Home Traveling AdventuresCanada Cycling the Waterfront Trail – Toronto to Port Credit (Mississauga)

Cycling the Waterfront Trail – Toronto to Port Credit (Mississauga)

by bromptoning

A friend who now lives in Halifax was in Toronto for work and staying at her sister’s place in Port Credit (south end of Mississauga). Usually she comes downtown to visit me (Heather) in Toronto, but this time I said I’d go see her. After last year’s Brompton Social Ride, I realized I could easily bike to Port Credit along the Waterfront Trail!

A Brief History of The Waterfront Trail

The first section of the Waterfront Trail opened in 1995. It stretched 350km along Lake Ontario from Stoney Creek to Trenton, and included the Martin Goodman Trail in Toronto, which had been built in 1985. Ten years later, the Waterfront Trail was 520km long, extending from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Brockville, and a few years after that it was extended all the way to the border with Quebec and connected to La Route Verte. And in 2013, a new Great Lake was added to the route – Lake Erie! Now Lake Huron and Georgian Bay are included as well. For more information and downloadable maps, check out The Great Lakes Waterfront Trail website.

Cycle Route: Waterfront Trail – Toronto to Port Credit

The one and only time we’d done this ride it was a blustery fall day. But yesterday was a beautiful summer day, perfect for taking photos to document the route…

Note: For navigational route details, there’s a MAP at end of this post.

The Martin Goodman Trail alongside Lake Shore Boulevard.
The Martin Goodman Trail alongside Lake Shore Boulevard.
Pier on the Martin Goodman Trail between Lake Ontario and Marilyn Bell Park.
Pier on the Martin Goodman Trail between Lake Ontario and Marilyn Bell Park.
Martin Goodman Trail, Toronto - It’s even pretty between Lake Shore Boulevard and Budapest Park parking lot.
It’s even pretty between Lake Shore Boulevard and Budapest Park parking lot.
Cycling past the Sunnyside Park pool.
Cycling past the Sunnyside Park pool.
Humber Bay Arch Bridge, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Humber Bay Arch Bridge
Taking old dirt trails while a section of the Waterfront Trail (behind fence to our right) is being rejuvenated. Waterfront Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Taking old dirt trails while a section of the Waterfront Trail (behind fence to our right) is being redone.
View of downtown Toronto from the Waterfront Trail.
View of downtown Toronto from the Waterfront Trail.
The Waterfront Trail entering Etobicoke (west Toronto) just past Humber Bay Park.
The Waterfront Trail entering Etobicoke (west Toronto) just past Humber Bay Park.
Amos Waites Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
One of the many fun playgrounds on the route.
Leaving the separated trail and entering the residential street section of the route. Waterfront Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Leaving the separated trail and entering the residential street section of the route.
This section of the Waterfront Trail is on a bi-directional bike lane on Lake Shore Boulevard, Toronto.
This section of the Waterfront Trail is on a bi-directional bike lane on Lake Shore Boulevard.
Biking the Waterfront Trail through residential streets is easy - just follow these signs!
Biking the Waterfront Trail through residential streets is easy – just follow these signs!
Plus there are Waterfront Trail maps in many of the parks. Waterfront Trail, Toronto.
Plus there are Waterfront Trail maps in many of the parks.
On Lake Promenade beside Len Ford Park, we came across a skateboard gang!
On Lake Promenade beside Len Ford Park, we came across a skateboard gang!
Fishy mural in Marie Curtis Park
The fishy mural in Marie Curtis Park matches Heather’s Brompton.
Lake Ontario is so high this year that part of Marie Curtis Park is underwater - and the ducks have claimed it! Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Lake Ontario is so high this year that part of Marie Curtis Park is underwater – and the ducks have claimed it!
Wooded trails through the west side of Marie Curtis Park. Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Wooded trails through the west side of Marie Curtis Park.
Wide Waterfront Trail alongside Lakeshore Road in Mississauga.
Wide Waterfront Trail alongside Lakeshore Road in Mississauga.
We’ve veered off the Waterfront Trail and headed north to see our friends! This is the pedestrian bridge at Ogden Ave and the QEW.
We’ve veered off the Waterfront Trail and headed north to see our friends! This is the pedestrian bridge at Ogden Ave and the QEW.
Brompton crossing over the QEW highway. Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Brompton crossing pedestrian bridge over the QEW highway.

For details on exactly where these photos were taken on the Waterfront Trail, you can click on the VIEW button below to see the photos on the map.

Overall, it’s an easy ride – no big hills and plenty of beautiful places to stop and rest along the way. Plus, there are lots of bathrooms and water fountains available. It was such a nice ride that we’re reconsidering our summer plans. We’d wanted to cycle in and around Quebec City, thinking it would be an affordable local holiday, but Canada is a big country, and even the next province over is an expensive flight or day-long train ride away. We need more money and time than we have this summer to properly experience cycling in Quebec.

So, the new plan is to explore more of the Waterfront Trail! We have friends who have moved east of Toronto. Perhaps it’s time to go visit them…

More Toronto Rides

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