GTA to Ottawa - Best route?

CptnHammer

CptnHammer

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Hi all!

Sorry if this is in the wrong part of the forum, not sure where to put it...?

I'm riding to Ottawa June 29th and/or June 30th for the long weekend/friend's birthday/bachelor party and back again on July 3rd or 4th. I've done the trip many times as I used to go to UOttawa but my family is north of the GTA, just never on a motorcycle before. I was thinking of 3 different routes and was hoping some peeps had experience/input.

1 - 410-416 - the highest speed limit option, so the quickest on google maps, but also the most boring.
2 - 400N - 11 - 35 - 118 - 28 - 41 - 417 (so north around lake simcoe, through bancroft to renfrew then east to ottawa) - recommended for nice, slightly twisty roads and scenic, but 80 all the way, and google says it's like 8.5hrs opposed to 5.5 on 401-416, though that seems too high...?
3 - 401 - 7 - I've taken this route before, it's less mileage but slower speed limit, lots of small towns, somewhat scenic, but don't know if it's worth the extra time.

I'm also somewhat worried that if I take one of the back routes I'll run into gas trouble, as I don't know how often there are pumps, so any experience on these routes is greatly appreciated :)
Oh, I'm not too worried about traffic, since I'll be going up after work on Thurs or Fri morn, I don't anticipate the weekend rush will be too bad then, but opinions otherwise are welcome!
 
Here are the two routes, and my own guess, that I've been given so far. I've been told to look for highways in the five hundreds.

Toronto to Ottawa over the summer
« 04, 2011, 12:20:04 PM »


What's a nice scenic route? Should I work my way up to Port Perry, Lakehurst, Gooderham, Bancroft, Pleyna, Ferguson's Falls and then hook up with the 7 into Stittsville, or are there better options?

Anyone know what the distances are between gas stations up that way?

Pretty well any bike should make it from Peterborough to Kanata on one tank, but if not there are gas stops in every small town on the way(Norwood, Havelock, marmora, Madoc(off the highway), Kaladar, Sharbot Lake, Perth and Carleton Place).

Karl

......Bancroft.......Denbigh, Griffith, Calabogie, Hopetown, Almonte, Kanata.

Grin!!

G
 
Last edited:
How fast do you want to get here? If you have time then...

401-2 through Prince Edward Country-ferry at east end to 2 again to Kingston (scenic). Highway 10 from Kingston to Westport turn off (twisty and fun)...take the road to the east at the turn off to go to highway 15...take 15 north to Smith's falls then (not sure, might be 43) to Merickville....from Merickville take the 2 through Burrit's Rapids and follow the road all the way until the sign for the 416. At this point you can just continue straight north to the 417 to Ottawa or, take the sign "Scenic Route to Ottawa" to Manotick after afew clicks. At the main crossroads in Manotick turn left onto Mitch Owen's Drive and this parallels the 417, you can continue up to the south end of Bank St on this, turn left onto Bank St and head north into the centre of Ottawa.

Lots of alternatives on this route too. Highway 7 is scenic but not that interesting a ride. Roads from Westport are a lot of fun.
 
Oh yeah..if you super slab it via 401-416-417, then before Brockville take the turnoff to highway 2, this parallels the 401 but it's waaaayyy more fun, you can take it quite a way east up to the 416.
 
If you choose to head to Kingston, then this drive is reasonably interesting and pretty:

http://goo.gl/maps/x651

Once you get to the 416, you can either boot it into Ottawa, or else cross over and take the back streets.
 
harald said:
If you choose to head to Kingston, then this drive is reasonably interesting and pretty:

http://goo.gl/maps/x651

Once you get to the 416, you can either boot it into Ottawa, or else cross over and take the back streets.
Click to expand...

That's mostly the route I mentioned but the 10 from Kingston is much much much more entertaining than the 15.
 
jc100 said:
That's mostly the route I mentioned but the 10 from Kingston is much much much more entertaining than the 15.
Click to expand...

I just wanted an excuse to draw pretty lines on Google Maps. I'd forgotten about 10 - I used to stay at a cottage just off 10, and so drove it to Perth (then 7 to Ottawa) once several years ago. I agree, it's probably more fun than 15!
 
CptnHammer said:
Hi all!

Sorry if this is in the wrong part of the forum, not sure where to put it...?

I'm riding to Ottawa June 29th and/or June 30th for the long weekend/friend's birthday/bachelor party and back again on July 3rd or 4th. I've done the trip many times as I used to go to UOttawa but my family is north of the GTA, just never on a motorcycle before. I was thinking of 3 different routes and was hoping some peeps had experience/input.

