Riverfront Trail – Windsor (Photo Credit: Goh Iromoto)
Essex County sits on the edge of the Great Lakes in the southern-most region of Canada. Its warm summer temperatures and mostly flat farmland make it an attractive destination for cyclists. Surrounded on three sides by water, Essex County has become one of the premier wine regions in Canada, due to the humid and long grape growing seasons. On the Lake Erie coast, enjoy sandy beaches and unique ecology and natural sites like Point Pelee National Park and Pelee Island, the southernmost point of Canada. Crossing using the new Gordie Howe International Bridge cyclists can now experience a binational Great Lakes tourism experience in Canada and USA.
In Windsor, Essex County and Pelee Island, cyclists can enjoy:
- Stunning urban riverfront cycling in Windsor, with views across to the Detroit skyline.
- Opened summer 2026, the new Gordie Howe International Bridge has dedicated cycling and pedestrian path that is approximately 2.5km long and free to use. Be sure to check all requirements before setting out and find out more HERE.
- Follow the cross-provincial Great Lakes Waterfront Trail on a mix of roads and trails, taking cyclists along the shorelines of Lake St Clair, the Detroit River and Lake Erie.
- Connect via the Gordie Howe bridge to the Iron Belle Trail in Michigan and city bike routes in Detroit.
- Ride smooth rail trails like 48km Chrysler Canada Greenway leading from Windsor to Essex County wine country on the Lake Erie coast.
- Explore the history of Amherstburg, one of the prettiest and oldest towns in South West Ontario, and a terminus of the Underground Railroad.
- Roll along quiet backroads and excellent sightseeing on Pelee Island, a popular tourist destination.
Below you will find cycling routes and trails across the Windsor, Essex County and Pelee Island region, including 6 road and trail cycling itineraries available on the Windsor Essex Cycle Tourism Map.
The Windsor Essex Cycle Tourism Map showcases 6 trail and on-road cycling itinaries that showcase the best the region has to offer. Check out all the routes below, each featuring bike friendly certified stops along the way.
- Windsor Riverfront Trail – 34km (paved trails and roads) – Windsor offers incredible waterfront parks and gardens, lively downtown venues, and fascinating historical and cultural landmarks.
- Take in a stunning riverfront with views across to Detroit, explore the historic distillery district of Walkerville, bike the spectacular outdoor Sculpture Park trail, and conquer the mountain bike trails of Malden Park
- Parkway Trail – 67km (paved and unpaved trails and roads) – Take the Rt. Hon Herb Gray Parkway Trail to meet up with the Chrysler Canada Greenway Trail to cross Essex County and take in the sights, including an outdoor gallery of murals depicting the challenges and triumphs of Essex.
- View First Nations interpretive signage on the parkway, connect with the Chrysler Canada Greenway Trail and the nearby LaSalle Trail System, and tour the Essex murals and the stories they tell
- Lakeside Trails – 55km (paved trails and roads) – bike along Lake St. Clair and encounter lighthouses, beautiful estate homes, and scenic views.
- Discover Lake St. Clair’s hidden lighthouses, dine and shop in quaint Belle River, and paddle Pike Creek, the gateway to Lake St. Clair
- Heritage Waterfront Trail – 62km (paved and unpaved trails and roads) – Take in a stories past, accompanied by historic architecture, natural wildlife, a pristine shoreline, and beach overlooking Lake Erie.
- Pedal the flat terrain of the Cypher Systems Greenway, Holiday Beach is your destination for a day at the beach, a beautiful picnic or a vacation getaway, and cycle back in time to Fort Malden National Historic Site, situated in charming Amherstburg
- Wine Trail – 41km (paved and unpaved trails and roads) – Escape to the Essex Pelee Island Coast for award-winning wineries, sight-seeing opportunities, attractive beaches, friendly bicycle tours, and unique gift shops.
- Sip and savour world-class crisp whites and bold reds, experience the Lake Erie coastline along Country Road 50, and partake in eclectic bites, brews and boutiques
- Pelee Trails – 96km (paved roads) – Explore one of Canada’s most ecologically diverse National Parks – Point Pelee in Leamington. Then ferry across to Canada’s southernmost inhabited point – Pelee Island.
