Navigation
There are TWO route files you should have downloaded for the BT 700. It is advised that you have some practice using your navigation devices before heading out on the BT 700 especially if you haven’t navigated trails or backcountry roads before. GPS navigation is a must. It would be very hard to follow the BT 700 with an old-school paper map. The route can be updated or modified at any time so it's best to review the route in advance for trip planning purposes but download these files shortly before your ride so you have the most up-to-date ride file.
Please DO NOT use old route files floating around Ride with GPS from other riders or files you may have downloaded a long time ago. The links here are the current route you should be using.
Route File #1: This is a bare-bones file for navigation because devices like Garmins and Wahoos do not handle large files well and will not typically show Points of Interest properly.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43416846
If downloading a .gpx file DO NOT click on Reduce to 500 Points. This will result if poor navigation. Here is some additional information on downloading the route to your navigation device.
You can also use this file to navigate with on your mobile phone using the Ride with GPS app. For non BT 700 club members, offline navigation is only available for those with a paid membership. However, it's best to have the route files below with the Points of Interest as the ones you use on your phone using the the Ride with GPS mobile app.
Here is an excellent tutorial on how to use routes using Ride with GPS and other navigation devices: https://ridewithgps.com/journal/7347-customize-your-bikepacking-com-adventure
Some GPS navigation devices, including the Garmin eTrex, have a track-point limit to the .gpx files they can store. And some devices just don't function optimally when working with a lengthy route. For this reason, breaking up the route file into smaller segments might be necessary. Here is a tutorial on how to break up a route into two or more segments. Note that you'll first need to save the route to your own route library on Ride with GPS before splitting the route into shorter segments.
Riders have reported having some major device issues when trying to record one continuous ride during an ITT. Particularly with Wahoo devices. It is strongly recommended that you stop and save your ride occasionally and then use a program like this to combine the files post ride if you want to upload one big ride to programs like Strava.
If needed, here is a tutorial from Ride with GPS on how to import a route that you have saved in your Ride with GPS route library from the mobile app directly to your Garmin or Wahoo using bluetooth.
Route File #2: These are larger files that include numerous Points Of Interest (POIs) and can be used for planning your trip and downloaded on the free Ride with GPS mobile app.
BT 700 Part One: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39947965
BT 700 Part Two: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39947976
I have broken down the full route into two separate parts as the mobile phone app will be less glitchy then when using smaller sized files. Simply start up part two when you have finished riding part one. 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, bike shops, 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: In the route file maps below you'll see a "send to device" tab on the top. Clicking this while using your mobile device will let you directly upload the route to the Ride with GPS app on your mobile device. More info on this process here.
FREE Off-line Navigation with your phone: If you become a BT 700 Bikepacking Club Member (no cost, no spam) you'll be able to download the route files using the Ride with GPS app and access it's navigational features including voice prompts. Normally, this is only available for Premium Account subscribers. All you will need is a free Ride with GPS account.
Anyone with a free or paid Ride with GPS account who clicks this link will be added to the club and automatically approved. Just click View in the Route Library and it will open up a route file that can be downloaded. Here is some more info about the benefits of being a club member.
NOTE: Before commencing on the trip make sure you have downloaded these files for Offline use. Just be aware that the download can take several minutes. it can take a long time.
Here is a good summary of the pros and cons of using a smartphone to navigate with the Ride with GPS app.
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.
Using both a navigation device like Garmin and the Ride with GPS mobile app when riding a route can offer a nice safety net. If one is not going well, then you have a second option for navigating.
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. Data usage is minimal but you'll have to keep on top of your battery power.
If you run into issues downloading these files onto any of your devices let me know and I can try to provide assistance. Ride with GPS also has excellent customer support.
Route Note: At the 547.5km mark of the route you will enter the Castle Glen area. There is a sign saying No Trespassing but the public is allowed to use this trail system and you can enter. It's posted for liability reasons.
