John Cook
06-26-09, 05:19 AM
Can anyone recommend a good base and cycle route for seeing Red maples and fall colours by bike this year..Are Quebec ,Montreal or Toronto too urbanised?
Eastern Canada - A good cycle route for seeing Fall Colours
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GTALuigi
06-26-09, 01:35 PM
Toronto GTA, in the East side of the town, bike around to Old Finch, and TwinRiver area.
it's between Pickering and Scarborough.
it's between Pickering and Scarborough.
Boudicca
06-26-09, 02:40 PM
Try the Eastern Townships in Quebec. Great biking country, within reach of Montreal, and you'll feel you are in another world. Or Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, if you are mentally ready for some truly serious hills.
Failing that there's always Maine or Vermont.
Failing that there's always Maine or Vermont.
Erick L
06-28-09, 05:03 AM
The best, or easiest, would be Ottawa IMO. Gatineau park on the Quebec side is fantastic riding, lots of colors and accessible right from downtown.
The Eastern Township are about 1h drive or a day's ride from Montreal. Closer, you could ride the western part of the island. The Senneville part has lots of trees but overall, it's still urban (but nice). There's some nice riding west of the island around Hudson and Oka. There are lots of good spots north of MTL but I'm not familiar with routes. The "P'tit Train Du Nord" is a 200km bike trail. About 2/3 is paved.
In Mount Orford Nat'l park near Magog:
http://www.borealphoto.com/photos/389682791_8Z5aD-S.jpg
I grew up in Quebec City but that was a while back so I can't help with specific routes except going east along the St-Lawrence or the Jacques-Cartier/Portneuf bike path. The first one has two parallel roads, a high-speed boulevard with huge shoulder, perfect for speeding with a tailwind, or the old King's road, quiet with hort steep hills. Very nice scenery even without the colors. Around oct 5-10th is the best time for colors and snow geese migration at Cap Tourmente. If you continue east, you'll end up in Charlevoix, steep hills country.
The other is the Jacques-Cartier/Portneuf path. It's paved in the city and crushed stone for the rest. It starts in the downtwon area. A few pic:
http://www.borealphoto.com/photos/215168168_iuAGR-Th.jpg (http://www.borealphoto.com/photos/215168168_iuAGR-XL.jpg) http://www.borealphoto.com/photos/215168218_5Agtx-Th.jpg (http://www.borealphoto.com/photos/215168218_5Agtx-XL.jpg)
One of my favorite place for fall colors is La Mauricie park north of Trois-Rivières. Highway 155 along the St-Maurice river to La Tuque is a nice ride (pic of the road/river from a hiking trail):
http://www.borealphoto.com/photos/210967431_zDTR9-S.jpg
The Eastern Township are about 1h drive or a day's ride from Montreal. Closer, you could ride the western part of the island. The Senneville part has lots of trees but overall, it's still urban (but nice). There's some nice riding west of the island around Hudson and Oka. There are lots of good spots north of MTL but I'm not familiar with routes. The "P'tit Train Du Nord" is a 200km bike trail. About 2/3 is paved.
In Mount Orford Nat'l park near Magog:
http://www.borealphoto.com/photos/389682791_8Z5aD-S.jpg
I grew up in Quebec City but that was a while back so I can't help with specific routes except going east along the St-Lawrence or the Jacques-Cartier/Portneuf bike path. The first one has two parallel roads, a high-speed boulevard with huge shoulder, perfect for speeding with a tailwind, or the old King's road, quiet with hort steep hills. Very nice scenery even without the colors. Around oct 5-10th is the best time for colors and snow geese migration at Cap Tourmente. If you continue east, you'll end up in Charlevoix, steep hills country.
The other is the Jacques-Cartier/Portneuf path. It's paved in the city and crushed stone for the rest. It starts in the downtwon area. A few pic:
http://www.borealphoto.com/photos/215168168_iuAGR-Th.jpg (http://www.borealphoto.com/photos/215168168_iuAGR-XL.jpg) http://www.borealphoto.com/photos/215168218_5Agtx-Th.jpg (http://www.borealphoto.com/photos/215168218_5Agtx-XL.jpg)
One of my favorite place for fall colors is La Mauricie park north of Trois-Rivières. Highway 155 along the St-Maurice river to La Tuque is a nice ride (pic of the road/river from a hiking trail):
http://www.borealphoto.com/photos/210967431_zDTR9-S.jpg
cyberpep
07-07-09, 07:33 PM
Living close to Toronto I would suggest the Waterfront Trail east of Toronto, in particular Prince Edward County. More important than the route you ride you must be there when the leaves are at their best. Last year in our area the leaves never did get that beautiful full color with all the rain that we experienced. Often they are at their best for only a couple of days. If you were to ride north to south you may be able to follow the peak color.
Windrush
08-10-09, 06:11 AM
In Toronto itself the best route for autumn leaves is the Don Valley River Trail. Outside the city ridge road from Stoney Creek to Balls Falls in the Niagara area is great. Closer to the city try the Halton Hills near Milton. Scenery in the Mount Nero, Rattlesnack Point, Mountsberg area can be spectacular.