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Tags:
Level: Intermediate
Length: 30 mi (48.3 km)
Surface: Singletrack
Configuration: Network
Elevation: +413/ -411 ft
Total: 61 riders
Mountain Biking Short Hills Provincial Park
#44 of 308 mountain bike trails in Ontario
This is a small Provincial Park. There are numerous well established singletrack trails. Some are for hikers only, but most are multi use. Trail maps and a description of the park are available on www.friendsofshorthillspark.ca. This is pretty much the best mountain biking in Niagara. There is no cost to enter the park but it is sporatically patrolled by wardens who will give you a ticket for riding on the hiking only trails. The trails are fairly well marked and there is a map at the entrance. If you are in the area and need a bike shop, Rapid City Cycle is a great shop in downtown St. Catharines.
First added by searsandrewj on Mar 12, 2006. Last updated Jul 20, 2021. → add an update
Before you go
- Drinking water: no
- Lift service: no
- Night riding: unknown
- Pump track: no
- Restrooms: no
- Fat bike grooming: unknown
- E-bikes allowed: unknown
- Fee required: no
This trail information is user-generated. Help improve this information by suggesting a correction.
From QEW highway, take Hwy 406 (It only goes south). Go past St. Catharines to St. Davids Rd West. Follow the ramp to the right. Turn left on Merrittville Hwy (If you go past this you will end up on Brock University Campus). Turn right on Decew Rd and then left on Cataract Rd. The entrance to the park is marked and is Wiley Rd. It is about a 1/4 mile after you turn onto Decew Rd. Go about 1/2 a mile down Wiley Rd. and you will come to the parking lot and park entrance.
Very enjoyable. It seems though, that even if most of the trail is bone dry, there will be many mud pits. As I said, very enjoyable ;)
| ThankOverall good area but as stated in other reviews too many hikers especially on a Sunday afternoon .A Few sections left open to bikes and horses but many side trails and some other main loops all posted no bikes. Quite a shame , they looked really good also and more off the beaten path than the wider main loops.
| ThankSolid ride for sure, but look out for hikers. Good climbs followed by great downhill flow. If you're starting or just getting back into riding (like me), brush up on technique and be sure you're fit ready!
| ThankGreat flow, some really short punchy climbs followed by nice downhill runs
| ThankRode this trail along with part of the Brock Escarpment trail system. The trails were very smooth and flowey. The rider who led our ride said we did about one half of the combined trails. We rode for 3 hours and did about 13 miles. I look forward to getting back there to ride the other half.
| ThankHave been here as a beginner and now again as a novice. Now that I have better riding technique (climbing) I find this place is a good place if you don't mind the challenge of a few killer first gear climbs. Some great fast downhill sections as a reward. If you are a beginner you may have to walk your bike up a lot of hills. Intermediate riders can tackle most that this place offers. Seems they've closed a section of the trail so not an overly long ride but as a review mentioned there is another lower section to try. Give a few days after a rainfall before riding.
| ThankLots of climbing for quick straight down descents I won't be back
| ThankNot a great ride at all. No flow. Lots of hikers. Head to Milton if you want a good ride.
| ThankThis weekend was my first time riding out in short hills. I had a blast! I'm fairly new to the sport, and this trail circuit offered me plenty of exposure to new and challenging obstacles! Plenty of inclines that make you work, beauty scenery, even the opportunity to cross through a few creeks (which I found rather thrilling).
| ThankBe ready to work if you're riding when the ground is wet!
When you speak of Shorthills don't forget the great technical trails below the escarpment along the 12 mile creek,both sides down to the Burgoyne bridge, used for Liberty Cycles 8x12 racing series.
| ThankThey are a great add on to the Shorthills via BrockU.
Only two (trails #1 and #2) of the seven trails in Short Hills are open to multi-use (yellow trail markers) and the total of those two trails is 16 km (10 mi). The other trails are slowly being destroyed because of bikers, horses, and ATVers.
All that said, those two trails are great for riding. There are a couple of up-hills which never seem to end and a couple of down-hills which are quite steep and covered with roots and there are even more which offer a mix of the two. Both trails are quite wide on most of the flats but narrow on the up and down-hills.
Overall, it's just a great place. Not recommended to ride during the wet as it is quite damaging to the trails dangerous to you (steep drop-offs right beside a good part of the trails).
| ThankGreat singletrack, very fast in spots, watch out for hikers and deer
| Thank