The GNR Bikepacking Route
Who says you have to venture deep into remote wild country to have a great bikepacking adventure. The Grand Nith Ramble (GNR) was designed not only to offer an extension to the BT 700 route, but to also take riders on a journey along two of southern Ontario’s most alluring rivers – the Grand and Nith. And just maybe the trails will begin in the jungle and take you to the mythic Paradise City.
Highlights
A large network of doubletrack and singletrack trail riding along the Grand River and within the beautiful Dundas Conservation Area.
Puslinch, Drydan Track, Little Track and Sudden Track offer up a bounty of deep forest riding.
An abundance of picture-worthy river views.
A handful of historic steel truss bridges spanning the Nith River - several of which are closed to vehicular traffic.
Lonely country roads with minimal traffic.
Local breweries to help quench a riders thirst.
Plentiful birdlife along the waterways.
The beautiful Sherman and Canterbury waterfalls in the Dundas Conservation Area.
Navigation
There are TWO route files you should have downloaded for the GNR. It is advised that you have some practice using your navigation devices before heading out on the GNR especially if you haven’t previously navigated on a trails. GPS navigation is a must. It would be very hard to follow this route with a paper map. The route can be updated or modified at any time so it's best to review the route for trip planning but download these files shortly before your ride so you have the most up-to-date route.
1) This is a bare-bones file for navigation because devices like Garmins and Wahoos do not handle large files well and will not show Points of Interest.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31335821
If downloading a .gpx file do not click on Reduce to 500 Points. This will result if poor navigation.
You can also use this file to navigate with on your mobile phone using the Ride with Gps app. But offline navigation is only available for those with a paid membership and it's best to have the file with the Points of Interest on your phone.
Some GPS navigation devices, including the Garmin eTrex, have a track-point limit to the .gpx files they can store. For this reason breaking up the route file into smaller segments might be necessary.
2) This is a larger file that includes numerous Points Of Interest (POIs) and can be used for planning your trip both beforehand and during your ride: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30874383
This route file should be downloaded using the free Ride with GPS mobile app (https://ridewithgps.com/help/mobile/). To download, click on the route link while using your mobile device and it should pop up in the app, then click download. All the Points of Interest including locations for food stores, hotels and camping areas will remain visible. Tap on a POI and the additional information will be displayed such as the opening hours for food outlets. Zoom in on a particular area of the route as some POI’s overlap and many of them are not visible when zoomed out.
NOTE: During COVID, operating hours of services listed on the Points of Interest might not be accurate.
NOTE: Offline navigation is only available to subscribers of Ride with GPS. When downloading the file for Offline navigation, it can take a long time. On the app, under the Offline Tab in your Library, you should see a NAVIGATE symbol.
When navigating with the mobile Ride with GPS app, it’s best not to rely solely on the voice prompts as sometimes they can steer you in the wrong direction. The line on the map remains the best navigation tool
If running the Ride with Gps mobile app as you ride you can enable Live Logging so friends and family can follow your journey in live time. This is available for Basic and Premium members. If you are using Live Logging let me know as I'd love to follow along.
Route Notes
The first two-thirds of the route involves the most trail sections while the last one-third features a greater amount of riding in the open countryside using as many gravel roads as possible. It's best not to overestimate how fast you'll get through the trail sections, especially the vast Dundas Conservation Area.
The route rides best in a clockwise direction.
Between the 34km and 38km are three sections of singletrack along the Grand River. These are easy to miss but keep a lookout for them as they are very fun to ride.
A trip to the Sherman waterfall involves an out-and-back trip. It is a picture-worthy spot, but this short side-trip is optional.
The loop along a very pretty trail to Canterbury Falls in the Dundas Conservation Area can be considered optional.
There are a couple access points to old bridges where a sign suggests that you should not enter. But, indeed, you can proceed.
Need to Know
It must be stressed that the route is entirely unsupported and unsanctioned with no insurance provided. All riders are responsible for their own well-being on the route and ride at their own risk. The route developer takes no responsibility. There is no guarantee of route conditions at any given time. You are entirely responsible for your own safety and decisions that are made including accommodation and necessary detours. Planning and due diligence is imperative. It is advised to study the route map and make note of your supply options as well as some possible detours (these are marked with a Control Point symbol). If you are not comfortable riding a section of the route take any necessary alternatives. Planning and due diligence is imperative as is riding within your means. People "racing" the route do so at their own risk.
If you would like to be included in the GNR Hall of Fame following completion of the route please pass along a photo of you and your ride out on the route. You can also include your total time on the route.
The designated start and end point is the red tractor at Ecocafe in the village of St. Jacob’s, but the route can be started at any point that best suits a rider.
The GNR is not as demanding as the BT 700 in terms of ruggedness and elevation gain. The total elevation is roughly 2,900 metres. But there are enough hefty inclines and other trail nuances in the route to keep riders from simply just cruising along. Even experienced gravel riders and bikepackers will find their challenges on the route. It can be rated as an intermediate ride, but also a good introduction to bikepacking for those going at a more casual pace.
It should take most riders between 2 to 3 days to complete the route. However, some riders pursuing an ITT have completed the loop in under 24 hrs. The GNR was designed to be a touring route and not a racing route. But nothing is stopping a rider from gunning for a time goal, but you do so at your own risk. Those who are really ambitious will combine both the GNR and BT 700 in what I call the BT XL.
The route consists of approximately 75 percent non-pavement surfaces in the form of gravel roads, doubletrack, singletrack and rail trail. So even though the route runs into some fairly big urban centres it never really feels like you are too far removed from nature and countryside. With the exception of a few short sections, the trails used for the GNR are not especially technical and don’t require expert mountain bike skills. However, they still can take a bit of trail riding skill and require a fair amount of time to ride through.
The route can be enjoyed from May to October. Because of the amount of riverside trails, it’s best avoided during particularly wet periods.
I have noted several “wild” camping options along the route. These are places that I thought could be good for discreet tenting as they appear not to tramp on private land. However, I can’t guarantee these and all riders are responsible for safely securing their own overnight resting spots – and absolutely leaving no trace.
Several detour options to make certain sections easier to ride are marked on the master route file with a Control Point of Interest. Riders are responsible for knowing where these exist.
What Bike?
The GNR can be tackled using either a gravel bike or a mountain bike, with the latter providing the most comfort on the trail sections. If using a gravel/cross bike with 700 wheels, you’ll find some of the trail sections easier to ride with fatter tires, say a width of 40 or larger. You should also have some experience riding trails with this type of bike and run tubeless if possible. For mountain bikes, anything over 2.5-inch tires will be overkill. A mountain/gravel hybrid like a Salsa Cutthroat/Fargo would also be a great choice for this route.
You can use the BT 700 forum page to also post questions pertaining to the GNR.
Parking
If needed, riders can obtain a free multi-day parking permit in the start/finish town of St. Jacob's. Contact me if you require this.
More questions? Use the contact form to send me your questions.
If you would like to be included in the GNR Hall of Fame following completion of the route please pass along a photo of you and your ride out on the route. You can also include your total time on the route.
More questions? Use the contact form to send me your questions.
If you enjoyed your time on the BT 700 or GNR bikepacking routes consider making a donation to help support future route development.
