A Perfect Weekend Getaway: Ride the Riverside Trail in Cornwall

Roll along traffic-free waterfront trails while enjoying amazing scenery, unique attractions and cozy restaurants and shops along the way. You can find all of that and more with a cycling adventure on Cornwall’s Riverside Trail.

Part of the famed Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, Cornwall’s Riverside Trail runs the entire length of the City’s waterfront – some 18km – before continuing west for another 25km to Upper Canada Village near Morrisburg. That’s over 40km of cycling right along the river’s edge.

Best of all, many attractions are located right along the trail while a variety of shops, restaurants and accommodation options are just a short ride away. It’s a great fit for those looking to build a cycling trip into a weekend adventure.

“Cornwall has created a fabulous cycling network that connects cyclists to the City’s great places to eat, heritage attractions and wonderful accommodations,” said Marlaine Koehler, Executive Director of the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, the organization that oversees the Waterfront Trail.

“Cornwall is a wonderful destination for anyone looking to include explorations by bike as part of their holiday.”

Park and Ride

The Cornwall Civic Complex offers the perfect starting point for a cycling adventure in Cornwall. Located at 100 Water Street East, the facility provides ample free parking just steps from the Riverside Trail.

It’s also just steps away from the many trendy shops and restaurants along Pitt Street in Downtown Cornwall, a perfect place to wrap up a ride with a nice meal and a cool drink on a patio.

Heading west, cyclists can enjoy great views of the river while rolling directly by numerous landmarks and attractions like the Cornwall Community Museum, the historic Cornwall Canal, the R.H. Saunders Generating Station and more. The trendy certified bicycle friendly Rurban Brewing, Cornwall’s popular craft brewery, is just a short detour off the trail, on Cumberland Street.

Adventure awaits further west with the renowned Upper Canada Village and the majestic Long Sault Parkway, a series of islands connected by causeways and bridges. The parkway was created during the massive St. Lawrence Seaway and hydro project of the 1950s and several villages were inundated as part of this earth-changing project. The stories of these communities live on at the Lost Villages Museum, a beautiful collection of heritage buildings right along the trail just west of Cornwall.

Ride on!

In addition to the Riverside Trail, there are other cycling routes to enjoy in Cornwall for those seeking an extended stay. There’s a 25km Urban Loop around the city, while dozens of other rides of various lengths can be discovered through the new SDG Cornwall Adventure Club. These routes combine cycling along the waterfront as well as quiet county roads in SDG Counties surrounding Cornwall.

The St. Lawrence River Lifestyle Group on Strava is another great resource for cyclists searching for rides in the area.

Bike Rentals

For those who prefer to leave their bikes at home, bike rentals are available at Marina 200 along Cornwall’s waterfront (just east of the Cornwall Civic Complex). Bikes are available daily and can be reserved by emailing info@cornwalltourism.com.

Bike Repairs

For travelers in need of a tune-up or last-minute accessories before heading out, there are two bicycle shops in Downtown Cornwall that are available to service all needs – Total Cyclery & Sports at 100 Pitt Street and Bicycle World at 24 Ninth Street East.

Get Rolling

For additional information, including cycling maps, directions and additional information on cycling in Cornwall, visit the Cornwall Tourism Cycling Page.

Cornwall Tourism staff are also available to assist with recommendations and questions. Text them any time at 613-938-4748 or email them at info@cornwalltourism.com. You can also find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Plan Your Cornwall Riverside Trail Adventure

• Cornwall Tourism – Cycling – Plan your stay and find more info on Cycle and Stay packages, where to park and ride, more info on the Cornwall Riverfront Trail and other ride ideas, as well as where to find bike rentals
• Great Lakes Waterfront Trail – Explore the Waterfront Trail interactive map around Cornwall and throughout Ontario
• Ontario By Bike, Great Places to Cycle – South Eastern Ontario – Find certified bicycle friendly businesses and more route and ride ideas for your Cornwall cycling adventure

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Sponsored Content Partner: Cornwall Tourism
Photos credits: All photos from Cornwall Tourism except photo 2 from Great Lakes Waterfront Trail and photo 4  from St. Lawrence Parks Commission.