Optional Sections
Several trail sections on the route have been marked in blue to indicate these are optional for riders who are not comfortable on these trail sections. Suggestions for ride arounds have been made. For the most part, the trails are not technical and don't require expert mountain bike skills.
Segments at a Glance
St. Jacob’s to Southampton (195km): The route commences in the village of St. Jacob’s, the heart of Ontario’s Mennonite country, and travels through rural areas featuring open farmland, big skies, and close-tied communities towards the sunny shores of Lake Huron, one of the Great Lakes. Along the way, the terrain comprises of predominantly good quality gravel roads with a couple of sections of singletrack and rail trail of variable roughness to spice things up. This is classic gravel grinding. This is the flattest and least arduous section of the route, allowing riders to cover mileage more quickly. However, a dreaded headwind can slow your progress on this section.
Southampton to Thornbury (200km): Leaving the lakeside town of Southampton, it’s here where your undulating riding begins as you pass through Saugeen First Nations territory. Moving east it’s a combination of smooth and bumpy gravel roads, disorderly non-serviced roads, and forest trail as you ride through the little visited and nature-cloaked Georgian Bluffs and then onto the hilly Bayview Escarpment with its widescreen views. You’ll pass through the well-serviced city of Owen Sound before a visit to the thundering Inglis Falls. A well-maintained community trail takes you between the town of Meaford and the terminus of the segment Thornbury.
Thornbury to Mono Mills (230km): Time to get swallowed into the belly of the Butter Tart. A beast of a climb takes you out of Thornbury where riders will then strike through the fetching Beaver Valley making use of an abundance of gravel and dirt roads and some rougher ‘no exit’ paths. One of the routes most white-knuckled downhills brings riders into the charming village of Kimberly where praise-worthy butter tarts await at the iconic Kimberly General Store. From here, the Lower Valley road is a joy to ride, and don’t miss the opportunity to visit the photogenic Hogg’s Falls. The route then strikes back north following the path of the Escarpment- there are dirt roads everywhere in this region but some riders will emerge weary from the abundance of punchy climbs. A true highlight is the exhilarating trail riding through the verdant Kolapore Uplands. Now we head back south for arguably the most physically demanding section of the route that involves plenty of tough climbs on rougher (albeit beautiful) little used unmaintained roads and forest track. The unpaved bounty of Grey County and Dufferin County is on full display here. Forest riding abounds as you navigate four provincial parks, with the glide through Mono Provincial Park being one of the prettiest sections of the trip. Overall, this is by far the most rugged and hilliest section of the BT route. So plan your time accordingly.
Mono Mills to St. Jacob’s (132km): For the most part, the final section of the BT 700 oscillates between singletrack, rail trail, and gravel roads. The riding is not as demanding as the previous segment. From the crossroads town of Mono Mills, the route enters the longest section of singletrack through the Glen Haffy Conservation area and Oak Ridges moraine. These are generally not technical sections and the flow is generally on a downward slope, but can slow down the riding pace and be a bit tricky to navigate. Areas can be overgrown in the weed season, so caution is needed and a ride through the area should be followed by a tick check. What follows is some additional flowy singletrack fun in Palgrave Forest and Albion Hills Conservation Area. Riders are then awarded for their efforts with a long glide on the well-maintained, and flat, Elora Cataract Trail which heads west and towards the finish line. But just when you thought the fun was over a final challenge awaits in the form of some heart-pumping vertical and tricky terrain on the Bruce Trail into Forks of the Credit Provincial Park. A long additional stretch of flat, smooth rail trail brings riders across the imposing Belwood dam and into touristy Elora, home of the mighty Elora gorge. Along the way, a butter tart from the Belwood Country Market comes highly recommended. From here, it’s a mix of pavement and gravel for the return to St. Jacob’s, a heavenly welcome at the end of a butter tart pilgrimage.
If you enjoyed your time on the BT 700 or other bikepacking routes on this site consider making a donation to help with future route development.