The Omemee rail trail is a popular 35 km bike ride in eastern Ontario from Peterborough to Lindsay. An easy ride on crushed gravel makes for a good outing with family or friends.
Being part of the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) system it is well maintained and free of motorized toys in the summer.
This is Southern Ontario farm country and you will see a lot of farms, fields and occasional woodlots as this rail bed winds slowly towards Lindsay.
If you do just half of the trail, (and for most that is plenty), may I recommend the Omemee to Peterborough half. This end is more scenic than the Lindsay side.
A good outing would be to start in Omemee and have lunch in Peterborough before heading back about 40 km return.
Starting from Peterborough, what’s left of the rail line begins on Aylmer St. N. between Brock and Hunter St.
As you work your way through the neighborhood over a few road crossings it finally enters Jackson Park. This old rail line continues through a very pretty ravine, up out of town along the creek over and under bridges, to the peaceful countryside.
A highlight is Doube’s Trestle bridge, over 200 meters long, at about the 14 km point out from Peterborough. It is an old high train bridge that now has guardrails, thankfully.
Along the way…
Read the rest of this review in my trail guidebook along with 64 others. Features train history with better maps, elevation graphs and parking locations when you buy the eBook or paperback.
