We finally did it. This is one of the first routes that we ever published as the DriveSide and now, with the help of our first teammate Leah, we are revamping it. With more diverse trails, awesome views, and opportunities for adventure, we are happy to present the Rouge Valley North Redux, the best bike route of the summer (in our humble opinions).

We first discovered this trail in the midst of province-wide COVID lockdowns, noticing how the unusual quiet of these northern roads allowed for a biker’s paradise. Our lives have become a little louder since then but we still look to this route as a pocket of serenity. Here we get to follow creeks, smell wildflowers, and cruise with the birds.

Direction? North. Destination? Bob Hunter Memorial.

The Ride

Distance: 58.6 km      Elevation Gain: + 353.6 m / 8.3%

Difficulty: Moderate | Topography: Hilly Terrain: Trail, Gravel, Road

The Great Lakes Waterfront Trail

This ride begins at the water on the Great Lakes Waterfront trail. This trail in its entirety spans a massive distance, stretching 3600 km from Sualt Saint Marie to the Quebec border, but were just going to be cruising on it for a few minutes. For those taking the Go train, this trail is directly outside the Rouge Hill Go Station making for a super easy start to your adventure. Let’s go to the beach! 

Lower Highland Creek Trail

The Waterfront trail will soon connect you with Colonel Danforth Park via the Lower Highland Creek Trail. This forest covered pathway follows a rushing creek, taking you over quant bridges and under beatiful canopies. Tip: At the picnic area there is a public bathroom. Also, watch out for the steep incline on the way out of the park.

Once you pop out of the park, Old Kingston Road is a perfect place to stop, grab some coffee, and enjoy a beef patty. Creekside Coffee Co. is one of our favourite places to rest on this ride. This rustic and authentic café & serves up all the expected fixtures with a local twist. The ingredients are sourced locally whenever possible and the drinks are well caffeinated – just how we like.

The Meadoway

The Meadoway project is transforming the Toronto hydro corridor into a beautiful mixed-use path and no-mow meadow that connects you the Rouge Park again, just south of the Toronto Zoo. This is where you will dive into Beare Hill Park, literally. Prepare to get a bit vertical as you cruise down and then up to the CN train tracks. These tracks mark the start of Beare Hill.

Stay straight following signs for the Lookout. In the summer the hill is covered in a blanket of wildflowers and spotted with butterflies and dragonflies. After you get to the first lookout, keep climbing to get to the summit and behold a beautiful 360 view of GTA. There are circles of rocks dotted around the hill providing ample opportunities to stop, rest, and enjoy the view. Don’t forget to hydrate and recharge as you go!

Fun fact, this entire park was built on top of an old landfill site. The site closed in 1983 and after that the City of Toronto initiated a landfill gas electricity system, capturing methane to produce electricity for the surrounding community. In addition, they began to build trails and plant meadows so that the landfill could be transformed into a greenspace enjoyed by folks across the GTA.

To exit the park you will ride south toward Finch Avenue and from there start cruising on Scarborough Pickering Town Line Road. Don’t forget to stop by July’s Butter Tart Stand and pick up a treat. Tip: They’re cash only so pack a tenner if you want a taste.

Turn left on Steeles Avenue and dog leg over to 11th Concession road. Once you turn left on 14th Avenue you’ll enter Rouge National Urban Park. This Park is a winding interconnected set of multi-use trails and protected greenspace. It is one of the largest urban national parks in North America and there plans to expand it further.

The wildlife in the Rouge Valley is robust. You don’t have to be lucky to come across Red Tailed Hawks, Blue Heron, White-Tailed Dear, Red Foxes and even the occasional Coyote! If you stop by the Little Rouge River for a water bottle refill or a rest stop, look out for migrating aquatic life in the river. Depending on the time of the year and the amount of recent precipitation, the level of the river can vary.  

Bob Hunter Memorial Park provides a fun mix of terrain, ranging from packed gravel, short single-track, or the winding trails around the little Rouge Creek. Check out our map and you’ll see that you can choose your segments – skip the leafy, rooty stuff if you don’t feel comfortable.But make sure to stop to spot some beavers along the creek or Red Tailed Hawks in the sky.

Did you know that a Canadian co-founded the ecological conservation group, Greenpeace International? That person is the namesake of this park, Robert Hunter — Bob.  

We never met Bob, he passed in 2005, but we wish we had the opportunity to have a conversation with him. Surely he’d tell us his tales of voyaging to Alaska in 1969 to oppose US nuclear testing – the trip that helped birth Greenpeace.

We hope he’d also share stories of confronting Russian harpoons while dying the fur of seal pups, making their fur worthless for purchase or maybe about his reflections authored in “Occupied Canada: A Young White Man Discovers His Unsuspected Past.” or “Thermageddon: Countdown to 2030” — we have a feeling there wouldn’t be much talk about his Governor General’s Award or being named one of the “Eco-Heroes” of the 20th century. Bob, we’d ride with you any day. Rest in Greenpeace.

It’s safe to say we have a lot more ground to cover and adventures to uncover northward.

Just around the corner is an adventure waiting for you. All you have to do is be prepared and say yes. We hope this ride will treat you well, no matter your riding experience and comfort, choose your own adventure.

The Preparation

Bicycle | Supplies | Camera Gear | 

It might seem contradictory, but when free styling through uncertainty, preparation is your best friend.

We thought this all-terrain ride would be the perfect way to welcome the Surly into the stable. This is a Surly Straggler, a do it all bike. A reliable steel steed designed to handle everything, and it does that really well. Whether it’s gravel riding, road or small tours – this bike has performed extremely well. Priced as an entry-level do-it-all bike, you really can’t go wrong. We took a lot of the logos off, opting for the clean look and paired it with wide-gear range drivetrain and some gravel tires but more on those and other details another time. Lets get back to the ride…