Exploring Muskoka by Gravel Bike: Two Rides from Port Carling
Bayley and I both got gravel bikes recently and decided to try out some local routes around Port Carling. I usually have to bribe Bayley with a coffee and snack stop to get her to join me. This time it worked out well and we ended up discovering a few great spots.
Windermere Loop
Our first ride was a loop up towards Windermere. Brackenrig Road is hilly and full of winding sections but it makes for a nice route and isn’t too busy. Falkenburg Road is paved and surprisingly lush with trees all around almost like riding through a rainforest. Doherty Road was the highlight for gravel with long sweeping descents and quiet surroundings. Along Doherty there’s a little cemetery in Ufford that is very well kept and was kind of neat to come across in the middle of a gravel ride. After Doherty there were a few more ups and downs on Windermere Road before we rolled into Windermere. We stopped at the pub at Windermere House for lunch and a beer. The food was regular pub fare and a bit pricey but sitting out on the patio with our bikes right beside us was great. We were the first ones there just after noon but by the time we left the patio was almost full. After lunch it was an easy ride back down Brackenrig into Port Carling. The only real gravel stretch on that ride was Doherty so if you’re looking for a mostly gravel route this one has a lot of pavement but it was still a really nice ride.
Mortimers Point Ride
Our second ride was out towards Mortimers Point. Ride with GPS thought there would be quite a bit more gravel than there actually was but it still turned out to be a good route. Foreman Road was in pretty rough shape but traffic was light so it wasn’t a big deal. We turned onto Cooper Point Road which was proper gravel and really scenic with rolling hills but nothing too steep. Near the end of Cooper Point Road there’s a short singletrack trail maybe about 500 meters that links over to Pleasant View Point Road. It was fun to ride on the gravel bikes though we did have to hop off once to climb over a log. After that it was back on pavement but on quiet roads all the way to Mortimers Point Marina where we stopped for smoothies and iced coffee. The ride back down Mortimers Point Road and Eveleigh Road was smooth sailing though both of those roads are paved. In town the traffic always feels a bit hairy but it’s also fun flying through on the bikes. Overall the only real gravel section on this ride was Cooper Point but it was worth it for the scenery and the snack stop.
Both rides were great ways to see Muskoka from a different perspective and even if they weren’t pure gravel the mix of quiet roads and beautiful views made them worthwhile.
Chris Inniss (he/him)
