As someone wise once said, life’s better on a bike.
That’s especially true in fall, as the chillier temperatures call for a little more motion to keep warm and you should take every opportunity to explore the season’s spectacular colours.
There’s no better way to do both than hopping on a bike and hitting one of Toronto’s many bike trails. And if you needed any more motivation, keep in mind that the next beer or hot chocolate is always closer on wheels.
See also
- BBC travel article praises pretty much everything about Toronto
- 42 FREE Toronto events to check out this fall
- The 8 best places to see the leaves change in Toronto (PHOTOS)
Here are the 9 best bike trails to go for a spin this fall…
Martin Goodman Trail
We’re starting strong here. The Martin Goodman Trail stretches 56 kilometres, which is somewhere between a nice, long day trip and why’d I sign up for this? Crossing the Humber Bay Arch Bridge is one of the main highlights, as is the option to extend your journey pretty much infinitely as it connects to the 730-kilometre Waterfront Trail around Lake Ontario.
Leslie Street Spit (Tommy Thompson Park)
Able to be reached by the above mentioned Martin Goodman Trail, Tommy Thompson Park boasts the super scenic and bike-friendly Leslie Street Spit. Bike to its tip, take an Instagram, and loop back around towards the beaches to cruise along the waterfront.
Toronto Islands
Nearly possible to achieve during the summer months given the volume of people, fall offers a chance to rediscover the islands on two wheels. While there’s not a lot of ground to cover, you’ll be going at a snail’s pace to take in the views.
Morningside Park
Here’s something you probably didn’t know: Morningside Park is Toronto’s largest park. You know what that means? Plenty of green space to explore by bike. A paved bike trail winds through its more than 500 acres of greenery with a few mild inclines to make it within consideration of a workout.
Lower Don Trail
Just a great place to be overall, the Lower Don Valley boasts a 4.7-kilometre bike trail that runs along the Don River from Pottery Road to Corktown Commons, which means you’ll land very close to a well-deserved drink in the Distillery District. Bonus: it’s about to wrap up a two-year construction phase that made significant improvements to the trail’s infrastructure.
Crothers Woods
The Don River Valley keeps on giving. The thick canopy of Crothers Woods covers 128 acres and offers that sweet smell of fall otherwise absent anywhere near the city. A real gem for tree lovers.
Moore Park Ravine
This one’s for the mountain bikers. While it can get quite muddy on wet days, the ravine’s bike trail is a perfect fit for those with wide tires and a craving for a cold one at Evergreen Brick Works at its terminus. You can start your journey by moseying through the Mount Pleasant Cemetery near the trail’s entrance.
Humber Valley
Extending from Lake Ontario to an area in the north that most would argue isn’t even Toronto anymore, the Humber Valley offers plenty of options to get your bike on. Of course, we’d recommend heading downhill in the other direction.
Beltline Trail
Passing through Rosedale, Moore Park, Forest Hill, Chaplin Estates, and Fairbank, the Beltline Trail offers 9 kilometres of park and ravine paths with plenty of other hidden green spaces along the way.
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