1000 Islands St Lawrence River Ride

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Gananoque, Ontario, CA

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Route Overview

Ontario By Bike

Day trip and overnight itineraries across Ontario

97 mi.

835 ft.

Cycle one of the most spectacular routes in Ontario discovering the 1000 Islands and St Lawrence River on a three day tour.

Starting from Gananoque and ending in Cornwall, following the Waterfront Trail east, this ride is on a mix of trails and roads. Plan to slow down the pace to take in the scenery and make the most of waterfront rest stops and villages.

Enjoy a night in Brockville before pedalling on to Morrisburg for the second night, and the last day of riding taking in an array of natural and heritage attractions in what was once called Upper Canada.

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Route Details

# The Route
At a total distance of 158km or 98 miles, this route is rated **moderate** and is suggested as a 3-day itinerary. Riders need to have some experience riding on roads with low volume and low speed vehicle traffic as the route is approximately half on roads and half on trails or park roads.

This is a linear route, so prepare your own transportation return to Ganonoque.

The route follows a signed bike route, the [Great Lakes Waterfront Trail](https://www.waterfronttrail.org/), but not all segments have bike lanes or paved shoulders to ride in. Some of the road route is on very quiet country roads, other segments are busier. Off-road trails do incorporate some segments of unpaved surfaces, which are hard packed so easy to ride. The majority of ride is on paved surfaces, and combined with limited elevation changes, the flat terrain makes this ride suitable for hybrid bikes, mountain bikes and road bikes.

## @slice[Day 1: Ganonoque to Brockville - 55km (34 miles)](d,0,53506.78)
A short ride out of Gananoque will connect riders to the @slice[37km off-road and paved 1000 Island Parkway Recreational Bike Path](d,1791.88,38469.34). Pedaling into the heart of the 1000 Islands, this first day features a stunning, world-class cycling experience on the trail running adjacent to the glistening waters of the St. Lawrence River. Slow down for panoramic lookouts and island views, beach picnic areas and a visit to the riverside village of @poi[Rockport](4436239). @slice[The final 10km](d,41760.71,51763.03) brings cyclists off the paved path and on to Old Hwy 2 into [Brockville](http://brockvilletourism.com/) and end of the ride day. Choose to cool down with a post-ride dip in the river at St. Lawrence Park, just west of downtown Brockville or head into town, finding a patio to enjoy the evening in the [certified bicycle friendly downtown area](https://www.downtownbrockville.com/cycle-downtown-brockville.php). Visit the newly opened [historic railway tunnel](http://www.brockvillerailwaytunnel.com/), [Aquatarium](https://aquatarium.ca/) and shops in town before catching up with other riders at an evening group get-together. A suggested overnight accommodation is at trailside @poi[Super 8](2657940) in Brockville.

*Consider overnight accommodation options in Gananoque for the night before rides starts. View list of certified bicycle friendly options [HERE](https://www.ontariobybike.ca/ontario-cycling-map/search?searchword=gananoque&search_cat=1).*

## @slice[Day 2: Brockville to Morrisburg - 55km (34 miles)](d,53506.78,108485.5)
Set out from accommodations conveniently located alongside the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, following this signed route east out of town. Riding on paved roadway, with many kilometres of paved shoulders, the route on day 2 is through quiet rural countryside, with pretty pastoral farmlands alongside the St. Lawrence River. About 15km (9 miles) into Day 2's ride, stop at @poi[Katrina's Coffee Shop](4436241) in Prescott, before continuing the ride through small towns; slowing down for historical plaques and local museums, as this area is rich in heritage. Save time for stops at [Fort Wellington](http://www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/on/wellington) and [Battle of the Windmill](http://www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/on/windmill), both National Historic Sites. After a @poi[picnic lunch](4436242) enroute, pedal onwards to Morrisburg and accommodations for the night at bicycle friendly @poi[McIntosh Country Inn](2657939), just east of town. Enjoy the evening, dinning at the hotel or in town.

## @slice[Day 3: Morrisburg to Cornwall - 48km (30 miles)](d,108802.46,156819.4)
With so much to see and do on that last day, consider an early start to explore more. At [Crysler Farm Battlefield Park](http://cryslersfarm.com/), learn more about this site and its significance in the War of 1812. Nearby stop in at @poi[Upper Canada Village](4436243) to see a picture perfect 19th century village. Follow the unpaved easy to ride trail eastward into the quiets of the [Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary](http://www.stlawrenceparks.com/bird-sanctuary/), stopping at the interpretative centre. Continuing east, a highlight of this tour is the [Long Sault Parkway](http://www.stlawrenceparks.com/beach-and-picnic-areas/long-sault-parkway/), @slice[a park road that joins 11 picturesque islands afloat in the St. Lawrence](d,130152.65,139936.1). Make a last stop in the fascinating Lost Villages Museum, to learn more the flood area, before rolling into Cornwall following trails alongside hydro canals.

# Additional Visitor Information

Use below to find out more about ride areas and plan an extra day or two to see more.
* [Ontario By Bike - The Great Waterway ](http://www.ontariobybike.ca/thegreatwaterway)
* [The Great Waterway Tourism Region](http://www.thegreatwaterway.com) 
* [Great Lakes Waterfront Trail](http://www.waterfronttrail.org) 
* [1000 Islands Accommodation Partners](http://www.1000islandstourism.com)
* [Brockville Tourism](http://www.brockvilletourism.com) & [Downtown Brockville](http://www.downtownbrockville.com)
* [Parks of the St. Lawrence](http://www.stlawrenceparks.com) 
* [Cornwall Tourism](http://www.cornwalltourism.com) & [SDG Tourism](http://www.sdgcounties.ca/tourism)

# Getting There / Getting Back

This is not a looped itinerary and it is suggested to always organize and/or confirm reservation and timing of transportation services prior to departure to ensure availability of services. Gananoque is located in south eastern Ontario. Factor in the following approximate drive times to get to the start: Toronto 3 hours; Ottawa 1.5 hours; Montreal 2.5 hours. Call local taxi companies to arrange pick up time, location and passenger numbers:
* **Veteran's Blue Line** - (613) 932-7311 – Mini-van's available, approximate cost 1-way to Gananoque $249 incl. tax
* **Choice Taxi** - (613) 938-8899 - Mini-van's available, approximate cost 1-way to Gananoque $263 incl. tax
* **VIA Rail**: Bike transportation is an option only on trains with baggage car service and to staffed stations. Gananoque station in unstaffed, hence no baggage service. Nearest return station in Kingston, approximately 30km ride from Gananioque start. In addition to passenger travel ticket, bike transportation fee is $25. [www.viarail.ca](http://www.viarail.ca), 1 888 VIA-RAIL or (888) 842-7245

For larger groups, chartering a bus for bike and rider transportation is an option:

Delaney Bus Lines, [www.delaney.ca](http://www.delaney.ca), (613) 346-2511

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1000 Islands St Lawrence River Ride

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