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Cycle the Fall Colours in Kawarthas Northumberland

There’s no better way to experience a Kawarthas Northumberland autumn than from the seat of a bike. 

As the region’s farmlands, hilltops, and hardwood forests shift into brilliant shades of orange, red, and gold, the quiet backroads, rail trails, and singletrack that make this area a four-season cycling destination become something even more special.

Whether you’re after a leisurely rail trail ride, a technical mountain bike loop, or a multi-day bikepacking adventure, fall is arguably the best time of year to do it — cooler temperatures, fewer bugs, and some of the best scenery in Ontario.

Why Fall is the Best Time to Ride

  • Cooler, more comfortable riding weather
  • Fewer bugs, quieter trails
  • The best colour of the year, typically peaking in early-to-mid October
  • Local food & drink stops along the way — breweries, bakeries, cafés, and farm markets are all part of the fall riding experience here

Plan Your Ride

Kawarthas Northumberland is an easy day trip or weekend getaway from Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto or the GTA — with routes for every skill level and local bike shops with rentals to help you make the most of your visit.

kawarthasnorthumberland.ca/cycling

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Couple walking with a golden retriever on a trail with the sun setting

Fall Is For Friends

Fall is for friends—best friends of the furry kind, that is. Our poor pooches get exhausted in the summer heat and favor an air-conditioned home over an adventurous hike. If the trails are paved heat can be detrimental to their paw pads, and there’s been more than one occasion I’ve been chased out of the woods with my pup by an intense wall of mosquitoes in the summer.

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A bed of yellow fall leaves in a park

Fall Ales and Trails

Every beer drinker knows a brew tastes better when you’ve earned it. Preferences also change by season—a crisp lager is never better than in the high heat of summer, and cooler weather makes a rich flavour like porter especially appealing. These fundamentals combine beautifully in Kawarthas Northumberland, where an abundance of hiking trails meets a range of craft breweries. If you’d like to work up a thirst on a trail or bring home a sampler after exploring the region, here are some recommended pairings.

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Cycling Doube's Trestle Bridge on the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail

7 Trails to Try this Fall in Kawarthas Northumberland

Hiking is great year round, and depending on who you ask the biking season runs pretty late too. Some spots, though, beg to be visited in the fall when the leaves are at their peak. If no bugs, cool weather, and beautiful landscapes sounds like a winning combination, here are seven Kawarthas Northumberland trails to try before the leaves come down.

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