Tricity Living

Tricity Lights ~ The Hydro Cut

A hidden gem nestled between Kitchener and Waterloo, The Hydro Cut is one of the best biking trails in not just Ontario, but in Canada.  A technical trail with adrenalin-pumping tight turns, gives even the best of riders some wicked burns.  The trail is well maintained and designed with a great outlay and good for both cross country and downhill training. The hydro cut is named so because of a main trail following the power lines, with numerous single tracks leading off of it. Many of the single tracks are extremely well developed and flow really well. Trails go all the way past St. Agatha, but some of the more serious bikers say the best riding is not until St Agatha. Follow the Hydro Lines and branch off to the single tracks, and eventually loop back to hydro lines. Some north shore style trails are hidden away deep in here, so look for them on the north side of the cut. Find the signs for "Frankenstein", a trail with great tight switchbacks and tight technical short downhill sections.  The trails have great tree cover for when the summer gets hot.  Although the hydro-cut is a place for serious bikers to cut tracks, it suits the young bikers and families too.  Just pick a day or time which won't be so busy, if you are biking with kids under 12.  It is single track, so you may have faster riders coming up behind you if the kids are slower riders. Directions: If you enter from the Highland Road route (past Trussler Rd, right at yellow barn/gravel pit entrance) there is a sign stating that at least that section of the forest is an "Agreement Forest", therefore crown land.  Parking for the Hydrocut is just south of University Avenue West on Glasgow Street and there is another non-official entrance off of Trussler.

 

"Moving back from Victoria, BC and Jasper, Alberta, I was a little upset that I couldn't ride serious trails anymore. Then I was introduced to the hydrocut and am riding there pretty much every day!"

TrailPeek Review, Site User: Froggie

"This trail got written up in Mountain Bike Mag. Did anything else in Ontario get this kind of props? It is the best. It was built by the best trail builders in all Canada and is approved by IMBA and the City of Kitchener. Ride it all until you hurt then go home and brag, as you just rode the best in Canada".

MTBR Review, Site User: Bad Dad

"Wow.  Just got back from the Hydrocut, a gorgeous xc/freeride trail with a good three hours worth of serious singletrack riding. Rained, but the area terain has a sandy texture on the surface, and so it was not overly greasy. Good times and incredible tracks!"

PC Roxford Review, Site User: Modul8