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Welland Canals Parkway Trail Number of times on this trail: 2-3 times year since early 2000's
Location: Niagara Penninsula of Southern Ontario
Distance: 45 km
Distance markers: no
Surface: asphalt (one section repaved in 2018)
Width: around 3 metres
Grade: Flat with one long hill
Conditions of trail: very good
Washrooms/water: Found in parks near the towns
Read my separate Blog on the entire 140 km Greater Niagara Circle Route
The Welland Canals Parkway Trail makes up almost 1/4 of the 140 Km
Greater Niagara Circle Route.
The southern Terminus is in
Port Colborne (Lake Erie) and the Northern portion is in St. Catharines
(Port Dalhousie) on Lake Ontario.
This is an excellent trail for experienced or novice cyclists. It follows the current and past iterations of the Welland Canal and except for a few hills in the north, it is very
FLAT. Although it is located in a somewhat urban area, most of the time the canal is on one side and parkland or forests on the other.
What follows is a brief description from South to North. Welland Canal Trail (1)
Through Welland on the recreational canall In Port Colborne, start at
Lock 8, Gateway Park, where Main Street crosses the canal. Gateway Park has free parking, flush toilets, picnic tables and shelters and you can walk to nearby restaurants. There is also a viewing stand of Lock 8, which is the
longest canal lock in the world at 460 metres or 1380 feet. Cross Main Street beside the canal and the trail begins on your right. Within a hundred metres you will be at
Derek Point Memorial Park and see the
Robin Hood Flour Mill. A huge structure that appears to have been abandoned for decades! The trail crosses a bridge and then goes around the Flour Mill.
From this point north to Welland is about 11 km with the canal on your right and mostly trees on your left. At the
Mud Lake Conservation Area the main shipping canal goes to the right while the trail stays beside the recreational canal.
At the
South Niagara Rowing Club, the recreational
canal ENDS and the trail swings right and comes up to
Canal Bank Street. Ride on the sidewalk, over a rail bridge for about 100 metres, then cross
Townline Tower Road.
On the other side, the recreational canal starts up again. At this point, the trail goes on
BOTH sides of the canal. I recommend going LEFT (west side of the canal) by the
Welland International Flatwater Stand.
Washrooms (seasonal) and a
bicycle pump) as well as viewing stands.
Shortly after passing Broadway Street there will be a large condo and beside it is the
Best Western Plus Rose City. We have stayed here many, many times and highly recommend it. All rooms are suites and they encourage you to store your bike in the room (lots of room)
At
Division or Main Street, I recommend crossing to the other side to pick up the trail. This time the canal will be on your left as you bike on
Merritt Island for about 5 km. Merritt Island has bathrooms, benches,
bicycle pump and lots of shade. The trail ends at an abandoned railway line. Walk your bike along the side and cross the canal to pick up the trail again.
Very soon you will come to
Carl Misener Bald Cemetary on your left (you are now about 17 km from Port Colborne) Across from
Welland Canal Trail (8(
Abandoned Robin Hood Flour Mill - Port Colborne. the cemetery the recreational and shipping canals merge so from here to Lake Ontario you may meet Great Lakes ships.
At approximately km 20 you will come to a parking lot beside the lift bridge at
Allanburg. For a drink, food, cross the bridge to the
Indian Flame restaurant where you can sit outside and watch the lift bridge and ships going by.
From the lift bridge, it is about 5 km to
lock 7 at Thorold, once again with the canal on your right and mostly trees and shrubs on your left. At lock 7 stop in at the
LOCK 7 INFORMATION CENTRE where there are
washrooms, brochures, and information on the ships going through.
At lock 7 you descend the
Niagara escarpment and it is a 1 km ride downhill!!
St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre with History exhibits and a viewing area are next. Clean washrooms, snacks and a park. The O
ntario Lacross Hall of Fame and Museum is located here also.
The rest of the route is not as interesting. You do pass under the
Garden City Skyway but otherwise, it
is just a “ride” not built up, but not entirely rural.
At
Charles Ansell Park, there is a free parking lot where
Lakeshore Road crosses the canal at
Lock 1. If you want, you can cross Lakeshore Road, go downhill and pick up the waterfront trail (not paved at this sport) going west.
Otherwise, if you are continuing the
Greater Niagara Circle Tour, then cross the bridge and continue on the
Waterfront Trail along Lakeshore Road to
Niagara-on-the Lake.
From
Port Colborne, you should have travelled about
45 km. More Photos below .....
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