Toronto Lake Shore – Park Trail

Length – 18 = 9 + 9 km side trails (one way)

100% park path
5% road crossings, detours

Elevation – Flat along the water’s edge, a few short hills, bridges 

Terrain – Wide paved paths of asphalt and concrete

Skill – Easy

Maps – Map boards, blueish painted divider line

Traffic – Cyclists, walkers, joggers, kids, dogs, and rollerbladers; can get very busy

Facilities – Parking lots, toilets, snack bars, benches, picnic tables, rain shelters, beaches, swimming, bike share rental stands, kayak rentals, BMX park

Highlights – Beaches, boardwalks, lake views, many historical points of interest, Humber Bay Arch Bridge, Ontario Place

Trail Fee – Free

Phone – 311

Website – City of Toronto

Similar Trails – Harbourfront, Beaches Boardwalk, Hamilton Beach

Local Clubs – Toronto Bicycle Network – TBN,  Toronto Bicycling Club

Access – Try to cycle there, as parking is costly. Paid parking is found at lots in Humber Bay Park, Sunnyside Beach, Ontario Place, and the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) grounds.

Cycling the 9 km Lake Shore section of the Martin Goodman Trail may seem short, but veering off on side trails to scenic and historic points can double that distance. This enjoyable and very popular route around Humber Bay, on the Toronto waterfront, draws riders for many reasons.

As some of you may know, it is a major cycling connector for the city. But are you aware that this route has lots of historic stops and trip diversions?

What brings riders down to the lake is not only the cool breeze and beach sand but a sense of getting away from the urban chaos. Well, not completely, mind you: a glance to the north can reveal lanes of backed-up traffic. (You will be glad you are on a bike when you see it.) Still, half of the time there is enough parkland to separate cyclists from the sight of cars.

I start this ride on the west side, at Mimico Waterfront Park. Sadly, going further west from here is a patchwork of detours and on-road bike lanes, not the focus of this site. I stick to off-road, car-free cycling, where as much as possible riders cannot see or hear cars, much less encounter them.

Heading east, the first side trails (at about 4 km) will loop you around both the east and west peninsulas at Humber Bay Park: perfect for cityscape photos across the bay.

Then continue over the iconic white Humber Bay Arch Bridge. Here you can ride up the Humber River Trail & Upper Humber right to the top ~24 km, one of the most popular routes on this site.

Once across the bridge, you’ve reached the Sunnyside Beach area, which has a long history of attracting Torontonians. The old Bathing Pavilion is a favourite for photo shoots, and the nearby…

Read the rest of this review and 59 others in my NEW book, Volume 2 of Best Bicycle Park & Rail Trails in Ontario.