We Travel World

Niagara Parkway Trail
Greater Niagara Circle Tour – including Friendship trail (24km), Welland Canal Trail (42 km) Niagara River Recreation Trail (56km) and part of the Waterfront Trail (18 km)

The Greater Niagara Circle Tour includes 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).
The Friendship Trail goes between Port Colborne to Fort Erie (east end).
From Fort Erie the Niagara River Recreation Trail follows the Niagara River, through the city of Niagara Falls, to Queenston Heights and Niagara-on-the-Lake (north end).
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.

We have biked all or parts of these trials every year since 2005. There is only one real hill as the trail traverses the Niagara Escarpment in St Catharines. 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
Welland Canal
Circle TourCanal and has a mostly rural setting. You can watch (or race) ships going up and down the canal.

Port Colborne is a nice place to stop for libation or something to eat and just relax in the park as ships move through the canal 8. North of Thorold to Port Weller it is a bit more built up but nonetheless still a nice ride alongside the canal. Our next favourite part is the Friendship Trail from Port Colborne to Fort Erie. If you are trying to connect with the Friendship or Welland Canal trail in Port Colborne it won’t be easy. They both arrive in town and then disappear. 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. Lock 8 at 1380 feet is one of the longest canal locks in the world. There are no signs to direct you to the connecting trail. Just remember that the trails generally run beside the canal and that should take you in the right direction. Also at this point you will have to use one of the three bridges
Welland Canal Trail
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 trail.

The Friendship Trail is also rural with mostly farmland on both sides. You can take side trips to beaches for a swim or stop in Ridgeway for food and water. There are many road crossings (well marked). The Fort Erie section of the Friendship trail has more benches available along the trail. 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).

As you pass under the Peace Bridge (heading north) the trail peters out, but just stay on Niagara Boulevard and before long the trail re-appears! 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
Niagara Parkway
back from the river. 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 maneuver through the hordes of tourists, tour buses and vehicles.

North of the Falls to Queenston Heights the trail is also very scenic with the Niagara Parks Commission gardens in bloom ALMOST year round. 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 south of the falls. And once again this area has many well manicured lawns and beautiful homes or estates! In Niagara on the Lake you 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
Welland Canal
Circle Tourit 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, Queenston Heights and Crystal Beach which offer easy access to the trails.

Friendship Trail
looking across at Buffalo
Niagara route

Friendship Trail

Welland Canal Trail

Niagara Parkway Trail

Friendship Trail

Whirlpool Rapids
Niagara Parkway trail
Winery
Niagara Parkway
Whirlpool Bridge
Niagara Falls
Welland Canal trail
Port Colbonrne
Welland Canal Trail
near Welland
Welland Canal Trail
St Catherines area
Welland Canall trail

Welland Canal Trail

Welland Canal Trail
Welland Ontario
Friendship Trail
near Port Colborne