- Trek to the tip of Point Pelee National Park, experience Leamington’s diverse cuisine and waterfront entertainment, and bike the entire 42 square kms of Pelee Island (a recommended 2-day excursion)
Additional Regional Cycling Itineraries
- Ontario By Bike Ride – Essex Windsor Loop – This three-day 193km cycling itinerary starts in Comber, and follows portions of the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail along the southern shore of Lake St. Clair and riverfront in Windsor. From Windsor, it connects to the Chrysler Greenway via the Herb Gray Parkway and brings riders to Leamington for a second overnight before exploring Point Pelee National Park and completing the loop in Comber day three. A legacy itinerary from the 2022 Ontario By Bike Ride and tour, full details for a self-guided ride experience are available.
Windsor Kingsville Essex Tour – This three-day, 130 km journey begins and ends in Windsor and takes riders along scenic rural roads to the heart of Canada’s southernmost wine region. Follow glistening Lake Erie and Detroit River shorelines and enjoy panoramic views of rich agricultural lands. Refuel with local produce at farm stands you’ll pass along the way. Ride down the Chrysler Canada Greenway through charming towns, natural areas, beaches, historical buildings and culinary offerings you have to taste to believe. Download PDF Itinerary or GPS routing.
The trails listed below are all multi-use, and on a mix of roads and off-road paths; trail conditions and usage may differ. See ‘Information Sources and Cycling Maps’ to learn more.
- Riverfront Trail (Paved) – 5km – From the base of the Ambassador Bridge, this paved trail extends east for 5 km along the riverfront parkland to Hiram Walker distillery in historic Walkerville. Enjoy scenic views of the Detroit River extending from Ambassador Park to Centennial Park into Dieppe Gardens, passing through the downtown core and providing a very efficient east-west route across the city. There are also several ‘bike service centres’ along the route.
- Lake Erie Waterfront Trail – (Paved) – Approximately 25km of this fully signed new trail, part of a cross provincial route, travels through Windsor. It incorporates the off-road Riverfront Trail above and also some on-road portions through the city.
- Herb Gray Parkway Trail – (Paved) – This 17km multi-use trail in Windsor is the first trail to have been created through and incorporated into a major provincial highway project in Ontario. Officially opened in 2016, the Herb Gray Parkway Trail offers 17km of paved trails, and is set within 120 hectares of green space situated alongside two highway extensions and across 11 tunnel tops. Connections exist to many neighbourhoods and to the Chrysler Greenway Trail.
- Ganatchio Trail (Paved) – 8km – Running westbound from the Tecumseh boundary (at Lesperance Rd) near the north shore to Vernon Cres (near St.Rose Park), the trail also includes a loop through the Windsor arboretum.
- Devonwood Conservation Area (Stonedust) – 5km – This trail within a 38-hectare forest is in the outskirts of Windsor, but is as far from urban as you can get. Just north of Cabana Road, this beautiful woodland is a habitat for owls and bats and has a network of excellent multi-use trails which links to the nearby 2km Devonwood Bike Trail running north.
- LaSalle Bike Trails (Mixed) – One of a growing network of on and off-road trails in the city. With 50km of paved trails in LaSalle, you can walk, jog or ride your bicycle throughout the town.
- Grand Marais Bike Trail (Mixed) – 8km – This trail runs northeast from the LaSalle-Windsor boundary through Spring Garden Park along or parallel to Turkey Creek, towards the Chrysler Canada Assembly Plant in the centre of Windsor. Caution is required at rail-line crossing and at the E.C.Row Expressway junction.
- Southwood Lakes (Paved) – 12.5km – A mix of multi-use paths and bike lanes in this southern part of Windsor; also connects to Devonwood Conservation Area.
- West Windsor Recreationway (Gravel) – This trail starts near the Ambassador Bridge, then zig-zags south through several parks towards Spring Garden Park in city’s west-end. The trail is part of the Trans Canada Trail.
