Shelter Valley Cycling Route

Cycling from Town to Village to Valley

Take in some of the best Lake Ontario cycling starting in Cobourg and heading east to Grafton. From there, wind your way north for backroad cycling in beautiful Shelter Valley. This route is 50 km long.

Things to Know

• Start this cycling adventure in Cobourg. Stroll along the marina's boardwalk at the beginning or the end of the day for beautiful and relaxing views. Sink your toes in the sand of Cobourg's beach, cool off in Lake Ontario, and – of course – enjoy a great meal.
• This route stays close to the water for much of it so you'll enjoy the waterfront breezes coming off Lake Ontario.
• Nawautin Nature Sanctuary and Wetland is on the shores of Lake Ontario, just south of Grafton. Explore this quiet nature reserve, cool off in the water or skip some stones, walk through the covered bridge and listen for elusive bird calls. 
• In Grafton, you can do a bit of shopping at the 1812 Heritage shops and pop into the Lass and Ladle for a coffee, meals to go or baked goods for a little sweet fuel to get you through your ride.
• West from Shelter Valley Road is Pipeline Road which features some of Ontario cycling's best views of vibrant, fall colours.
• Ste. Anne's Spa – one of Canada's most noteworthy retreats – calls Massey Rd home. The stone wall makes a great stop for that Instagram moment. Ride over to Ste. Anne's amazing bakery (certified gluten-free) and the food truck, Academy Hill Grill, on Academy Hill Rd. Heads up, the hill on Academy Hill Rd. has a 7 percent grade!

Want to take the train? If you don't want to drive, you can try VIA Rail's Bike Train. You can roll your bike off the baggage car, cycle down George Street and be on Cobourg's King Street in mere minutes. Once there, you can have lunch at Buttermilk Cafe. From the VIA station, it's easy to get on the Shelter Valley route, which follows the Waterfront Trail eastbound out of Cobourg on County Rd 2. Note, this service has been affected by COVID-19 restrictions. Please visit the link above or contact VIA Rail directly to get information on current services.

 View the Shelter Valley quick-print map, the Google Map or the Elevation Profile map.

Want an "on-the-trail" perspective? Check out Petra Hartwig's blog post here. Petra Hartwig tours through a nature sanctuary, enjoys local cafés and gets up close and personal with cows and horses along the way.