Introduction: by Ish Theilheimer
Grand Tour de Rails offers a unique experience to cyclists in Ontario, Quebec and upstate New York State. Those of us who love trail-riding will be delighted with the network of rail trails now available for riding in Eastern
Ontario. The Grand Tour de Rails is a unique and delightful network of rural and backwoods trails that total 381 km. (237 miles) Access to it is just 2-3 hours away from Montreal, Toronto, Syracuse and other major centres – and a lot less from Kingston or Ottawa – so as word gets out, these trails are likely to become very popular.
The trails have been developed in recent
years by regional governments in Eastern Ontario. With the completion of the Algonquin Trail from
Renfrew to Carleton Place, a circuit is now possible that can be ridden in three or four days.
For those who don’t want to go the whole distance, there are any number of enjoyable day trips
available. They go through beautiful farm country and forests, with lots of historic small towns and
cities along the way, plenty of places for travellers to stay, eat and sight-see and almost no vehicle
traffic.
This detailed guide will help you find places to start your tour, to park, to eat, to sleep and to have a
rare cycling experience that simply isn’t available anywhere else in Canada. Enjoy!
View or download the detailed PDF here: The Grand Tour de Trails