- Windsor Arts Bike Route (Self-guided) (Road and Paved Trail) – This tour starts near the Ambassador Bridge, then heads south through city streets and features Windsor’s many unique sculptures, historic murals, awesome street art and eclectic galleries.
Windsor Loop – This mega-loop is a work in progress and is now mostly complete. The City’s 20-year plan is to create a bicycle-friendly beltway, using trails, bike lanes and signed low-traffic streets, which circumnavigates the entire city and connects neighbouring communities. It will incorporate many local trails, including the River Walk Trail, Ganatchio Trail, West Windsor Recreationway, and others. The Windsor Loop is a 42.5 km (26.4 miles) circular loop that connects the city around its perimeter, joining city neighbourhoods and providing access to the Trans Canada Trail. A majority of the Loop is in place with the exception of a few key segments.
The trails listed below are all multi use; trail conditions and usage may differ.
- Chrysler Canada Greenway (Stonedust) – 50km – In 1995, the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) purchased an abandoned railway line and converted it to a multi-use path. It runs south from Oldcastle (outskirts of Windsor), through towns of McGregor and Harrow, and proceeds eastward to Ruthven (between Kingsville and Leamington). It passes through agricultural lands, by historical buildings and award winning wineries, and connects 25 natural areas and three watersheds. This southern-most section of the Trans Canada Trail is currently the backbone of the trail network through Essex County.
Photo credit: Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island
- Cypher Systems Group Greenway (Mixed) – 22km – multi-use path running 26km from the town of Essex in the east to Amherstburg in the west, and intersecting with the Chrysler Greenway at the town of McGregor around the halfway point on the trail.
- Essex-Chatham Trail (Lakeside) (Paved) – 18km – Part of the Trans Canada Trail, this trail is on-road and starts north of Tilbury, ending south of Comber.
- Essex-Chatham Trail (Rail Trail) (Unpaved) – 13km – Part of the Trans Canada Trail, this converted rail bed starts in the town of Staples and ends just north of Leamington.
- Centennial Bike & Hike Trail (Unpaved) – 6km – Point Pelee National Park’s multi-use trails offers a fantastic opportunity to explore the entire park. Visitors can ride into the park or drive to any of over 8 day use areas all accessible via the trail. Day use areas feature, washrooms, picnic tables, eating shelters, charcoal barbecues and beach access. The hiking and cycling trails offers a windy, rolling, smooth gravel pathway that travels through swamp and dryland forest, savannah and even along Pelee’s famous sandy beaches. There are water stations, benches, bike racks all along the trail as well as bike pumps and tool centres at both the park Visitor Centre and the Marsh Boardwalk area. Road riders are also able to ride the park’s winding, forested, 9 km paved road that takes them to the Point Pelee Tip, the southernmost point of mainland Canada. There are also overnight accommodations on site in the way of 4-season yurt-like structures called Otentiks.
- Hillman Marsh Conservation Area (Unpaved) – 5km – Near Leamington, you can ride a mowed-grass loop on top of the dyke alongside marshland and Hillman Creek. This is an excellent birding area, as hundreds of species use it as a stopover during migration season in May. It is an ecologically sensitive area, and is used in the ERCA’s Outdoor Education Program.
- Vollmer Recreation Complex Trail (Paved) – 6km – This multi-use linear trail in LaSalle runs parallel to Laurier Pkwy from Walden Rd to Howard Ave, and is an excellent east-west commuter route.
- Pelee Island Waterfront Trail (Mixed) – 28km – This circular route closely follows to the Lake Erie shoreline all around the Island. The route travels quiet country roads, through farmland, vineyards and natural areas, and has equal sections that are paved and unpaved.
- Two Creeks Conservation Area – Near Wheatley, there are 10km of mountain biking trails, mostly twisty single-track, within this 85-acre forest. This is the best-marked trail network in the region. Washrooms and a picnic area.
- Little River Corridor– In the east-end of Windsor, this 6km trail (return) meets up with the Ganatchio Trail along the north shore. Mostly singletrack, it has washrooms and snack bar nearby.
