Kelso

We rode the majority of the trails, many excellent challenging trails along with some easier ones. The climb back up is the worst part... unless you like that sort of thing then it has extra difficult options. Highlights are the rocks, cliffs, skinnies, and lookouts. Absolutely beautiful place to ride - I made a video of the entire day experience there so you know what to expect right down to ticket purchase: https://youtu.be/4TB2H39rc7A

Start at the bottom and take the elevator up to the start of the ski hill climb (I'm not kidding) The climb is short but has a few punchy switchbacks and gets steep for the last 50 meters. Up top, there's a small but super fun network of mostly hard packed clay trails with short pieces of technical limestone. All of the rock features are rollable so go ahead and hit them blind. There are 3 woodwork drops, 2 of which are in the little skills area in the middle of the network and easy to see and one is on a black trail. (Can't remember which one) All in all this place has improved a lot since i last rode it 20 years a go. Only about 1 1/2 hours to ride everything here but worth it. If you need more and din't feel challenged, cross the highway and hit Agreement Forest AKA Hilton Falls afterwards. Ride Hard, take chances!

Great variety of trails and styles. Some wooden bridge features, some downhill and cross country. Some very flowy trails and others that are a lot of rocks and roots. Incredibly well marked and trails map available from the kiosks. Super well maintained and not a ton of bugs.

There is nothing beyond the climb back up the mountain that would make this "ADVANCED".

It's a very easy trail to ride. Years of Cross Country racing has removed most of the fallen trees, rocks, holes etc that make riding a rewarding challenge (up to 600 racers every Tuesday in summer).

This is a place I ride when I want to go fast, get a breeze or avoid mosquitos. Or just get a good fast ride and not have to "Think" when I'm riding.

I would recommend this for beginner and near intermediate riders looking for a place to advance theirs skills, but not have to deal with the rocks.

The fall season is full of people looking at the fall colours, so that can be an issue. They aren't used to sharing the trails.

The actual ADVANCED TRAIL in this area is The Agreement Forrest. I don't even see it listed here. The most popular entrance is right across from Mohawk Raceway om Guelph Line.

These trails had nice variety. We weren't sure how the trail ratings would compare to our riding in BC last fall where we found the blacks/blues harder than expected, but that is not the case here - they were on par with the blues & blacks in the Midwest US. The double blacks appeared too difficult for me (and my XC bike), while I saw a toddler with his mom on the greens. Huge variety! There were fun features to ride on many of the trails if you chose, but easier go-arounds too. Being from out of town, things are well marked, and it's the kind of place you can just ride around blindly until you want to finish, at which point you find where you are on the map (that you carry, as maps aren't on the trails) and figure out a route back. We had enough fun here that we rode here another day on our way out of town and I was already developing a feel for where certain trails were. My favorite section that was challenging, was the (unmarked) Escarpment trail. Offers killer climbing/training opportunities if you ride up and down the ski side trails. We did have difficulty finding a trailhead, as we initially entered at the bottom of the ski hills, and had a park employee direct us to the other lot on Steele. $7 CAD/person/day.

Well-kept trails and beautiful views! The intermediate trails were easier than other intermediates that I've been on; ditto the black diamond and double diamonds. Yes, I got off a couple times on certain sketchy rock climbs (I didn't have knee or elbow pads), but they were very rideable otherwise. Beware the leaf peepers in fall -- there were busloads of hikers on site and they all walked with their heads and phones to the sky. Dodging them in places was a bit like avoiding walkers on the Walking Dead.

I made some videos of the segments at Kelso if interested https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk2vNTvcYcnoeys7zmQFfrQ check them out. I nice mix of single and double track with harder climbs and rocky extreme areas as well as easy relaxing areas for all levels of MTB.

