Trail: Trails are described as cycle path when there is a separate  bike path, cycle lane when there is an on road (reserved, singed, and painted) bike lane. On sidewalk where you are riding - together with regular pedestrian traffic on a  street sidewalk. Sidewalk path where there is a separate bike path that runs parallel with a street sidewalk. Sidewalk paths cross streets (sometimes busy) and often cross residential or business driveways and they rejoin the pedestrian sidewalk near intersections. Often these are signed with a 'cyclists shall dismount' to cross the street.  On-road can be either busy main traffic suitable for adults or residential, with little car traffic.

Conditions can be dirt (or sand), crushed gravel (or limestone), or paved.

Gear Rating Is described as a front derailleur rating of 3,2 or 1. A trail rated as 3 is where you can ride most of the trail in a relatively high bike gear and the terrain is mostly flat with possibly some slight up/down hill grade. A street bike or ten speed is suited to this rating although mountain bikes should  have no problems. A rating of 2 is when you'll spend significant time in mid-gears either because the trail is gravel, or there are enough up/down hill sections that warrant staying in mid gears. Ten speeds can easily ride the trail but a mountain bike would have better mid or low gear ratios   A 1 rating is for dirt trails where a mountain bike will stay in low gears for most of the trail. None of the trails I describe are mountain bike only but some have sections where the grade is steep enough that a mountain bike or hybrid has a definite advantage.

Connections: Are links to other bike trail that I've been on that you can get to  either on road or branch directly from the current path.

Trail description last updated 2003-2004. There is a lot of activity to complete, expand, or change the cycle paths in and around Toronto so expect that some trails have changed since my description.

Trail Descriptions

 Are generally oriented from westward, northward or eastward headings starting from Toronto Harbourfront unless otherwise mentioned. The associated pictures accompanying the trail description are also looking  from the direction as heading out from Toronto.

Hamilton <----Harbourfront----->Beaches