- Spring Garden – A local favourite, located on the outskirts of Windsor, this 290-acre park includes an 8km loop of singletrack trail.
- Malden Park – Near the Detroit River within Windsor, this 180-acre park includes a 6km loop trail within a forest/savannah mix. There’s washrooms, snack bar and picnic area nearby.
- Black Oak Heritage Park (aka Morton Terminal) – Part of the protected 500-acre Ojibway Prairie Complex, this forested area has a 6km and an 8km loop, bisected by train tracks. Arguably the best singletrack in Windsor.
- Libro Centre Trails – 8km of cross-country, downhill and jump line mountain bike trails in Amherstburg managed by the Windsor Essex Bike Community (WEBC) through a stewardship agreement with the Town of Amherstburg. The trail system is located next to the Libro Credit Union arena with some of the trails looping around a main open area, with other trails meandering through mature tree stands and constructed hills for some higher speed downhill sections. Riders will encounter various berms, jumps, rock work, and wooden features. Maps available on Trailforks. Regular group rides, races and workshops hosted by WEBC at the centre.
Trans Canada Trail (TCT) – Essex County is home to approximately 57-km of Trans Canada Trail The TCT is a four-season, multi-use trail system with various surface types and users. A number of the area’s trails are incorporated within this larger, national trail system including: Essex-Chatham Trail (Lakeside), Essex-Chatham Trail (Rail Trail), the Chrysler Canada Greenway and the West Windsor Recreation Way.-
The Great Lakes Waterfront Trail – Stretching over 3600km, the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail is a route connecting over 151communities and First Nations along the Canadian shores of the Great Lakes: Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, Lake Erie, Detroit River and Lake St Clair, Lake Huron, Georgian Bay and the North Channel. The
fully signed Trail uses the safest infrastructure possible, a mix of both on-road and off-road facilities, and is primarily paved, with sections of unpaved path and gravel roads. It can be enjoyed for as part of a day trip or on a multi-day long distance cycling adventure.The Waterfront Trail spans around Essex County mostly on paved roads, along Lake Erie, the Detroit River and Lake St Clair. The trail also includes 28km around Pelee Island which can be reached via ferry from Kingsville and Leamington. Essex County Waterfront Trail is part of the County-Wide Active Transportation Network (CWATS). For information and to access downloadable maps visit www.WaterfrontTrail.org
- Underground Railroad Bicycle Route – Follow the route that escaped, formerly enslaved people used to travel to Owen Sound from the southern United States. Bike route maps paint a picture of what the journey was like in the 1800s. Alternate routes through Detroit and Essex County were recently added to this 3200 km route.
Gordie Howe International Bridge Crossing
- Opened in the summer of 2026, cyclists can make use of – for free – the multi-use path on the bridge that connects Windsor, Ontario to Detroit, Michigan.
- The trail on the bridge is 3km long, and does have a small incline, (5% in some sections.)
- The trail connects to further trail and road networks on both sides of the border. In Windsor, it connects to the Trans Canada Trail, Malden Park, Sandwich Towne, the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, the Riverfront Trail and leading to downtown. In Detroit, it connects to the Joe Louis Greenway, the Detroit Riverwalk, the Iron Belle Trail and Great Lakes Way.
- Valid travel documents are required. To avoid disappointment, check all requirements and current info before setting out. Find out more HERE.
Cycling in Michigan
- Detroit Greenway Coalition – Find cycling routes and map for biking in Detroit plus info on the Detroit Riverfront Trail Network and more.
- Joe Louis Greenway – This 47km / 29 mile recreational pathway connect parks and neighbourhoods across the Detroit using a combination of new trails, on-street protected bike lanes and links to existing trails like the Dequindre Cut and the RiverWalk.
- Iron Belle Trail – The trail is over 3,300km / 2,000 miles in length and stretches from the western Upper Peninsula to Belle Isle in Detroit. There is a route specific to cyclists and another for hikers. The trail is 70% complete.
- The Great Lakes Way – A visionary trail network, not yet complete, will be an interconnected set of 156 miles of blueways and a 160 miles of greenways stretching from southern Lake Huron through western Lake Erie.
