Cycling Routes & Maps

Enjoy the experience!

The City of Hamilton offers a free comprehensive map of cycling facilities, points of interest and hiking trails called the Bike Routes, Trails & Parks Map. You can pick up a copy at City recreation centres, libraries, bike shops or a Municipal Service Centre.

There is also an interactive cycling map available:


Greenbelt Route logo

  • www.greenbelt.ca/route connects you to a fully interactive online map containing over 1000 points of interest, as well as 34 regional bike maps including seven day-trip itineraries.

Clip of Interactive Cycling Map


10 Great Bike Rides

Are you looking to discover great cycling routes in Hamilton for the first time – or discover areas of Hamilton that you are not familiar with?
It is safest and most enjoyable if you use this information in combination with a reference map. Choices include the Hamilton Bike Routes, Trails & Parks map; Dundas Valley Adventure Map; Bruce Trail Reference Guide; and the HSR Transit Guide (PDF,8.05 MB).

Featured Bike Rides

You can use Geotrail to view the rides interactively. 
GeoTrail Logo

Connection points

  • East Mountain: Mountain Brow Blvd./ Limeridge Rd./ Arbour Rd.
  • Ancaster: Wilson St./ Fiddler's Green Rd./ Lovers Lane

Distance

  • 40 km
  • 4 hrs leisurely

Route design

  • Easy: Paved on-road and a short paved trail section by Albion Falls over the LINC.
  • Take care crossing Rymal Rd., crossing Highway 6/ Upper James, Wilson St. at roundabout, and along Jerseyville Rd.

City transit access

Inter-city transit access

None

Parking access

See The Country Bike Map (PDF, 0.8 MB)

Attractions along the way

  • Albion Falls
  • Red Hill Valley
  • Eramosa Karst

 View this ride interactively using Geotrail

Connection points

  • Ancaster: Wilson St./ Fiddler's Green Rd./ Lovers Lane
  • Aldershot: Aldershot GO/ VIA Station at Waterdown Rd./ Highway 403

Distance

  • 29 km
  • 3 hrs leisurely

Route design

  • Moderate: Paved on-road, but for 500m of gravel on Binkley Rd.; two escarpment climbs
  • Take care riding up the escarpment: As you scale the escarpment, don't get intimidated, just do it "smooth and slow". Use low gears, a slow pace and patience. A bike with a triple chain-ring in front makes it quite easy for most people. Going down? Be sure to maintain control at all times.

City transit access

Inter-city transit access

  • Aldershot: GO/ VIA Station

Parking access

See The Falls Run Bike Map (PDF, 1 MB)

Attractions along the way

  • Ancaster shops
  • The Hermitage
  • Griffin House
  • Crook's Hollow
  • Tew's Falls
  • Webster's Falls
  • Borer's Falls
  • Waterdown shops
  • Great Falls

View this ride interactively using Geotrail

Connection points

  • Aldershot: Aldershot GO/ VIA Station at Waterdown Rd./ Highway 403
  • Confederation Park: QEW/ Centennial Pkwy

Distance

  • 16 km
  • 1.5 hrs leisurely

Route design

  • Easy: Paved; half of the route is paved trail (Waterfront Trail) or optional on-street (Beach Blvd.)
  • Take care crossing under the QEW on North Shore Blvd. and crossing the lift bridge

City transit access

  • Aldershot: Route 18, Burlington Transit 1
  • Confederation Park: Route 56 (seasonal), Route 11 nearby

  • Bikes on Buses Program

Inter-city transit access

  • Aldershot: GO/ VIA Station
  • Confederation Park: Stoney Creek (Nash Rd.) GO Transit

Parking access

See Harbour & Lakeshore Bike Map (PDF, 0.9 MB)

Attractions along the way

  • Burlington waterfront shops
  • Lift Bridge/ Canal & Lighthouse
  • Lake Ontario beaches & restaurants
  • Confederation Park/ Wild Waterworks

View this ride interactively using Geotrail

Connection points

  • Confederation Park: QEW/ Centennial Pkwy
  • East Mountain: Mountain Brow Blvd./ Limeridge Rd./ Arbour Rd.

Distance

  • 12 km
  • 1.5 hrs leisurely

Route design

  • Difficult: A few significant hills, Mostly unpaved - see map for paved on-street option
  • Take care crossing Lawrence Rd. and along Mud St. beside Albion Falls

City transit access

  • Confederation Park: Route 56 (seasonal), Route 11 nearby
  • East Mountain: Route 21, Route 22 nearby

  • Bikes on Buses Program

Inter-city transit access

  • Confederation Park: Stoney Creek (Nash Rd.) GO Transit

Parking access

See Red Hill Valley Bike Map (PDF, 0.8 MB)

Attractions along the way

  • Red Hill Creek Valley
  • EcoHouse
  • Albion Falls

View this ride interactively using Geotrail

Connection points

  • East Mountain: Mountain Brow Blvd./ Limeridge Rd./ Arbour Rd.
  • Ancaster: Wilson St./ Fiddler's Green Rd./ Lovers Lane

Distance

  • 22 km
  • 2 hrs leisurely

Route design

  • Moderate: On-street shared with motor traffic; Mostly paved - unpaved on Chedoke Radial Rail Trail; stairs with trough crossing Highway 403; NB: no paved option west of Scenic Dr.
  • Take care of traffic along Concession St.

