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Published: January 25th 2009
Greater Niagara Circle Tour - including :
Friendship trail (30 km),
Welland Canals Trail (42 km)
Niagara River Recreation Trail (56km) and
Waterfront Trail (18 km)
Text and Photos last updated: July 2017
Last time we biked here: Spring 2019
Number of times we have biked this trail: twice each year since 2005
These are fantastic trails for the recreational biker. If there is/are complaints it would be that the trails are not well marked (or marked at all) as they pass through the major cities. This can be confusing and time-wasting. Lack of washrooms and water is another minor complaint. Since the Circle Tour consists of four trails you will find that each one differs in the facilities and condition.
The Greater Niagara Circle Tour includes:
1) The
Welland Canals Trail which passes alongside parts of the existing and previous canals from St. Catharines on Lake Ontario (north end) through Thorold and Welland to Port Colborne on Lake Erie (south end).
2) The Friendship Trail goes between Port Colborne and Fort Erie (east end).
3) Niagara River Recreation Trail from Fort Erie follows the Niagara River, through the city of Niagara Falls, to Queenston Heights and
Niagara-on-the-Lake (north end).
4) The Waterfront Trail follows Lakeshore Road from Niagara-on-the-Lake to St. Catharines (west end). Trail mileage markers are on the trail around the circle starting at Old Fort Erie (km. “0”) and proceeding in a counter-clockwise direction but are not easy to spot.
We have biked all or parts of these trails every year since 2005. There are only two real hills -- as the trail traverses the
Niagara Escarpment in St. Catharines and at
Queenston Heights.
One of our favourite parts of the circle tour is the Welland Canal portion from just north of
Thorold, south to Port Colborne. The trail parallels the Welland Canal and has a mostly rural setting. You can watch (or race) ships going up and down the canal.
There is a
parking area beside the
lift bridge on Lundy's Lane. On the other side of the bridge is the
Indian Flame restaurant, a good spot to grab a bite or a brew and watch the lift bridge
and large ships passing through. From the parking lot, it is about 20 minutes (north) to lock 7 and another 50 minutes to the junction with the Waterfront Trail. If biking south, it is about 90 minutes to Port Colborne and the Friendship Trail.
The ride south passes on the outskirts of the city of
Welland. Much of the trail is beside "recreational canals" --- former canals (there have been 4 of them) and very nice parkland setting with tables. There are a number of "clean" outhouses, along the route mostly in the Welland area.
Just before entering Port Colborne, the trail goes around a huge former Robin Hood Flour Mill.
Port Colborne is a nice place to stop for a libation or something to eat and just relax in the park as ships move through lock 8.
North of Thorold to Port Weller it is a bit more built-up but nonetheless still a nice ride alongside the canal. There are viewing areas (and washrooms) at locks 7 and 3. Just past lock 3, you will go under the
Garden City Skyway. At Port Weller if you are attempting to find the
waterfront trail, it is not easy. Just ask someone!
Another favourite part of the Niagara Circle Route is the
Friendship Trail from Port Colborne to Fort Erie. The Friendship Trail ends/begins at
Seaway Park and the Welland Canal Trail ends/begins at
Lock 8 Gateway Park where you will also find washrooms and a viewing platform as well as picnic tables and nice flower gardens.
Lock 8 at 460 metres (1380 feet) is the longest canal lock in the world. Also at this point, you will have to use one of the three bridges to cross the canal. If you take the most southerly bridge on Clarence Street, that will make it a bit easier to find the connecting Friendship Trail
The Friendship Trail is also rural with mostly farmland on both sides. The trail is wide, smooth and in summer there is a fair bit of shade provided. You can take side trips to beaches for a swim or stop in
Ridgeway for food and water. There is a port potty right in the middle of town on the trail! From Ridgeway it is about 45 minutes to Fort Erie. Signs at
Old Fort Erie
Friendship trailthe road crossings were recently replaced with new ones that state all of the Trail Etiquette rules, but if you look very carefully, at the bottom of each sign there are
GPS co-ordinates that match the road crossing and trail - (see photo)
There are many road crossings (well marked). The
Fort Erie section of the Friendship trail has more benches available along the trail -- pretty well at every road crossing. Once you get to Fort Erie the trail ends at a street and you have to use your imagination to bike along the streets until you arrive at
Waverley Beach Park where the trail begins again. Just keep in mind that you need to stay close to the lakeshore and that will lead you in the right direction.
