Jefferson – MTB Trail

1245 Bethesda Side Rd. Richmond Hill
Posted on June 19, 2020 / 15198
Jefferson – MTB Trail
Listing Types : MTB Trail
Note : Popular
Total Trail Km : 12
MTB Track % : 30
Double track % : 20
Hiking trail % : 50
Rate Skill Levels : Intermediate, Advanced
Terrain : sandy spots, smooth soil, structures, logs jumps, crushed gravel, can be muddy, flat sections, large hills, steep hills, open field, twisty & gnarly, tree roots
Faclities : parking, food close by
Trail Fee : Free

Length – 12+ km

30% MTB singletrack
50% hiking trail
20% doubletrack access roads

Elevation – Slopes slope up from Stouffville Rd. to a plateau with another valley on the north end; some steep sections and ridgelines

Terrain – Smooth soil, patches of pure sand, tight turns, a few old log hops and structures

Skill – Intermediate to Advanced

Traffic – Bikes, watch for hikers and their dogs

Maps – New map boards have some wide trails on them; MTB trails not signed

Facilities – Limited parking; use Bethesda lot

Highlights – Central and close to Toronto, new twisty track, trails are finally legal

Trail Fee – Free

Phone – 416 667 6600

Website – TRCA – Oak Ridge Corridor

Similar Trails – CentennialMidhurst, Durham Forest

Local Clubs – York Mountain Bike Assoc. – YMBA (a chapter of DMBA)

Access – Parking is limited – access is from Stouffville Rd. on two small driveways or along Bayview Ave. northeast of the bridge. There’s a large lot on top end at 1245 Bethesda Sideroad.

I am told eventually Stouffville Rd. will be widened and new car lots will be made.



Jefferson Forest on Stouffville Rd. is like an old friend you keep visiting; they keep changing, and so do the times. For me and many others in Toronto, this has long been the closest little bit of heaven to let loose on our trusty steeds.

Situated just off Hwy 404, north of Richmond Hill, it feels the pressures of urban sprawl. What was once an unknown patchwork of woodlots and fields on a dead-end road many years ago has morphed many times over the 20 years I have been there.

First came the Bayview bridge, then a new subdivision that wiped out our favourite entrance.

Recently a gravel path was cut through the middle of the forest and now yet another neighbourhood is being built.

Gone are the motocross bikes that would tear up our track; here come the dog walkers and strollers.

Some of this change is progress. An area that used to be wild, with an uncertain future, has now been taken on by the TRCA and the York Mountain Biking Association (YMBA), a MTB club.

As of 2020, it has finally been given the blessing: it’s officially legal to MTB ride here. Although the forest’s status is likely to continue to change, let’s assume there will still be good riding for years to come.

As for the current riding experience in there: it’s a mixed bag.  There are new trail signs and maps, as well as…

 

Read more of this review in my MTB guidebook with topo maps and riding tips, available as an eBook or paperback.

mtb trail guide

Open Street Maps

Jefferson MTB trail map

Jefferson MTB trail map

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