Fall bike rides in Toronto are a great activity through mid-November until the temperature drop. Mountain bikers in particular have it made in autumn, when trails become surrounded by blazing foliage.
Here are my picks for where to take a bike ride in Toronto during the fall.
Crothers Woods / Don Valley
Hands down, the best place to ride a mountain bike (or cyclocross) during the fall in Toronto. There are trails here to appeal to pretty much every skill level, from the basic loop around Sun Valley to the ridge trails that twist and wind towards Thorncliffe Park and Don Mills Rd. Continue from there to ET Seton and Serena Gundy parks.
Twyn Rivers Dr. / Toronto Zoo / Rouge Park
Home to one of the toughest climbs in Toronto, the area around the Toronto Zoo is home to some excellent low-traffic "country" roads that hit peak beauty in autumn. While you might be within the boundaries of Toronto, there's farmland everywhere, a few great climbs, and trees bursting will colour.
The Toronto Islands
The best part of the Toronto Islands in the fall is just how quiet it is. Gone are the hordes of summer explorers and lineups for the ferry, and left in their place is a little autumn paradise snugged up against the soaring Toronto skyline. The vast array of tree species here make for particularly interesting foliage, and you can really let it out on the quiet roads.
The Beltline
It's pretty much impossible to leave the Beltline off of this list, as the retired commuter railway route is tree-lined, requires zero technical expertise to ride, and just lights up with colour during the peak of the leaves turning. If heading southeast, continue on to the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery and Moore Park ravine.
Taylor Creek Park
The central area of the Don Valley tends to get all the attention, but tributaries like Taylor Creek also make for a great ride. As a paved trail, this one works for riders of all kinds (mountain bikers can use it as a go-between for other trails or as a lead-in to the Don). The winding path here crosses the river multiple times, is surrounded by mature trees, and is generally nice and quiet.
What did I miss? Add your suggestions in the comments.
Photo of Crothers Woods by Subjective Art in the blogTO Flickr pool.
by Derek Flack via blogTO
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