Grading Ontario’s Rail Trails

Happy New Year!

Ever since I started biking in Toronto in 2012, I have had the opportunity to check out many trails in Toronto and across Ontario. However, I never got the chance to do a proper comparison of them. Thanks to some inspiration from a recent video Andrew (a.k.a. Cardiac Cyclist) shared of his favourite trails from 2025, I felt it’s time to do my own trail grading with a focus on rail trails.

F Tier

Chippewa Rail Trail – If one rail trail were to be an F tier, the Chippewa would be it. There are very few amenities along the trail, a lack of safe highway crossings, and the trail is still incomplete south of Haldimand Road 66 which leaves some road riding to get to Caledonia. Having said that, the trail surface is not as terrible as the Rotary Riverside Trail by the Grand River in Caledonia (which I would argue is amongst Ontario’s worst trails).

D Tier

Oro Medonte Trail – The trail is mostly uneventful with almost nothing in between Barrie and Orillia. However, I will need to do the rest of the Simcoe County Loop Trail before passing judgment on the overall loop.

Uxbridge to Lindsay Rail Trail – The first stretch from Uxbridge to Blackwater had some rough patches, but it is relatively smooth past there. While there are some nice views, there isn’t much to do between those two towns.

C Tier

Don Mills Trail – The abrupt southern end of this trail is problematic in which you need to cut through next to the OTT Financial building and then use Leslie Street before returning to the West Don Trail at Wilket Creek Park. There are very few trail amenities, but it still forms part of the larger Don River trail system (and the even larger Loop Trail). If the trail crossing over the rail tracks and extension to the west Don Trail could be built, this would become even better.

Scarborough Railpath – This trail in Toronto’s northeast corner doesn’t offer much, but it would help form part of a larger Scarborough loop along with the Finch Hydro Corridor, Meadoway, and Don River trails.

Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail – This trail is mostly uneventful and the lack of lighting through a relatively long tunnel wasn’t great, but the old Sulphur Springs train station with vintage train cars is a nice draw.

Thornton Cookstown Trail – There are nice views along this trail, but the newer trail section from Cookstown to Beeton could use some amenities which the older stretch has, along with filling a minor gap to Beeton. And of course, there's the Beeton to Tottenham gap to connect with the Caledon Trailway.

B Tier

Elora Cataract – The towns of Elora and Fergus are worth stopping at, while the trail goes by a dam over the Grand River. I will need to redo this trail to explore the stretch east of Belwood.

Omemee Rail Trail – The views over Doube’s Trestle Bridge are excellent while the wayfinding is decent. However, I have yet to check out the stretch from that bridge to Lindsay.

Spurline Trail – This trail in Waterloo Region is short and sweet. There isn’t much to do along it, but it’s easily accessible from Kitchener train station, is well marked, and takes you near the Iron Horse Trail.

Cambridge to Paris Rail Trail – This gravel trail is pretty smooth throughout and has a nice lookout of the Grand River by the site of a former railway bridge.

S.C. Johnson Trail – This trail connects the Cambridge to Paris and Hamilton to Brantford Trails, while parts of it were along the former Lake Erie & Northern (LE&N) line. The trail is a mix of paved and gravel surfaces, while there are several nice spots to pull over and relax.

B+ Tier

Beltline Trail – The Beltline Trail is very popular amongst Midtown Toronto residents and is split into two parts. The paved York Beltline goes from Marlee to Croham (west of Caledonia), while the gravel Kay Gardiner Beltline starts east of Allen Road and goes through Mount Pleasant Cemetery to the Evergreen Brickworks. If that Beltline Gap Connections across Allen Road could be completed, I would upgrade this trail to an A tier.

West Toronto Railpath – This popular west end trail is short and sweet with several businesses along the way including Henderson Brewery – one of my favourite breweries – and some small plazas to gather. What’s needed to make this trail A tier is to extend it southeast to Abell to further improve connectivity; something expected to start later this year.

A Tier

Georgian Trail – This trail from Collingwood to Meaford is very good with nice views of the Blue Mountains, decent wayfinding, good quality gravel, and has Thornbury halfway to breakup the ride. However, this ride falls short with the lack of a safe crossing at Highway 26 which is very busy.

LE&N Trail – While not quite S tier, the LE&N from Brantford to Port Dover is still a solid trail. The trail is paved within Brantford and Brant County, but mostly gravel in Norfolk County. There are lots of scenic views and the town of Waterford halfway is worth stopping at.

Iron Horse Trail – As far as urban rail trails go, it’s pretty hard to beat Kitchener’s flagship Iron Horse. The wayfinding is excellent, and some pieces of industrial machinery can be found.

Escarpment Rail Trail – If you want nice views of Hamilton, this trail is for you! The incline is not too steep, wayfinding is excellent, and you can do a minor diversion at the top to get to Albion Falls.

S Tier

Caledon Trailway – This trail became an instant favourite when I rode it in June 2025! With safe highway crossings, lots of amenities, murals, and several small towns to stop at, what more do you need?

Friendship Trail – On its own, this trail is well shaded, paved, scenic, and has some amenities. However, this trail stands out for being part of the Greater Niagara Circle Route which – along with the Welland Canal and Niagara River Trails – is my favourite multi-day bike trip.

Final Thoughts

While any form of trail ranking is bound to be subjective, I’m curious to hear how you would rank Ontario’s rail trails. Are there certain ones I didn’t list that you would recommend? Are there certain trail grades you disagree with? Let’s hear it!