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Cycling

Quiet flat paved roads, beautiful rural landscapes and over 80 kilometres of Lake Erie shoreline make Haldimand County the perfect choice for your next road trip. 

Find information on:

View our Online Cycling Map

Self-Guided Tours

Head out on the open roads and breathe in the fresh air. Beat your own time or just set a leisurely pace and enjoy the view.

Lowbanks Loop

Travel along parts of the Feeder Canal and watch for birds and other wildlife while checking out some of Lowbank's historic sites.

Visit the site of Lock 27 by following Feeder Canal Rd. to the lock. The lock was built in 1846 to create a transportation linkage between the Grand River and the Welland Canal. Or visit the Port Maitland Cairn, which commemorates the 200th Anniversary of the Grand River Naval Depot.

Explore the Carolinian Forest at Rock Point Provincial Park, or enjoy Lake Erie and go for a swim at the beach. The Mohawk Island lookout is also located in Rock Point Provincial Park.

Use caution when riding on narrow lanes and in high-traffic areas.

  • Terrain: paved, mostly flat
  • Distance: 52 km
  • Trailhead: Dunnville Kinsmen Park, 985 John St., Dunnville

Lake Erie River Run

This two-day ride begins and ends in the town of Caledonia, taking riders through a mix of rural landmarks and riverside views.

Make sure to plan a stop on the sandy shores of Lake Erie at Knights Beach Resort, a certified bicycle-friendly business, for a bite to eat before heading inland through rural landscapes rich in Haldimand’s agricultural bounty.

This route is suitable for cyclists with experience and comfort in riding on roads with low traffic at low speeds and includes bike lanes and paved shoulders. Cyclists should bring spare bicycle parts, extra water and light snacks for longer rural stretches of road. Parking is available at accommodations or the Caledonia Fairgrounds.

  • Total Distance: 135 km
  • Suggested Ride and Touring Itinerary: 2 days, 1 night (extension for a 3rd and 4th day offered)
  • Daily Ride Distance Average: Day 1 – 51 km, Day 2 – 84 km
  • Experience Level: Moderate to experienced
  • Route Surface: Paved roads

River Route

Close to camping and B&Bs, this route takes you along the scenic banks of the Grand River and Lake Erie. 

Stop into the No 6. RCAF Museum at the Dunnville Airport for a tour, and stroll along the pier at Port Maitland.

Cayuga Grand Vista detour: take a detour down the Cayuga Grand Vista Trail while travelling this route.

Use caution when riding on Highway 17 and Talbot St. W.

  • Terrain: paved, mostly flat with some rolling hills
  • Distance: 69 km
  • Trailhead: Cayuga Kinsmen Park, 61 Ouse St.S., Cayuga

Hagersville Area Tour

Enjoy a route that takes you through the picturesque towns of Townsend, Jarvis and Hagersville.

Explore some of Townsend’s walking trails, Concession Road Brewing in Jarvis, or grab a bite to eat at one of the great restaurants in Hagersville.

Use caution when riding on the short section of Highway 3 and Highway 6.

  • Terrain: paved, mostly flat
  • Distance: 51 km
  • Trailhead: Grant Kett Park, 38 Sherring St.N., Hagersville

Lakeview Tour

The Lakeview Tour follows a beautiful country road lined by quaint waterfront cottages and frequent views of Lake Erie. 

Camp at the Haldimand Conservation Area, Selkirk Provincial Park, or private campground, or relax at one of the B&Bs along the way.  Food stops in historic Selkirk, Fisherville and Sweets Corners.  Many picturesque views along the lake, but please be careful to only access the water from public beaches.

Note: much of the beach property on Lakeshore Drive is privately owned, please only use public access points

  • Terrain: paved, mostly flat
  • Distance: 70 km
  • Trailhead: Selkirk Athletic Field, 17 Main St.W., Selkirk

Haldimand Tour

Some of the best scenic back-roads in the County as you follow the rolling hills along the river's edge. 

Soak in the scenic rural landscapes and the communities of Caledonia, Cayuga and Selkirk. Choose to access the Rotary Riverside Trail south of Caledonia to take you off-road until York.

