Solo on The Timber Trail: Riding the Best ADV Route in Ontario

The new Ride the Highlands adventure loops are creating quite a buzz in the ADV community. I’ve wanted to get out and do one of them all summer but various things kept me away. Finally, with the fall colours at their height and the snow coming soon, I used a trip back to family in Guelph for Thanksgiving as the opportunity to ride a good portion of The Timber Trail Loop. Despite the unseasonably cold temperatures, the ride was the perfect way to cap the season.

I planned to camp and loaded my Triumph Tiger 800XC with my tent and camping equipment. Because this would be dirt, I used my soft bags and geared up with soft body armor, my neck brace, and even my knee braces. I’ve heard that Timber is big bike friendly, but you never can be too safe and I’d be riding alone.

Perhaps the plan to camp was a little ambitious. It was cold! I left Guelph on a chilly 7C morning and snaked my way up through Erin and Caledon to Mono Mills, then across on the 9 to the 400 and up to Barrie. Going over Lake Simcoe was a little longer by a few minutes than taking Highway 401 but preferable, especially on a cold day with the wind chill factor. After a quick stop at a McDonald’s to warm up with a coffee, I was back on the road and picked up The Timber Trail at Norland.

I’d decided to do the trail clockwise, which would take me through Haliburton and Bancroft and provide the option to do the Call My Mom expert section if I was feeling brave before I had to split off to get back to Montreal. You want to get gas when it’s available in these parts, so I filled up in Norland and headed north toward Minden. Almost immediately, as if by invocation, the sun came out and the road got twisty, and I forgot all about the cold ride to the trailhead.

I knew the leaves would be at their height and figured, with a name like The Timber Trail, there would be plenty of them. It was magnificent! On most roads, I felt like I was riding in a luminous golden tunnel.

Just north of Minden, as the trail hooks to the east, at the intersection of Halls and Boshkung Lakes, I stopped at Buttermilk Falls. I pulled off after the bridge and tried to get down to the river but there isn’t good access from the east side. There was some construction on the bridge happening and one of the workers directed me to park on the other side, the west side, and follow the footpath. He said it’s impressive, and it is! You can walk out on some flat granite rocks at the base of the rapids where there are good views upstream to the falls and downstream to the rapids.

No sooner was I back on the bike than I came upon a statue of the trail’s namesake and had to stop for a photo.

With these rest stops over, it was time to ride, and the riding was great! There’s two-lane twisty tarmac, single-lane asphalt, gravel, and my favourite, dirt. (Just remember to Ride Right because these are public roads and I came upon vehicles at blind corners coming the other way.) The Timber Trail even has a little sand, but don’t worry—it’s shallow and didn’t cause me any concern.

The only things missing were water crossings and mud, which was fine by me since I was on my own. However, I imagine some of those dirt roads would be muddy after rain so at least a 50/50 tire is recommended. And as you can see, these roads often have views of rolling hills, lakes, and wetlands. The Timber Trail takes you through classic Algonquin Highlands geography.

You know you are enjoying the ride when you forget to eat. The afternoon passed quickly and soon I was heading into Haliburton and the light was beginning to fade. I abandoned my plans to camp and got a room at the Lakeview Motel, but not before heading up to the lookout on Skyline Park Road for the gorgeous autumn view.

The Lakeview Motel, just outside of Haliburton, was just what I was looking for. My room was clean and had both a little fridge for the “refreshments” I’d picked up at the LCBO, a coffee maker for the morning, and even a microwave, so I could heat that leftover turkey I’d packed for lunch. The bike was parked right in front of my room, and there are security cameras so I didn’t have to unpack the bike completely. The owner who checked me in said it’s very safe and they haven’t had any problems in that regard. As the name suggests, my room had a view overlooking a lake. The motel has just opened a geodome if you’re into star-gazing and has an outdoor hot tub! 

The pool was closed for the season but I imagine it would be just the thing after a hot day of riding. Whether you’re arriving cold or hot, the Lakeview Motel has you covered. It also has direct access to ATV trails, so you could use it as home base for an extended stay in the area.

There’s a Tim Horton’s right beside the motel, but I decided in the morning to ride for a while first and stop later at something more local. Soon after leaving Haliburton, I turned onto Fred Jones Road. I don’t know who Fred Jones is but I’d sure like to shake his hand. That’s a heck of a road!

After that rollercoaster ride, I was ready for breakfast and pulled in at the Algonquin Cookhouse just west of Harcourt. Any restaurant that’s named a cookhouse is my style, which is classic English greasy breakfast. Service was fast and it was a nice change from my usual Tim’s.

Meanwhile, I was deliberating whether to attempt the Call My Mom extender route that was coming up. I’d watched a video of Breath of Adventure doing it on his DR 650 and it didn’t look too gnarly; on the other hand, the Ride the Highlands page lists this section as “expert/advanced riders only,” which I am not, and strongly suggests not doing it alone. Also, I only had 50/50 tires on with not much tread left in the rear. For that reason, I wasn’t so much concerned about the rocky hill climbs as the wet and muddy sections where I might get stuck. Those two views competed in my mind over breakfast. I like a challenge, but I also know that discretion is the better part of valour.

In the end, I decided not to do it, not because I’m a chicken but because I was enjoying the Zen-like bliss of the single-lane twisty roads with autumn leaves so much and didn’t feel like pushing myself into the adrenaline zone—not on that day, anyway. I was also pressed for time since I had to be back in Montreal and Google was saying it’s a 4 ½ hour ride from Ormsby where I’d split off. My mom would have to wait for that call until next season when I can return with some riding buddies.

Hershel Forest Trail and North Baptiste Lake Road were the reward for my prudence—more great roads that took me into Maynooth, where I rewarded myself again at Sun Run Cafe and Bakery with a gigantic frosted cinnamon bun. But the best was yet to come—the appropriately named Cross Country Road that took me into Bancroft.

Before hitting the highway, I climbed Eagle’s Nest Park Road just north of Bancroft to take in the view one last time and reflect on the previous two days and the entire riding season that was coming to a close. And I have to say, in all honesty, The Timber Trail was one of the highlights of the season for me. Yes, I caught the fall colours at their peak, but the route planners have done an excellent job putting together a track that is varied enough to have something for everyone and never a dull moment. The Tiger was in its element, and there’s something about the geography of the highlands that speaks to me, maybe from my younger years growing up in Ontario.

These new ADV loops are less than a day away from Toronto or Montreal, even less from Kingston or Ottawa, and can be ridden in a weekend. Depending on where you live, you might want to string a third day onto the weekend so you don’t have to rush. (The Timber takes two full days.) As I prepare to put the bike into storage, I’m already looking forward to coming back in the spring. I think I’ll start the next season with The Pickaxe Loop. At Barry’s Bay, I’ll split off south and return to the Call My Mom section of Timber to complete unfinished business. Maybe I’ll stay a few days to explore off the prepared tracks. There’s a ton of great riding in these parts, all waiting to be discovered. 

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