Hit the Trails

Hit the Trails

Trail Etiquette

• Obey all trail signs

• Stay on the trail, leave only footprints… and as few of these as possible

• The universal rule of trail courtesy is for all trail users to pass to the left

• Take nothing but photographs

• Carry out everything that you carry in, including wrappers, tissues, soda cans, water bottles, cigarette butts, etc.

Discover the outdoors on Niagara’s South Coast by pedal or foot by exploring the numerous cycling and hiking trails.

Port Colborne offers easy access to fantastic paved multi-based trails surrounded by beautiful scenery. Great for walking, cycling, and skating. Two trails that are part of the Greater Niagara Circle Route intersect in Port Colborne. To the west of Port Colborne, in Wainfleet, there is access to a spur of The Great Trail, which is a loose-surface trail ideal for hiking, and trail riding.

The Niagara Cycling Tourism Centre website has information on bike routes & trips, planning your adventure, and resources for cyclists (bike repairs, parking, public washrooms and visitor information).

Connect to the community, visit niagaracyclingtourism.com

More information & detailed cycling maps can be picked up at the Port Colborne Visitor Information Centre at 76 Main Street West • portcolborne.ca/page/cycling

EAST SIDE TRAIL This section of the Welland Canals Parkway Trail, which is part of a network of trails, is unique in Niagara Region. It accommodates many outdoor enthusiasts on parallel but divided trails, including: equestrians, off-road motorcycles, ATV’s and mountain bike. Currently the only part of the East Side Trail which allows motorized machines (bike and ATV) is the Port Colborne section. Vehicles must be green or blue plated and carry liability insurance to legally ride there.

THE FRIENDSHIP TRAIL This 24-kilometre scenic pathway is paved and safe for cycling and ideal for walking, jogging, and rollerblading. The trail begins at Port Colborne Seaway Park and ends at Historic Fort Erie where it meets up with the Niagara Parks Commission Recreation Trail. All along its length, this trail coincides with The Great Trail.

For more information, maps and routes, visit niagaracyclingtourism.com/bike-routes/ greater-niagara-circle-route/friendship-trail/

GORD HARRY CONSERVATION TRAIL This section of The Great Trail runs 13 kilometres from the western boundary of Port Colborne, across the south of Wainfleet to Haldimand County, parallel to the Lake Erie shore. This unpaved trail connects several conservation areas in Wainfleet, and is an excellent location for bird watching and spotting wildlife. Ideal for biking and hiking, the Gord Harry Conservation Trail appeals to nature lovers of all ages.

For more information, maps and routes, visit npca.ca/conservation-areas/gord-harry-trail

GREAT LAKES WATERFRONT TRAIL waterfronttrail.org

This section of the trail extends more than 600 km from the Windsor area in south-western Ontario to Port Colborne and Fort Erie. Here it connects to the Lake Ontario section of the Great

Lakes Waterfront Trail via the Welland Canals Trail and the Niagara River Recreation Trail. This fully marked route with easy to follow signage consists of mainly on-road routes and connects with many area cycling trails including the Greater Niagara Circle Route and The Seaway Trail in the United States.

GREATER NIAGARA CIRCLE ROUTE The Greater Niagara Circle Route is a paved, multi-use trail that connects Port Colborne, Fort Erie, Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, St. Catharines, Thorold, and Welland in a 140-kilometre circuit. The route consists of several different trails. The Port Colborne section includes the Welland Canals Parkway Trail and the Friendship Trail, both of which meet at Seaway Park. A spur of the trail runs along the Port Promenade, parallel to Historic West Street, and terminates at scenic H.H. Knoll Lakeview Park.

For more information, maps and routes, visit niagaracyclingtourism.com/bike-routes/ greater-niagara-circle-route

THE WELLAND CANALS PARKWAY TRAIL This trail follows the canal along its west bank from St. Catharines through Thorold, Welland, and Port Colborne. In Thorold, the path crosses to the “Thorold Island” created between the old third canal and the current fourth canal. In Welland, it follows the old third canal through the city and is paved on both sides of the canal. The trail zig-zags across the canal in Port Colborne until it meets the Friendship Trail at Seaway Park.

For more information, maps, and routes, visit niagaracyclingtourism.com/bike-routes/ greater-niagara-circle-route/welland-canalrecreation-trail/