Every spring, the same thing happens. The snow melts, the days get longer, the trails everyone wants to ride are too soft to touch, and Ontario mountain bikers find themselves staring at their bikes wondering when they can finally get back out. And then someone in the group chat says, "Turkey Point is open."
And just like that, the season starts.
Turkey Point — or TP, as the locals call it — sits on the shores of Lake Erie in Norfolk County, about 90 minutes south of Hamilton. It has roughly 85 kilometres of singletrack, sandy soil that drains in hours rather than days, and a microclimate that means it’s rideable when nothing else in the province is. For Ontario riders, TP is the trail system that saves spring. And it earns a place on your annual rotation for far more than just that.
What You’re Actually Riding
The trails at Turkey Point are managed by the Turkey Point Mountain Bike Club — TPMBC — which started in 2011 with 52 members and has since grown to over 575. The club holds memorandums of understanding with eight different landowners in the area, including Turkey Point Provincial Park, the St. Williams Conservation Reserve, and various private landholders. The result is a sprawling network of 85-plus kilometres of singletrack stitched across multiple tracts, with five separate parking areas serving as access points.
The terrain is flat. We mean it. The longest descent on the entire property is maybe 20 metres of vertical drop. What Turkey Point lacks in elevation, it more than makes up for in trail design — tight, twisting singletrack threaded through Carolinian forest, sandy fast-rolling sections, the occasional rooty challenge, and route options that essentially never end. With over 70 named trails, you can ride here all weekend and not retrace your tire tracks.
Sandy soil, year-round access, 85 kilometres of singletrack, and a trail club that genuinely makes the place feel like home. It’s an Ontario classic.
Who It’s For
Riders desperate to get out in early spring: When the rest of Ontario is muddy and closed, Turkey Point is dry and open. April is one of the best months to be here.
Newer riders: The lack of elevation makes this one of the most beginner-friendly trail systems in the province. Tight turns, sure, but no scary descents. Saudwinder, Dizzy Lizzy, and Spinal Tap are great entry points.
Intermediate riders looking for distance: This is where TP shines. You can build 30, 40, even 50-kilometre loops without ever repeating yourself. Strong cardio day, no terrain anxiety.
Advanced riders looking for a challenge: The tighter, more technical trails on the east side and in the Anderson Tract — High Mile, Summit, Methane, Motörhead — will keep you working.
Fat bikers in winter: TPMBC runs a grooming machine and maintains winter trails. The sand and snow combination is unique.
A Few Trails to Build a Day Around
Dizzy Lizzy: One of the highest-rated trails in the system. Twisty, fun, sets the tone for what TP riding feels like.
Saudwinder: Classic intro trail. Often the first one new riders meet.
One For The Vine: The longest trail in the system. Worth a dedicated lap.
Motörhead and Methane: When you want to feel something tighter and more technical.
The Northern Tier route: A popular long loop that connects trails north of the fish hatchery — great for racking up kilometres.
Plan Your Day
Where to park: Long Point Eco Adventures on Front Road is the main trailhead — look for the old tobacco-farm water tower with the club logo. There’s a bike wash, an outhouse, and a fire pit. Five other parking areas are scattered across the network, including the Mole Road / Turkey Point Road area and the Old Dump parking lot for east-side access.
Cost: Free to ride, but TPMBC membership is strongly encouraged ($30/year as of recent seasons). Memberships fund trail building, maintenance, and the relationships with landowners that keep the network open. You should also note that certain parking areas that encroach on the Provincial Park are now paid parking.
When to ride: Year-round. Spring and fall are statistical favourites, but TP holds up in mid-summer (just bring bug spray) and has a real winter fat-bike scene.
Bring: Map. The Trailforks region is well-maintained. With 100-plus trails it’s easy to get a little lost without one.
Drive Time: About 90 minutes from Hamilton, two hours from Toronto, an hour from Brantford.
Make It a Bikes and Beers Day
Turkey Point is in the heart of Norfolk County, which has quietly become one of the best food and drink regions in southern Ontario. Burning Kiln Winery is connected to the trail network — you can literally ride there. Long Point Eco Adventures runs a kitchen and bar. And the surrounding towns — Port Dover, Simcoe, Vittoria — are full of cideries, breweries, and farm-to-table spots that turn a riding day into a proper outing. And of course, Lake Erie is right there. Pack a swimsuit.
Turkey Point is on our schedule as a season-opener almost every year — first warm-ish weekend in April, full group, full day of riding, late lunch at Long Point Eco Adventures. Watch for the announcement and join us.
Bikes and Beers Adventures is an Ontario-based mountain bike club and adventure travel company. We run weekly group rides, weekend adventures, training programs, and trips across Ontario, Quebec, and beyond.