Dundas Valley at Hamilton offers a wide variety of almost 40 km of diverse and unique trails that are great for mountain biking. Whether you are a beginner or a highly skilled rider, you’ll equally enjoy and have fun riding them. Here are some of the nicest trails you can find at Dundas Valley. Please remember that the following trails are not ranked from the best to worst as they are all listed based on the trail type and level.
1. Sawmill Trail
Starting off with a nice and easy green trail, Sawmill Trail is 2.6 km looped trail that is near Hamilton in Ontario Canada. The elevation gain is 50 meters and the best time of visiting is from April to November (mostly for fall colors). Keep in mind that dogs are also allowed on the trail but must be kept on a leash as the trail is for many activities but is lightly trafficked. Activities that are allowed on this trail are: Hiking, Horseback riding (varying on season), walking, running and dogs on a leash. Parking cost $10, and overall, the trail is not overpopulated on a regular basis and is good for a short ride/walk. As you go through the trail you will see many pine and spruce trees along with an open grass meadow, with beautiful views. Sawmill Trail is the easiest and shortest trail among the list, this trail is great for family and friends as it is not challenging at all.
2. Headwaters Trail
Headwaters Trail is a moderate blue level trail that has more than 3x the elevation gain than Sawmill Trail (186 m). This trail has 7.4 km of steady track that also loops around, that is to say you must watch out for overgrown tree roots and large rocks that might be blocking your path. This track will put you and your bike to the ultimate test of stamina and persistence as mentioned before there are many elevation gains throughout the track (there will be some very steep hills). This trail should take the average biker around 1-2 hours to complete, so if you are looking to ride this trail, don’t forget to pack food and water! The trail itself is nice and wide for bikers to pass by from a good distance and forest is 90% shade, so the sun’s heat shouldn’t bother you too much. Last but not least the trail isn’t crowded at all and will continue to be for almost all the time you visit.
3. Monarch Trail
Alright folks, this one is a big one. Monarch trail is made for people who want a challenge, with 11.3 km of trail 203 m of elevation… this one isn’t a joke! Just like our previous trail Monarch is a moderate blue trail that requires beginner to intermediate skill level. Monarch trail provides a great/well-maintained track from the past years and will continue to for many years to come. In conclusion this trail is perfect for those who want a long run of a solid intermediate level terrain with good workout-level elevation. Throughout the trail you’ll feel immersed in nature, that makes it very enjoyable to ride.
4. Main Loop Trail
Main loop trail is quite interesting and easy to ride with difficulty level of green. This trail is a little over 3 km long, that loops around so you finish at where you start. You’ll find this trail quite wide due to it being multi-purpose trail with hikers and bikers sharing it. Surface of the trail is a mix of dirt and gravel, offers quite a flow even though there are steep decent and climb of around 90 meters involved so your momentum can help quite a bit as you paddle through for the climb. Loops are fun, as you can ride them multiple times for a good workout in a continuous flow and taking breaks where you feel like. Tall trees through the trail makes it very enjoyable.
Hopefully you’ll enjoy riding them as you decide to try them out. All of the trails on this list consist of a beginner to moderate skill level (green to blue), even the moderate level tracks are doable as long as you aren’t a total newcomer to mountain biking, in which case it’s recommended to stick to the green runs.