Mostly flat trails (other than climbing the escarpment). Twisty with surprise rocky sections. Nice mixture of easy (i.e. family friendly) and more challenging rides. Markings can be a challenge to follow.
(Comparison to Albion Hills in Caledon, starting at top of the escarpment. Many reviewers noting the hill have started at the bottom. Park at the top if you'd like to save your lungs.) The twists seemed more contrived than "flow", but there are some nice areas in the forest (Wizards Way, Lora's Run, Deer Run, Lac Trail, and Old Dump Trail are beautiful).

Tried these for the first time this past weekend. It was fairly challenging to me as and intermediate rider (second season riding) but very enjoyable! The was lots of technical stuff, some fun flowy portions, tons of hills to test your lungs and some really cool spots with obstacles to session and try to build your skills. Over all the trails were well mantained and fun to ride with a mix of single and double track. There are some really cool spots to take a break and enjoy the views from atop the escarpment too :) I gave it a 4 star for a few reasons... its not 1 way- I would like to see directional signs as we ran into a lot of areas where either our group or another had to pull over and let the other pass or both had to take a poor line to get around each other. Poor signage- the trails were not very well marked throughout the trails.... Overall I would definitely go back and plan on it! See ya out there ????

What a great place to go ride.

Was here for my first time. The trails are not overly rocky as they are in Hilton Falls area.

Being on the edge of Glen Eden Ski hill, there is a lot, and I mean A LOT, of climbing. But with all that climbing you get rewarded with some great technical downhill.

Also, the bike park is a blast.

Will definitely be back!!!!

Where ever you go, you're climbing! Solid trails and definitely well maintained. I went a month ago in the pouring rain, slipping and sliding over rocks and heavy mud. Be sure your ride is mud ready! Looking forward to coming back.

Kelso staff did an incredible job getting downed trees off the trails so park could open. Still some snow blocking Ascention. Some trails quite wet but all in all great conditions for the opening.

nope not number 6.
Hilton falls close in proximity and so much more of a challenge and way more trails.

An awesome local place to get your trek on! Clearly marked trails, modest mix of terrain, not crazy busy. Accommodates all levels of riding :)

I ride out of Whitby and I wanted to try something new in the west end. I looked at the Singletracks website and picked the highest ranked trail system I had not done that was close. Kelso it is.

My overall impression is "ok", but not worthy of #5 on the list of trails in ON. There is some flowy singletrack, lots of double track, and a couple more challenging trails.

Biggest drawback: the trail system is way, way too short. There is not enough km of challenging singletrack to keep advanced riders coming back.

No way deserving #5 ranking in ON.

P.S. Trail markings are excellent.

Great for if your just starting or some down hill technical trails if you've Been riding long

Kelso has been my home park for about 8 years now; although the trails are better maintained and signed today than they were of years past, this place has gotten a lot busier. Good for making $$ and maintaining the place, bad because there are quite a few people that don't understand the nuances of using the trails:
1. Don't attempt to ride a feature until you are very comfortable with it.
2. Ride THROUGH the puddles, not around them: Riding around them creates "trail widening" which is bad for the forest. If getting dirty bothers you; ride on the roads :)
3. Nobody wants to hear the music from your car in the parking lot.
4. If you're a hiker and you decide to hike a bike trail, please stay to the side :)

If you like challenging single track, you'll be hard pressed to find a more enjoyable trail than X-Treem or Rough Trade. This place is tops - try to enjoy it before it gets overrun by hikers!

Personally, I think Kelso could benefit by making Rough Trade a one-way trail. Starting from the intersection at the end of deer run, and ending on Old Farm trail.

Great day. Trails well maintained with a couple of new trails open.

great ride today. Our first time here. Lots of places to get some speed. lots of areas for technical biking. rocks, roots, jumps, etc. My girlfriend and I had a blast. we got rained out an hour in but will be back. grab a map and start at the top kelso has two entrances. the top is the best we started below once before but on top is where it is. great day

Some of the best all around riding in the province, places for beginers all the way to experts. So close to Hilton Falls too so you don't have far to go for a change of pace. Tuesday nights offer up one of the best seasonal race series around.