Touring - Fort Erie to Port Colborne trail ??

Supposed to be 65deg. tomorrow here in Buffalo NY, might blow off work and ride, would like to cross the border and ride from Fort Erie to Port Colborne on a trail that is on one of my Adventure Cycling maps, has anyone here ridden this trail, and if so, what could I expect in the way of conditions on the trail this early in the season?? Thanks for any input from our freinds up north, Go Leafs.... Thanks Pat

This local info is a bit old, but I did that tour from Toronto around Burlington, passed St Catherines and up to Niagara on-the-Lake and finally Niagara Falls and Fort Erie. Sometime heading west near the shore of Lake Erie, I can't remember exactly where, but somewhere in the middle of nowhere the trail ends abruptly. (Someone help me here.) The rest was gorgeous.

The other option is to hang a right after the bridge in Fort Erie and go along the trail towards Niagara Falls. How many days do you have? If you can do an overnighter and want a motel there are lots cheap in Niagara Fall. I recommend the Cadillac Motel. Cheap and kitschie.

As far as early spring trail conditions go I have lots of experiences with that. Usually some yahoo on a trail bike or a 4 wheeled motorized thing has dug ruts the size of pythons all over the trail causing water to stay and slowling down the cyclist. It is also sometimes very slippery especially if you have to leave the path for any reason. Bring a change of clothes.

As far as early spring trail conditions go I have lots of experiences with that. Uusally some yahoo on a trail bike or a 4 wheeled motorized thing has dug ruts the size of pythons all over the trail causing water to stay and slowling down the cyclist. It is also sometimes very slippery especially if you have to leave the path for any reason. Bring a change of clothes.

That happens a lot around here too and in some cases it makes for a very bumpy ride. One more reason to pave cycling paths.

As far as early spring trail conditions go I have lots of experiences with that. Uusally some yahoo on a trail bike or a 4 wheeled motorized thing has dug ruts the size of pythons all over the trail causing water to stay and slowling down the cyclist. It is also sometimes very slippery especially if you have to leave the path for any reason. Bring a change of clothes.

This happens a lot around here too and in some cases it makes for a very bumpy ride. One more reason to pave cycling paths.

This happens a lot around here too and in some cases it makes for a very bumpy ride. One more reason to pave cycling paths.

If this is the path that I went on during my Round Lake Erie tour it was a very straight and paved trail that ran from near Ridgetown/Ridgeway? to Fort Erie. There are/were plans to extend it further west but it hadn't happened at the time I rode it in 2003.

I can recall chugging along like a train with occassional whistle noises because this old railway line really did make me think of trains.

BTW: It's quite nice in London where I live right now with no snow and mild temperatures. I am about two days ride west of the area you are discussing. I believe it will be even nicer in that area.

~Jamie N

Ridgeway.

http://city.portcolborne.on.ca/visitinghere/things_to_do/for_a_day/ Port Colborne Tourism may be a help. Their website calls it the Ridgeway Ramble. :)

They suggest the trail ends prior to Port Colborne, in Ridgeway. You of course will be going east to west. Hope you have a nice ride.

The Niagara Parkway (north from Fort Erie toward Niagara Falls) is a very popular route, but you probably already knew that. ;)

Thanks for the information everyone, glad to here its paved, at least part way, plan on Xing at the Peace Bridge then following the trail west, sounds like I'll be riding on provincial road 3 for awhile, my wife is meeting me in Port Colborne after she gets out of work, guess we'll stay at the King George Inn, nice people there and great selection of draft beer, Hey Jamie you probably already know this but there is a nice B&B in Port Dover, the Clonmel I beleive it is called, might be a stretch though for a one day ride, not sure how far west London is from Dover. Anyway thanks again, and enjoy this great northern weather while it lasts !!
PS: next time I venture north of the border, I'll be packing my Hennessey Hammock, still too cold, or I'm too old....

Just by accident I came across http://www.waterfronttrail.org/trail-itin-GNCR.html

I wonder how our friend is making out on his Canuckian tour today. :)

I suspect that it's too late for this suggestion but...

When I toured around Lake Erie I basically steered away from highways 3 and 4 along with most of highway 2. In this part of Ontario there are so many nice farm lanes that are so much more quieter and much more interesting plus they usually give you lots of opportunities to meet people.

Of course by riding along highway three there is the possibility of wonderful fruit stand, at least, during the warmer months of the year!

Hennessy makes some accessories that extend the temperature range significantly.

~Jamie N

Wow, What a great ride, the trail is complete now all the way from Fort Erie to Port Colborne except for a very short peice through the woods at the Fort Erie end. I met a fellow on the Port Colborne "rails and trails" commitee, and there is a good chance the trail will be extended west to Dunville. Stayed at the King George Inn, as usual a very freindly and courteous staff, cold beer, and a clean room. The weather was perfect untill I ran into rain yesterday in Blasdell, on the ride home , called my wife and got a ride the rest of the way home. Congratulations to Canada for its dedication to providing great recreational multi-use trail systems,the nice thing is they seperate the motorized vehicles from trhe bike walking trails as much as possible. We plan on getting a group together in Sept. to do a fall ride, and explore the trail north along the Welland to Port Daliouse. I will highly reccomend any bikers in WNY to go north and try these trails, then come home and let our local politicians know there efforts are, way behind the curve on providing this type of system on our side of the lake, although the some great strides have been made lately..

That is wonderful news. I remember when that trail was just an idea. Great to hear you had such a good trip, and yes, lobby your politicians for the same amenities!

Ahhh Desperado

You mentioned the name Blasdell in your post.I was born and raised in my Grandfathers house about 1/4 mile from the college which is just north of the old fairgrounds, The college and convent grounds were part of my grandfathers farm ago decades, I delivered papers around the area. The area and the lake shore was a wonderful place to grow up.In summer for an excursion several friends and I would get up very early and ride to the old quarry on the Canadian shore west of Ft Erie, spend the day and then the father of one of us would meet us on the US side of the Peace bridge to bring us all home.

Also rode a number of times from The Peace Bridge north to Niagara on the Lake, no trails just the roads
Haven't been there in a long time.Cousin who lives in the area has tried to get me to come up and ride with his family on the Erie Canal Bikeway, going to Spain this summer maybe next year