1 - 410-416 - the highest speed limit option, so the quickest on google maps, but also the most boring.
2 - 400N - 11 - 35 - 118 - 28 - 41 - 417 (so north around lake simcoe, through bancroft to renfrew then east to ottawa) - recommended for nice, slightly twisty roads and scenic, but 80 all the way, and google says it's like 8.5hrs opposed to 5.5 on 401-416, though that seems too high...?
3 - 401 - 7 - I've taken this route before, it's less mileage but slower speed limit, lots of small towns, somewhat scenic, but don't know if it's worth the extra time.

I'm also somewhat worried that if I take one of the back routes I'll run into gas trouble, as I don't know how often there are pumps, so any experience on these routes is greatly appreciated :)
Oh, I'm not too worried about traffic, since I'll be going up after work on Thurs or Fri morn, I don't anticipate the weekend rush will be too bad then, but opinions otherwise are welcome!
Click to expand...

Route #2 - I think you've nailed it if you have the time and it will put your head in a good place for the whole weekend. You have two or three enjoyable stretches in there. I'm just not sure about the details of your 41 to 417 transition. At Dacre I would pick up 132 into Renfrew and from there south 17 to 417. Definitely top up at Bancroft - you might find you're burning up gas between there and Renfrew more than usual and it's the only stretch I recall was sparse of gas stations. If it's the right time in the trip - hot roast beef dinner at the Swiss Inn Motel and Restaurant in Denbigh at 41 & 28. Good lord it was good and they helped me out big so it's a karma thing. And wear a full face helmet to hide your big grin.
 
Just got here. Took 7 from Peterborough and it sucked. Weather was terrible and the truck traffic was not helping. Took quite a bit before things got interesting before Perth but, contruction and rain sapped away any scenic observations. I contemplated Bancroft and should have trusted my gut but, I wanted to get here before dinner and the sky didn't look any more favorable regardless of the route.

So, no for option 3.
 
Charlie-brm said:
Route #2 - I think you've nailed it if you have the time and it will put your head in a good place for the whole weekend. You have two or three enjoyable stretches in there. I'm just not sure about the details of your 41 to 417 transition. At Dacre I would pick up 132 into Renfrew and from there south 17 to 417. Definitely top up at Bancroft - you might find you're burning up gas between there and Renfrew more than usual and it's the only stretch I recall was sparse of gas stations. If it's the right time in the trip - hot roast beef dinner at the Swiss Inn Motel and Restaurant in Denbigh at 41 & 28. Good lord it was good and they helped me out big so it's a karma thing. And wear a full face helmet to hide your big grin.
Click to expand...

I'm having a hard time finding this route on google maps. Would someone be able to map it out? :)
 
#2 is the way to go, just followed that same route to Mt Tremblant, 118 is amazingly beautiful
 
CptnHammer said:
Hi all!

Sorry if this is in the wrong part of the forum, not sure where to put it...?

I'm riding to Ottawa June 29th and/or June 30th for the long weekend/friend's birthday/bachelor party and back again on July 3rd or 4th. I've done the trip many times as I used to go to UOttawa but my family is north of the GTA, just never on a motorcycle before. I was thinking of 3 different routes and was hoping some peeps had experience/input.

1 - 410-416 - the highest speed limit option, so the quickest on google maps, but also the most boring.
2 - 400N - 11 - 35 - 118 - 28 - 41 - 417 (so north around lake simcoe, through bancroft to renfrew then east to ottawa) - recommended for nice, slightly twisty roads and scenic, but 80 all the way, and google says it's like 8.5hrs opposed to 5.5 on 401-416, though that seems too high...?
3 - 401 - 7 - I've taken this route before, it's less mileage but slower speed limit, lots of small towns, somewhat scenic, but don't know if it's worth the extra time.

I'm also somewhat worried that if I take one of the back routes I'll run into gas trouble, as I don't know how often there are pumps, so any experience on these routes is greatly appreciated :)
Oh, I'm not too worried about traffic, since I'll be going up after work on Thurs or Fri morn, I don't anticipate the weekend rush will be too bad then, but opinions otherwise are welcome!
Click to expand...

I think the safest route would be 401 and 416. Yes, I know it's boring, but reading how there was several major accidents that has happened just this past weekend where people are cross that yellow line, at least with the 401 and 416 you'll have a middle ditch that when you see something strange happening, you'll have time to react.
 
Depending on how long you want to take to get to Ottawa I'd suggest the 401 to Belleville, North on the 62 to Madoc then the 7 to Ottawa. Gas shouldn't be a problem as long as you can get 200 km to a tank.
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