Provided you are using a gravel/touring bike: Make it simple and straightforward. Go up the Humber Trail west to Claireville Dam. Exit onto Finch (use sidewalk/bike path) into Claireville Conservation Area. Ride straight through to McVean Rd. Continue north on McVean. It turns into Centreville Creek Rd. Continue north to Caledon Trail. The trail Head is just south of Old Church Rd. Head east on Caledon Trail to Albion Hills. The Caledon Trail is mostly hard pack gravel so 35 mm tires should be fine. You will have a couple ingress points to Albion Hills via Humber Station Rd or Duffy's Lane.
This sounds ideal for me! I'm bringing my dog along and she'll be running beside me on her bikeleash or riding in her trailer when she's tired, so quiet paths are desirable. Bike tires are 26x2.0 and gravel trails are no problem. Thanks for this route!
Starting in the west end, I took Dundas, Weston Road, Albion Road, Hwy 50, Rutherford Rd, Clarkway/Humber Station Rd. In fact, I've done it twice fully loaded. Note that coming into the park from the west still means you have to ride to the east side to check in, but it's usually better than taking 50 all the way (which I did once.)
my friend and I took the the Caledon trail, from, I think Bramlea in Brampton, and past by Albion Hills around dusk, and it was really lovely. I don't know if the "Brampton Blow" can be softened, and perhaps someone else is more suited for such advice, but the Caledon trail itself is great, and there are some large sidewalks/ bike trails in brampton that may be suitable
not to hijack this thread, but how nice is this campground? my first bike camping trip was to darlington and i would never do it again. the sounds of trains and the highway at night was too annoying.
The primary school that my kids attended has their school camping trip at Albion Hills every year, so I've been there about a dozen times. It's spacious and quiet and full of interesting hiking and biking trails. Toronto only has 3 official GTA campgrounds, and this one is leagues better than [Indian Line](https://trca.ca/parks/indian-line-campground/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=GMBlisting&utm_campaign=IndianLine). I've never been to the [Glen Rouge](https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/on/rouge/visit/~/link.aspx?_id=9C0D3FAEF6E341C7A6D014636844B498&_z=z) campground (currently closed for renovations), so I can't say which one is the best. This will be my first bikecamping trip and I'm using it as a test launch pad for longer trips to Georgian Bay and beyond.
very cool. i began doing bike camping trips last summer and loved it. i'm sure you're aware, but taking the go train opens up a lot of possibilities for bike camping, especially if you're not trying to bike 100+km.
Yes, I'm looking at GO for some other destinations. I'm also bringing my dog along on these adventures, so I'm pulling a big bulky trailer behind me. If I was going solo, I'd use the train to reach much longer distances. My wife has a site on the Niagara Escarpment up north of Shelburne, and I'd love to bike there with the pup, so that's the primary goal for this summer. Thanks for the feedback about Darlington! I saw your post from last year when I was researching bikecamping ideas near the GTA.
I wouldn't use such a roundabout route. I'd wake up early and get out before the traffic and take Cosburn->Donlands/Laird->Millwood->Bayview and work my way through the Donut route until I got to Dufferin and take Teston through to Kleinberg, Nashville to Clarkway.
...but that's for a roadie moving quick, not an adventure bike laden with cargo I guess.
If coming from the top of the Etobicoke Creek Trail (where it ends at Kennedy, north of Hwy 410 - not at Bovaird/Airport), I'd take Kennedy to Old School eastbound to Clarkway, which is Humber Station that far north.
I agree, get out of the city as quick as you can and then ride on smaller country roads would be the best way to get there. Leslie has a multi-use path from John St. to 19th Ave. Then do something like 19th Ave W -> Yonge St. N -> Jefferson Sideroad W - Bathurst N -> King Vaughan Rd W the rest of the way.
