Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair | Great Lakes Waterfront Trail (2024)

From the Falls to The Skirts of Lake Huron

• Take the Trail all the way from Niagara-on-the-Lake down the Niagara River to Lake Erie, before heading north around the shores of Lake St. Clair and up the St. Clair River to Sarnia—totalling close to 925 km of the Trail to cycle, including 28 km on Pelee Island.
  • 103 km from Niagara-on-the Lake to Fort Erie, primarily off-road.
  • 660 km along the shoreline of Lake Erie and north to Lakeshore, primarily on relaxed rural roads.
  • 28 km on Pelee Island’s rural roads.
  • 133 km Around Lake St. Clair and up the St. Clair River to Sarnia, with a mix of off-road and rural road riding

• Relaxed, Rural Riding — Throughout the southern reaches of Ontario, you’ll enjoy kilometres of flat quiet country roads and trails, farm land, award winning wineries, beaches, historic lakeside towns, forts and beautiful parks. Enjoy 68 beaches on the waters of Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair.
• Wilderness and Waterfront — With 10 Provincial Parks, 1 National Park, and 35 Conservation Areas, there are many opportunities to stop and take in nature. Just east of Leamington is Point Pelee National Park, a world-renowned birding destination and Canada’s southernmost mainland point.
• Breweries — The Niagara region north of Lake Erie is known for its many wineries, in addition to the variety of bike-friendly wineries and breweries to be found along Lake Erie itself throughout Norfolk County, Elgin County, and Essex County.
• Heritage — Southwestern Ontario has 5 National Heritage Sites alongside many other historic landmarks and tours. These include the historic lighthouse of Essex County located at the mouth of the Thames River. There’s also the Clarence Street Lift Bridge, the Historical & Marine Museum, and Heritage Village, all located in Port Colborne, among other locations. Many informative opportunities to experience history.

Over 900 km long including Pelee Island

Niagara-on-the-Lake – Sarnia

• 897 km long; ~30 km on Pelee Island, mostly on rural roads and off-road.
• 18 Communities and First Nations, most with amenities, with 2 designated Bicycle Friendly Communities and +270 bike friendly businesses recognized by Ontario by Bike.
• In Elgin County west of Port Glasgow, for approximately 40 km Rt. 3/Talbot Line has no shoulders with high-speed traffic at 90 km/h. Use caution.
  • Most of the County Roads used for the Trail in Essex County have shoulders or are slated to get paved shoulders as part of the County-Wide Active Transportation (CWATS) Plan. There will eventually be an 800-km network connecting their seven local municipalities.
• Route includes roughly 60 km of gravel roads in Chatham-Kent; approximately 40 km between Wheatley and Rondeau Provincial Park, and 20 km east of Lake St. Clair between Grande Pointe and Port Lambton.
  • Interactive map notes surface type when you click on the route

Family Friendly Sections

• Port Colborne — 24km of off-road trail from Fort Erie to Port Colborne along the Friendship Trail.
• For hikers and walkers — Erie Beach/Rondeau Provincial Park is highly recommended.
• Haldimand County has developed 6 cycling loops ranging from 50 to 70km, along with trail and pathway routes.
• Pelee Island — 30 km circular route, following close to the Lake Erie shoreline all around the Island. The route travels quiet country roads, through farmland, vineyards and natural areas.

Connections

• Part of the Trans Canada Trail.
• The Trail has fabulous connections with Chrysler Greenway, Herb Gray Parkway Trail and Trans Canada Trail that make it easy to develop manageable loops.
• There is a significant trail junction at Port Colborne:
  • The Welland Canal Trail—an off-road path that follows the Welland Canal—links up with the Lake Ontario section of Great Lakes Waterfront Trail in Port Dalhousie, St. Catharines. It is part of the popular regional cycling experience—the Greater Niagara Circle Route.
  • The Greater Niagara Circle Route runs 170 km and follows Lake Ontario, the Niagara River Recreation Trail, Lake Erie and the Welland Canal.

Lambton Shores Gap

The Lambton Shores Waterfront Trail currently has two unsigned gaps in the route on Highway 21 between Kettle and Stoney Point and Pinery Provincial Park. Highway 21 is a provincial roadway posted as 80km/hr with high volumes of traffic during summer months. Paved shoulders are now in place.

Pelee Island

• ~30 km circular route on The Pelee Island Waterfront Trail.
• Family Friendly!
• The route travels quiet country roads, through farmland, vineyards and natural areas, and has equal sections that are paved and unpaved.
• Pelee Island Ferry— Ferry service to Pelee Island is from Kingsville and Leamington Ontario (approximately 1 ½ hours), and from Sandusky Ohio (approximately 1 ¾ hours).
• The Waterfront Trail also connects to the Islands’s Ecological Trail System, providing access to beaches, forests, sand dunes, marshes and alvars found nowhere else in Canada.
• The Pelee Island route map includes potable water, hiking, and several restaurants and shopping locations. There are two additional unsigned cycling loops included on the map: the 19km North Bay Loop and the 8.7km Fish Point Loop.
• Pelee Island E-Bike Rentals are available here.