  • Terrain: paved, rolling hills
  • Distance: 71 km
  • Trailhead: McKinnon Park, 100 Haddington St., Caledonia

Group Tours

Challenge yourself by joining a cycling tour and cruise through flat paved country roads with the lake as your backdrop. This is your chance to get outside and explore Haldimand through an organized sporting event.

Dunnville Grand Tour

The Dunnville Grand Tour is a weekend-long event for cyclists of all skill levels. Whether coasting by the banks of the Grand River or cruising along the picturesque shores of Lake Erie, the greater Dunnville area offers some of the best recreational cycling opportunities in Southern Ontario. The goal of the event is to promote the trails and cycling-friendly routes of the area and elevate Dunnville’s reputation as a cycling destination.

You will be guided on 25, 50, 75, 100 and 160 km routes famous for their flat geographical road conditions and minimal elevation changes.​​ This tour is recreational and not a race, which allows cyclists to experience the scenic routes at their own pace. During the tour, SAG vehicles patrol the road and offer assistance to riders.

Dunnville Grand Tour

Close up of a man biking on a path

Group size: 6 people

Dunnville Grand Tour Experience

Coast by the banks of the Grand River or cruise along the picturesque shores of Lake Erie and see why we offer some of the best recreational cycling opportunities in Southern Ontario!

Experience includes:

  • Accommodations
  • A personal consultation to map out your excursion
  • A DGT T-shirt
  • Light snacks & refreshments
  • Flexible route plan (breaks along the way)

Twisted Lemon Exclusive

Connecting and 
Cross-Regional Routes

See the routes and trails that connect with Haldimand County for an even larger ride.

Waterfront Trail

The Haldimand section of Waterfront Trail winds along quiet country roads lined by quaint waterfront cottages. It also passes through Dunnville, one of the larger Lake Erie Waterfront Trail communities.

Heading east from the Norfolk boundary near Port Dover, the Trail passes by Nanticoke Power Plant and Peacock Point. The Trail east of Selkirk follows a beautiful country road with frequent views of Lake Erie and onto Port Maitland at the mouth of the Grand River. Heading north, you enter Dunnville with many amenities including places to stay, eat and shop.

Chippewa Trail - Connecting to Hamilton

This 15-km abandoned rail corridor links Hamilton with Caledonia as part of the Niagara-Haldimand branch of the Trans Canada Trail. Riding from Hamilton to Haldibrook Road and back makes a 26 km round trip journey.

The Haldimand Chippewa Trail connects the Hamilton Chippawa Trail at Haldibrook Road and runs 2.7 km south along the old Georgia-Pacific rail line to Haldimand Road 66 near Caledonia.

The on-road portion of the trail then runs east on Haldimand Road 66 to McClung Road and south on McClung and connects to the Caledonia Riverside Rotary Trail at Seneca Park in Caledonia which takes trail users to the Grand River and then off-road again along the Grand to the hamlet of York.

This trail is likely the only part of the Trans Canada Trail where you might catch a glimpse of a lion or a tiger as a portion of it runs alongside the Killman Zoo.

Lynn Valley Trail

Connections to the Lynn Valley Trail can be made via the following:

  • Stone Quarry Road in Townsend
  • Lynn Valley Road
  • New Lake Shore Road

Grand Valley Trail

The Grand Valley Trail is a marked footpath both off and on-road, stretching about 275 km between Port Maitland to the town of Alton near Orangeville. A hiker can identify the main Grand Valley Trail by the white blazes approximately 5 cm wide by 15 cm high.

Caledonia’s Highway 54 running Northwest of the town towards Brant County will connect with Brant’s Grand River Trail part of this larger trail system.

Blue Heron Way

Blue Heron Way is approximately 1.1 km of off-road trails connecting Dunnville to the Niagara Region. This trail links up to the Gord Harry Trail - a 13 km trail with barrier-free access through gated entries at each road crossing. The Gord Harry Trail connects directly to Wainfleet Wetlands Conservation Area, and passes near Long Beach, Morgan’s Point and Wainfleet Bog Conservation Areas.

 

No bike? No problem?

Dixon Cycle has mountain bikes, helmets, and more available for rental.

To book: call 289-523-0062 or email ride@dixoncycle.ca. 

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