Cycling.
The Hamilton-to-Brantford Rail Trail rolls out of the Dundas Valley on the abandoned Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Railway right-of-way — Canada's first fully developed entirely off-road interurban recreational trail. From Hamilton's harbour the HamBur Loop turns 50 km of city-edge cycling into a single signed circle linking Hamilton and Burlington around the bay.
The brief.
The Hamilton-Brantford Rail Trail is a crushed-stone ride through the Dundas Valley west to Brantford and ties into the broader cross-border rail-trail network running south to Lake Erie. The HamBur Loop opened in 2019 and extends the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail from the Hamilton waterfront through Albion Falls and the Red Hill Valley around Hamilton Harbour to Burlington and back.
The waterfront leg — Hamilton Recreation Beach Trail — is 6 m wide paved asphalt, family-friendly. Upper-city escarpment routes (Chippewa Trail, Dofasco 2000, Lafarge 2000) link the conservation areas at the brow.
Bruce Trail through Dundas Valley is hike-only; stay on the rail trail or interior cycling routes for the valley.
5. places.
- 01
Hamilton-to-Brantford Rail Trail
~32 km of crushed-stone surface on the former TH&B route; intersects the Dundas Valley and is part of the Trans Canada Trail.
- 02
HamBur Loop
50 km signed road/trail loop, 2019, extending the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail through Albion Falls and the Red Hill Valley around Hamilton Harbour to Burlington.
- 03
Great Lakes Waterfront Trail — Hamilton segment
Hamilton Waterfront Trail and Hamilton Recreation Beach Trail (8 km, 6 m wide paved asphalt) along Lake Ontario from the Burlington Canal Lift Bridge into Stoney Creek.
- 04
Chippewa Trail / Dofasco 2000 Trail / Lafarge 2000 Trail
HCA-managed cycling/hiking corridors along the upper-city escarpment.
- 05
Devil's Punchbowl / Mountain Brow corridor
Escarpment-top cycling along the brow with views down to Hamilton Harbour.
Today's read.
Cool but comfortable for layered effort · light winds · clean air.