- Windsor Essex Cycle Tourism Map.
2026. Available online PDF or in print. View 6 suggested cycling routes and trails plus bicycle friendly businesses in Windsor, Essex County and Pelee Island. Download a copy, pick up a print copy at any Visitor Information Centre in the region or order one by mail. - City of Windsor – Parks, Trails and Recreation Map. Available online PDF or in print. Shows all existing bike routes and multi-use trails, parks and gardens in the city of Windsor.
Essex Region Conservation Authority – Interactive map showing trails and other outdoor recreation activities maintained by the ERCA, including the Chrysler Greenway.- US-Canada Greenways Vision Map. 2016. Available online PDF or in print. A U.S. – Canadian partnership developed this printed map that aims to encourage people to grab their bikes and explore both sides of the Detroit River. Major cycling routes and trails on both sides of the Detroit River are featured.
- Great Lakes Waterfront Trail Map Book: Ontario’s Southwest Edition. – Available for purchase, this map book features over 30 detailed maps showing the Trail’s route, on or off road sections, parking, washrooms, landmarks, trail connections, waterfront parks, wetlands, beaches, marsh and forests, vineyards, farmland, museums and shopping areas. Maps also available online in PDF for printing at www.waterfronttrail.org
- Point Pelee National Park – Cycling Map – Download able PDF maps of cycling trail and bicycle friendly roads in the park.
- Cycle Windsor – Official cycling info page on City website. Links to Trails info and other cycling-related resources.
- Bike Windsor Essex – Website of advocacy organization providing local cycling information.
Share The Road – Essex County – A grassroots community group advocating for making the roads safer for cycling, by motivating road engineers and policy makers to make more bicycle friendly routes in Essex County ON.- MappMyCity – Online and easy to use application that features the city base map and layers such as Bike Lanes, Multi-Use Trails and Signed Routes.
- CWATS Interactive Map – As part of the County Wide Active Transportation System (CWATS), this interactive map for active transportation in Essex County allows you to explore the network of cycling infrastructure, paved shoulders, local trails and places of interest.
- Underground Railroad Bicycle Route – Printed map/guide. This historical route has been mapped and published by the Adventure Cycling Association. Visit www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps for information and to purchase the paper map. See -UGRR Detroit Alternate – includes Windsor and Essex County.
- Cycle Kingsville – Website resource with suggested cycling routes and info on businesses and places to stop in and around the Kingsville area.
*Please note there are many additional map guides for the region that cyclists may find interesting or useful. New maps and guides are produced yearly, and the information listed here may change.
Windsor, Essex, Pelee Island – Related Blogs
Why Cyclists Are Discovering Windsor, Essex, Pelee Island This Summer
With the planned 2026 opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, Windsor Essex is gearing up to become one of Canada’s most exciting cycling destinations. But you don’t have to wait until the bridge opens to start exploring on two wheels. From scenic waterfront trails and EPIC Wine Country routes to heritage sites, craft breweries, small towns, and historic landmarks, Windsor Essex already offers unforgettable cycling experiences today.
Ontario’s Best Cycling Loops: Full Circle Adventures
Out-and-back or a loop? Find a collection of diverse must-ride best road and gravel loops in Ontario to help plan a two-wheel adventure.
With Their Cycle Tourism Map, Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island Is Ready for Ontario Cyclists This Season
Every trip I took to the beautiful region of Windsor, Essex & Pelee Island became easier as more and more resources were created to help cyclists like myself who were coming to explore and appreciate the region. All of this culminated with the establishment of the Cycle Tourism Map, which established six distinct trails that span a combined 354 kilometres.
Top Ontario Trail Rides & E-Bike Rental Locations
Have an e-bike and willing to travel? Eager to try out an e-bike in a safe off-road environment? With a growing number of e-bike rental companies close to Ontario’s signature trails, it’s easier than ever to plan a day trip exploring our beautiful province on two wheels. An shorter version of the article was published in the 2024 Cycling in Ontario / Le vélo en Ontario Guide
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