Over 100 cyclists from across Canada and the United States are helping launch Canada’s newest binational cycling destination. The 2026 Great Waterfront Trail Adventure (GWTA) rolls through Windsor, Essex County and Pelee Island and across the Gordie Howe International Bridge into Detroit. The destination was officially launched Tuesday morning with a ribbon-cutting in Windsor attended by Marlaine Koehler of the Waterfront Regeneration Trust and other Canadian and American partners and community leaders. The launch marks four years of cross‑border collaboration to connect and promote cycling experiences in Windsor‑Essex and southeast Michigan, creating new opportunities for residents and visitors to explore two countries and their shared Great Lakes waterfront by bike. The Gordie Howe bridge is at the centre of the network. The multi‑use path on the bridge establishes the first signed international crossing of both the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail and the Trans Canada Trail. “This is much more than a new route across a bridge. It is the realization of a vision we have been working toward with our Canadian and American partners since 2022,” said Koehler. “By connecting extraordinary trails, waterfronts and communities on both sides of the Detroit River, we are giving people an entirely new way to experience and appreciate this region — slowly, actively and up close.” The binational initiative brings together the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, Trans Canada Trail, Southeast Michigan Community Foundation and Michigan Department of Natural Resources, alongside municipalities, tourism organizations, trail partners and the Windsor‑Detroit Bridge Authority. On the Canadian side, the project builds on the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail’s expansion to Lake Erie in 2012 and significant investments made since then by municipalities and conservation authorities in their waterfronts, trails and active transportation networks. The initiative has more than 500 kilometres of signed cycling experiences, including nine scenic itineraries, three binational gateways, over 1,000 wayfinding signs, new digital and print resources, and more than 125 Ontario By Bike certified businesses. As part of the initiative, Trans Canada Trail has also added the first international border crossing to its nationwide network and expanded its network through Leamington and onto Pelee Island, extending the national 30,000-kilometre trail to Canada’s southernmost inhabited point. “Connecting communities has always been at the heart of the Trans Canada Trail,” said Meghan Reddick, chief communications and marketing officer with Trans Canada Trail. “This partnership is the perfect illustration of how trails can connect communities and inspire unity.” In Detroit, cyclists can connect to a growing network of trails, greenways, waterfront parks and public spaces. There have been major investments in the Detroit RiverWalk, Joe Louis Greenway, Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park, Southwest Greenway and other destinations. Five days showcasing connected waterfront communities From August 10–14, Great Waterfront Trail Adventure (GWTA) participants will explore Windsor, Essex County and Pelee Island, highlighting waterfronts, natural areas, cultural attractions and key cycling infrastructure. On Tuesday, riders will make a binational crossing into Detroit to experience the city’s expanding trail network before returning to Canada. Other GWTA highlights include the Herb Gray Parkway Trail, Chrysler Canada Greenway, the County-Wide Acive Transportation System (CWATS), Point Pelee National Park, Essex County communities and beaches, and a cycling excursion to Pelee Island.
