Algonquin – Rail Trail

Length – 16 km (one way)

90% rail trail path
10% road, detours

Elevation – As with most rail trails, this one is flat.

Terrain – Wide path of crushed stone and gravel with some sand, as well as wooden bridges.

Skill – Easy (I find it family-friendly.)

Traffic – Good weather brings out the campers – Bicycles, Hikers, Fatbikes and Nordic skiers.

Maps – Well-marked, signs at gate and along path.

Facilities – Campground, amenities, and bike rentals at the Two Rivers Store can all be found on the trail.

Highlights – Beautiful views of the lakes and rock faces, old wooden bridges, and a dam— very peaceful.

Trail Fee – Park day pass is $11.25; Free for campers.

Phone – 705 633 5572

Website – Ontario Parks

Similar Trails – Seguin, Cataraqui

Local Clubs – None

Access – Enter from the east side of Rock Lake campgrounds, or use other campground side trails at Pog Lake, Mew Lake, Coon Lake, and Kearney Lake.

In Algonquin Park the 16 km Old Railway Trail, as they call it, is one of the more scenic and popular Rail Trails in Ontario.

Used by local campers staying at campgrounds along the route, this makes it very convenient for families to set out for a recreational spin right from their sites.

So, I would expect more cyclists on this trail than most Rail Trails, on which there is usually next to none.

What was once a busy train line used to ship lumber out from the region now serves as a pleasant bike Rail Trail through forests, lakes, and wetlands.

When you ride the trail try and picture the hills bare of trees, as it once was when the forest was chopped down and hauled away. Thankfully, the track was removed 60 years ago and everything has since grown back.

Most of the trail terrain is easy, crushed gravel with the odd larger rock from the old rail bed poking through. There are sandy sections and new bridges over the original rotten spans.

Look for the rock cuts blasted out on the sides of the path. Trains need gradual slopes, so that is what you have to ride on.

From the south end at Rock Lake campground, this rail trail runs along the west edge of Whitefish Lake to the Pog, Kearney, and Whitefish campgrounds. There are plenty of views of the lakes on this ride, so stop to get a few pictures.

Then, go beyond and along Lake of Two Rivers to the…

Read the rest of this review in my trail guidebook, with better maps, parking suggestions & train history when you buy the eBook or paperback.