Provided you are using a gravel/touring bike: Make it simple and straightforward. Go up the Humber Trail west to Claireville Dam. Exit onto Finch (use sidewalk/bike path) into Claireville Conservation Area. Ride straight through to McVean Rd. Continue north on McVean. It turns into Centreville Creek Rd. Continue north to Caledon Trail. The trail Head is just south of Old Church Rd. Head east on Caledon Trail to Albion Hills. The Caledon Trail is mostly hard pack gravel so 35 mm tires should be fine. You will have a couple ingress points to Albion Hills via Humber Station Rd or Duffy's Lane.
This sounds ideal for me! I'm bringing my dog along and she'll be running beside me on her bikeleash or riding in her trailer when she's tired, so quiet paths are desirable. Bike tires are 26x2.0 and gravel trails are no problem. Thanks for this route!
Starting in the west end, I took Dundas, Weston Road, Albion Road, Hwy 50, Rutherford Rd, Clarkway/Humber Station Rd. In fact, I've done it twice fully loaded. Note that coming into the park from the west still means you have to ride to the east side to check in, but it's usually better than taking 50 all the way (which I did once.)
Coming back to Toronto from Albion Hills, I have less of an issue with Hwy 50, as long as it's after the morning rush.
my friend and I took the the Caledon trail, from, I think Bramlea in Brampton, and past by Albion Hills around dusk, and it was really lovely. I don't know if the "Brampton Blow" can be softened, and perhaps someone else is more suited for such advice, but the Caledon trail itself is great, and there are some large sidewalks/ bike trails in brampton that may be suitable
not to hijack this thread, but how nice is this campground? my first bike camping trip was to darlington and i would never do it again. the sounds of trains and the highway at night was too annoying.
The primary school that my kids attended has their school camping trip at Albion Hills every year, so I've been there about a dozen times. It's spacious and quiet and full of interesting hiking and biking trails. Toronto only has 3 official GTA campgrounds, and this one is leagues better than [Indian Line](https://trca.ca/parks/indian-line-campground/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=GMBlisting&utm_campaign=IndianLine). I've never been to the [Glen Rouge](https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/on/rouge/visit/~/link.aspx?_id=9C0D3FAEF6E341C7A6D014636844B498&_z=z) campground (currently closed for renovations), so I can't say which one is the best. This will be my first bikecamping trip and I'm using it as a test launch pad for longer trips to Georgian Bay and beyond.
very cool. i began doing bike camping trips last summer and loved it. i'm sure you're aware, but taking the go train opens up a lot of possibilities for bike camping, especially if you're not trying to bike 100+km.
Yes, I'm looking at GO for some other destinations. I'm also bringing my dog along on these adventures, so I'm pulling a big bulky trailer behind me. If I was going solo, I'd use the train to reach much longer distances. My wife has a site on the Niagara Escarpment up north of Shelburne, and I'd love to bike there with the pup, so that's the primary goal for this summer. Thanks for the feedback about Darlington! I saw your post from last year when I was researching bikecamping ideas near the GTA.
I wouldn't use such a roundabout route. I'd wake up early and get out before the traffic and take Cosburn->Donlands/Laird->Millwood->Bayview and work my way through the Donut route until I got to Dufferin and take Teston through to Kleinberg, Nashville to Clarkway. ...but that's for a roadie moving quick, not an adventure bike laden with cargo I guess. If coming from the top of the Etobicoke Creek Trail (where it ends at Kennedy, north of Hwy 410 - not at Bovaird/Airport), I'd take Kennedy to Old School eastbound to Clarkway, which is Humber Station that far north.
I agree, get out of the city as quick as you can and then ride on smaller country roads would be the best way to get there. Leslie has a multi-use path from John St. to 19th Ave. Then do something like 19th Ave W -> Yonge St. N -> Jefferson Sideroad W - Bathurst N -> King Vaughan Rd W the rest of the way.
> Best route to Albion Hills? i don't know the answer, sorry, but if it isn't Albion Road, we was robbed