Many wonderful surprises await those who set out to ride one of the most iconic cycling routes in North America.
The chosen route runs from Cornwall to Long Sault, Ontario. Welcome to the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail!
In total, this network spans 3,600 kilometres. It allows cyclists to travel along the Great Lakes on dedicated bike paths or designated roadways.
In Cornwall, parking is available at the Civic Complex. The cycling path runs directly through this area, which includes several municipal parks. At the start, riders can admire a charming marina with boats moored along the navigable St. Lawrence River.
A relic
For those who once rode here years ago, the landscape has changed somewhat. The impressive international bridge of the St. Lawrence Seaway that once connected the province to New York State has been replaced by a new structure.
Cornwall / Le cycliste du dimanche
A concrete pillar remains near the cycling path—a relic of the bridge inaugurated in 1914. Its history is clearly explained for passersby.
The route then follows the Cornwall Canal and its reminders of an intense industrial era. It was one of eight canals that connected Western Canada and the Atlantic via the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River system. Built between 1834 and 1842 to bypass the Long Sault Rapids, it was expanded several times between 1876 and 1904. This water corridor was eventually replaced by the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959.
A few kilometres later, cyclists can take a break at Guindon Park.
An open-air museum
Before reaching a particularly unique site, it feels like entering a small open-air museum!
After riding through a wooded
Waterfront Trail / Le Cycliste du dimanche
area, you arrive at The Lost Villages Museum. The name could not be more fitting.
Located in Long Sault, the site includes ten heritage buildings that were relocated and restored in Ault Park from villages that disappeared in the region—a true act of remembrance.
The buildings have been restored and arranged in a village-like setting. The museum also commemorates the flooding of lands south of the site in 1958.
It serves as a preview before visiting Upper Canada Village, located about twenty kilometres further along.
Eleven islands to explore
Before that, cyclists must cross the Long Sault Parkway.
Long Sault Parkway / Le Cycliste du dimanche
This scenic route is a chain of 11 islands stretching over more than 10 kilometres through the St. Lawrence River. Created during the construction of the Seaway, it offers a peaceful and easily accessible natural setting. Visitors can enjoy beaches, picnic areas, boat launches, diving spots, and fishing opportunities.
At times, it feels almost like floating between sky and water.
Several of the islands include waterfront campgrounds, with more than 600 sites available.
This is not strictly a dedicated bike path, but the Long Sault Parkway is wide and offers a reasonable shoulder for cyclists on both sides of the road. Traffic is generally calm and respectful.
Riding light
Between lost villages, St. Lawrence islands, and relics of Canada’s industrial history, this section of the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail offers far more than a simple bike ride. It is a journey through a landscape where water is ever-present and every stop becomes a discovery.
And to fully enjoy the experience—without heavy panniers to carry—the services of Voyager à vélo allow riders to travel light, from one accommodation to the next. A great way to savour this corner of Ontario… one pedal stroke at a time.
Read also:
Starting from the CN Tower to explore Toronto by bike
Prince Edward County: Beyond the Sandbanks beaches
Howe Island, the Waterfront’s Dessert
The St. Lawrence by bike : Seven Must-Ride Segments!