City Escape: Toronto, Ontario

Use Kingston Road and Highway 2 to escape Canada’s most populous city; then let the twisty backroads of the Kawarthas take you away from the crush of traffic. Keep watch for the Buckhorn, Dyno, and Northeys Bay Road. The best times to ride are late September, early October, or early July.

Length

Approximately 270 miles

Meet-up Spot

Tim Hortons on Lakeshore and Leslie in Toronto, home to the famed bike nights.

Lunch Stop

Slow-cooked goodness at Muddy’s Pit BBQ, 3247 County Rd 2, Keene, Ontario, (705) 295-1255.

Scenery (3 out of 5)

Rock cuts, trees, lakes, and rivers–this is iconic Ontario landscape.

Traffic (3 out of 5)

If you use Kingston Road and Highway 2 to escape Toronto it might take longer, but you’ll be moving.

Difficulty (3 out of 5)

Delightfully long sweepers in sections and really tight twisties in others. Lots of elevation changes on the Buckhorn Road.

Road Conditions (3 out of 5)

Mostly new pavement with some older sections and tar strips. No chip-tar, though.

Attractions

Petroglyphs Provincial Park
Etchings in stone made by First Nations people. Located in Woodview, ON, off of Fire Rte 34.

XTR Gas Station at Flynn’s
Turn Best butter tarts in the region. 1465 Peterborough 507, Ontario, Canada.

Peterborough, ON
College town with great eats and music venues.

This City Escape is provided by www.escapethe400s.com, which brings you great backroad routes in Ontario.