that are along the sand bar that stretches out and encircles the bay.

Before the sand bar, the cycle path heads north, away from the lake, and winds through fields then exits onto Breezy Drive. Follow along Breezy Dr. past the boat club about two and a half blocks until you see a park entrance on the east (bay side) of the road. Enter the park and follow the path through the park and then stay on the path as it exits the park and turns abruptly, winding down and across the ravine over the pedestrian bridge then back up to street level at the end of  Elvira Ct. Continue on road, on Elvira a very short (not even a block) where it meets with Vistula Dr. Turn right onto Vistula and follow on road until the path breaks off and then runs beside the town homes and the West shore community center.

You can take a short cut across the field to Bayly St where the path runs beside the sidewalk and the top of  Frenchman's Bay to first street on the other side (Begley). Here the trail zig zags on road, turning down several streets (Tanzer,Wayferer,Radom,Douglas) until it heads back towards the lake on Douglas Ave-Front Rd. with a final zag along Annland to Liverpool Rd. Liverpool Rd is the main street to head down to the lake park and back onto the waterfront trail.

Frenchman's bay seems to have a colorful history with rum running. In the photo on the right, you can see, between the strips of reeds, the remaining posts from the old wharf. On the east side of the bay you may also see construction and dredging barges tied up to wharf posts of another ghost marina.

Frenchmans's Bay is named after two French Missionaries Felon and Trouve who in 1650, established Ontario's first school in the Iroquois village.

Cycle along Liverpool towards the lake but watch for the traffic as you (and cars) head for the Beachfront Park. Pause at the park, use the washrooms, enjoy the view or cycle onward along the causeway onto the Nuclear Plant.

Alex Robertson Park - Peake (Settlers') Trail - Pickering Nuclear Generating Station

The trail continues along the wide causeway then curves north beside the generating station and the large wind driven generator and then continues behind the facility running along the north side Montgomery Road and then switching to the south side at Brock Rd. The trail then curves south back toward the lake beside Park Rd. The trail then crosses a turn around/parking circle and continues on the other side where it runs near the lake though woods, ponds, across a small bridge until it meets Duffins Creek at Simcoe Point and the border with Ajax.

Pickering also has the Seaton Hiking trail (walking only I believe) that follows Duffins Creek from the 3rd concession north to Highway 7. Originally an indian trail, the seaton hiking trail was created some 30 years ago as part of a student works program. I haven't been there, but it looks like an interesting walking nature trail to add to my list.

Town of Ajax

Duffins Creek

Duffins Creek, like many creeks and streams near the GTA, has it's head waters in the slopes of the Oak Ridges Moraines and is a very popular river for fishing. The trail crosses an angled pedestrian bridge where many people stop and take in the view. Across the creek, the trail becomes a sand path and you may have to walk, if your wheels bog down. The trail then curves up hill to Rotary Park.

Duffins Creek was named by a surveyor, Augustus Jones, after an Irish settler who disapeared mysteriously. Some say Duffins was murdered, evidenced by the blood stains left on his cabin wall.

If you have a VRML viewer installed and Hi Speed connection, you can see a 360 degree panoramic view of the creek. First install the software (for XP) then click on the image. 

Rotary Park

Continue along in front of the benches through Rotary Park or make a rest stop at the Pavilion. The park's name comes from the efforts of the Ajax Rotary Club to support the park. You can also try following north from Rotary Park Pavilion beside Duffins creek to the Discovery Bay Center or take the branch across Lake Driveway that runs across to Harwood Ave.

Lions Point

Lion's Point is another great lookout point. Enjoy the down hill ride from Lions point until the trail begins to climb uphill again. The trail follows the shoreline and offers some of the best places to view the lake.

Harwood Gardens

At Harwood Point there are the gardens and the memorial to The Battle of the River Plate and H.M.S. Ajax, H.M.S. Exeter, and the Achilles. Most of the streets in Ajax are named after the crew and officers of H.M.S. Ajax. You now can guess where the town got it's name. Previously farmland, In 1941 the area became home to DIL (Defense Industries Ltd.) with thousands of workers filling shells for the war against Germany. The community named itself after the British naval ship commanded by H. Harwood in the first significant navel victory in the war.

You can also head north along Harwood Ave. to the many trails north of the 401.

Cycle along the rolling hills that edge the lake, ending at waterfront park where the trail exits onto Lakeview Blvd. From here the trail is mostly on road. Follow along Lakeview past the lake side parks until Lakeview curves up Shoal Point Road. Head up the road with Carruthers Marsh on the east side.

After crossing the creek bridge pick up trail to the east shortly after as it becomes a sidewalk trail running along the marsh east shore. After the marsh lookout, head back on road onto Ashbury as it curves through the housing development until it ends and becomes a dirt road (Range Rd.) continuing east to the border of the town of Whitby.

 Also, back at Lakeview, you can also follow the trail north on Pickering Beach Rd where the trail exits waterfront park and connects to the Greenbelt trail.