City transit access

Inter-city transit access

None

Parking access

See The Brow Bike Map (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Attractions along the way

  • Albion Falls
  • views from the brow
  • Concession St. shops
  • Sanatorium Falls
  • Iroquoia Heights
  • Ancaster shops

View the ride interactively using Geotrail

Connection points

  • Ancaster: Wilson St./ Fiddler's Green Rd./ Lovers Lane
  • Hamilton Harbour: Bayfront Park, Bay St./ Barton St.

Distance

  • 21 km
  • 2 hrs leisurely

Route design

  • Easy: Combination of on-street and trails; unpaved on Rail Trail in Dundas Valley; paved option between Ancaster and Dundas is Wilson St./ Old Dundas Rd
  • Take care on Sulfur Springs Rd. and on Dundas streets

City transit access

  • Ancaster: Route 16, Route 5C/ 5A nearby
  • Hamilton Harbour: Route 99 (seasonal), Route 4, Route 2 nearby

  • Bikes on Buses Program

Inter-city transit access

  • Downtown: Hamilton GO Centre (GO Transit, Coach Canada, Greyhound)
  • Westdale: McMaster University GO Transit

Parking access

See Dundas Valley & Westdale Bike Map (PDF, 1 MB)

Attractions along the way

  • Ancaster shops
  • The Hermitage
  • Griffin House
  • Dundas Valley Trail Centre
  • Dundas shops
  • McMaster University
  • The Aviary in Churchill Park
  • Westdale shops
  • Cootes Paradise
  • Desjardins Canal & Fishway
  • Dundurn Castle
  • Waterfront Trail
  • Bayfront Park

View the ride interatively using Geotrail

Connection points

  • Downtown: Corktown Park at Ferguson Ave./ Young St.
  • Aldershot: Aldershot GO/ VIA Station at Waterdown Rd./ Highway 403

Distance

  • 14 km
  • 1.5 hrs leisurely

Route design

  • Moderate: Combination of on-street and trails; all paved; stairs with trough at High Level Bridge connecting Desjardins Canal to York Blvd.
  • Take care crossing Highway 403 ramps and on Plains Rd.; if travelling from Aldershot to Downtown do not cross York Blvd. at the High Level Bridge

City transit access

Inter-city transit access

  • Downtown: Hamilton GO Centre (GO Transit, Coach Canada, Greyhound)
  • Aldershot: Aldershot GO/ VIA Station

Parking access

See Ferguson & West Harbour Bike Map (PDF, 0.8 MB)

Attractions along the way

  • Downtown shops
  • Waterfront Trail
  • HMCS Haida
  • Bayfront Park
  • Desjardins Canal & Fishway
  • Cootes Paradise
  • High Level Bridge Vistas
  • Royal Botanical Gardens (RGB)

 View the ride interactively using Geotrail

Connection points

  • Downtown: Corktown Park at Ferguson Ave./ Young St.
  • Stoney Creek: Devil's Punch Bowl at Ridge Rd./ First Rd. E

Distance

  • 12 km
  • 1 hr leisurely

Route design

  • Moderate: All paved; mostly on-street (majority with bike lanes); walking trail up escarpment to Devil's Punch Bowl
  • Take care crossing Wentworth St. and crossing Red Hill Valley Pkwy

City transit access

Inter-city transit access

  • Downtown: Hamilton GO Centre (GO Transit, Coach Canada, Greyhound)

Parking access

See Gage & Devil's Punch Bowl Bike Map (PDF, 1 MB)

Attractions along the way

  • Stoney Creek shops (including Stoney Creek Dairy)
  • Devil's Punch Bowl
  • escarpment views over Lake Ontario

View the ride interactively using Geotrail

Connection points

  • Downtown: Corktown Park at Ferguson Ave./ Young St.
  • East Mountain: Mountain Brow Blvd./ Limeridge Rd./ Arbour Rd.

Distance

  • 9 km
  • 1 hr leisurely

Route design

  • Easy: Paved trail, gradual slope
  • Take care crossing Wentworth St.

City transit access

Inter-city transit access

  • Downtown: Hamilton GO Centre (GO Transit, Coach Canada, Greyhound)

Parking access

See Escarpment Rail Trail Bike Map (PDF, 1.2 MB)

Attractions along the way

  • Downtown shops
  • Bruce Trail
  • escarpment views
  • Buttermilk Falls
  • Albion Falls

 View the ride interatively using Geotrail

Connection points

  • Downtown: Corktown Park at Ferguson Ave./ Young St.
  • Ancaster: Wilson St./ Fiddler's Green Rd./ Lovers Lane

Distance

  • 12 km
  • 1 hr leisurely

Route design

  • Easy: Combination of paved on-street and unpaved on Chedoke Rail Trail; stairs with trough crossing Highway 403. Northbound: no paved option west of Dundurn St.
  • Take care on Charlton Ave. westbound or on Herkimer St. eastbound and at Wilson St.

City transit access

Inter-city transit access

  • Downtown: Hamilton GO Centre (GO Transit, Coach Canada, Greyhound)

Parking access

See Chedoke Radial Rail Trail Bike Map (PDF, 1.2 MB)

Attractions along the way

  • Downtown shops
  • Westcliffe Falls
  • Princess Falls (five waterfalls total)
  • Sanatorium Falls
  • Iroquoia Heights Conservation Area
  • Ancaster shops

View the ride interactively using Geotrail

Trail Etiquette

  • Keep to the right except to pass
  • Do not litter
  • Respect nature
  • Do not trespass in rural fields
  • Pedestrians: Keep any dog on their leash
  • Cyclists: Yield to pedestrians
  • Cyclists: Alert pedestrians with your bell prior to passing

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