In
Fort Erie there are also benches along the waterfront where you can sit and gaze across to the office towers in Buffalo or watch leisure boats enter/exit Lake Erie/ Niagara River.
Washrooms are also available right by the trail at
Waverley Beach Park and at
Old Fort Erie (you don’t need to go into the Fort). Just past Waverly Park, the trail ends
and you have to once again follow a side street. Unfortunately, this is NOT well marked. when you arrive at the
Fort Erie Waterfront Park, you will also see old
FORT ERIE. If it is in season, walk up and gt an ice cream cone, and use the clean bathrooms.
Be aware that between Port Colborne and Fort Erie, the town of
Ridgeway is the only place to get food, water or any other services. Ridgeway does have a large parking lot beside the trail on Ridge Street (
GPS co-ordinates N42 52.934 and W79 03.105)
As you pass under the
Peace Bridge in Fort Erie (heading north) the trail peters out, but just stay on
Niagara Boulevard (either on uneven sidewalks or on the road) and before long the trail re-appears! Just past the bridge and alongside the Niagara River are 2 or 3 restaurants with tables outside facing the Niagara River. A few km further north are a couple more restaurants all with outdoor dining as well and most are welcoming to cyclists.
From
Fort Erie to Niagara Falls the
Niagara River Recreation Trail parallels the
Niagara River and
at the right time of year can be very colourful, cool and relaxing in spite of all the homes set back from the river. Viewing the large expensive homes and landscaped gardens are worth the ride! There are only a few benches on the trail but beside the river and the parkway, there are many rest stops with tables. There are also numerous small parking areas so you could pick up the trail anywhere along the way. It will take approximately 2 hours of leisurely biking to get to Niagara Falls.
As with the Friendship Trail, there are very few services between Fort Erie and Niagara Falls. Approx 4 or 5 km north of Fort Erie there is a marina
(Miller's Landing) with washrooms and some fast food. Halfway between Fort Erie and Niagara Falls (at Netherby Road) is the
Riverside Park Motel and Campground. Vending machines in the office offer water, juices, pop etc. This is the campground that we use most often when we come down to bike for a week or so. It is located at Netherby Road and is almost halfway to Niagara Falls and Fort Erie
Going through Niagara
Falls requires using the road system in the vicinity of the falls but almost any time of year, biking is the easiest way to manoeuvre through the hordes of tourists, tour buses and vehicles. Until you get to the whirlpool rapids you are forced to either use the sidewalks or a wide paved path beside the road. At the
Whirlpool rapids, the trail is separated from the road.
At
Queenston Heights, after descending the Niagara Escarpment, the trail follows some residential streets. The route is not well signed so keep a lookout up high on telephone poles for the
Niagara Trail symbol.
North of Queenston heights gives you the chance to stop in at some of the many wineries in the region. From
Queenston Heights to Niagara on the Lake, the Niagara River once again becomes a slow-moving river just as it was from Fort Erie to Niagara Falls but this time the river is in a gorge. And once again this area has many well-manicured lawns and beautiful homes or estates!
About 2 km south of Niagara on the Lake the trail passes through a large park with
washrooms (water Niagara Parkway
Queenston bridge taps at the rear) picnic benches and picnic shelter. In Niagara on the Lake, you can take a short side tour to
Old Fort George. From this spot, you can also look across to
Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown and also view the Niagara River as it empties into Lake Ontario.
The
Waterfront Trail connects from just south of Niagara on the Lake to Port Weller includes some on road biking (Lakeshore Road) for a total distance of 18 km before it connects to the Welland Canal Trail. This trail runs parallel to Lake Ontario.
Pick up the
Niagara Region "Bicycling Map" from any Tourism Niagara office or at the tourist bureau in Port Colborne or the Ontario Tourism office in Niagara Falls.
Incidentally, in both Welland and Niagara Falls, there are motels/hotels that are just steps away from the trail. We have also stayed in
campgrounds in Fort Erie, Thorold, Ridgeway, Queenston Heights and Crystal Beach which offer easy access to the trails. Most are right on the trail. The
Best Western plus Rose City hotel in Welland is right beside the trail and over the years has become
one of our favourites.
More Photos Below .......
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Frank Scott
non-member comment
Friendship Trail Info.
Port Colborne to Fort Erie............Once you hit Fort Erie the names of the streets, roads, trails, etc. stops...............meaning ...where are we????????????? how far to??????????????? how far have we come???????????? can we still get to ???????????????. Otherwise trail is great................F.S.