It’s five to five on a weekday afternoon in Toronto and you have two options: you can hop in your car and try to fight some of the busiest traffic congestion in North America, or you can hop on your bike and head to one of the area’s most unique cycling gems.

Hidden away alongside the horribly busy Don Valley Parkway are the Don Valley Trails, a 15-kilometre network of technical singletrack multi-use trails between Bayview and Eglinton Avenue. Owned by Toronto and Region Conservation (TRC), managed by the City of Toronto, and maintained by the city and the Don Valley Trail Users Club (DVTUC, www.dvtuc.com), the trails are a popular getaway for cyclists looking for an escape from the smog-infested streets of the big city.

“It’s the best riding you can imagine in a city-type environment,” said DVTUC president Cary Luner. “It’s easy to get to and there’s a huge user base, but I think also it’s the fact that it is challenging. It gives you such a diverse terrain that it’s like doing interval training.”

To get the full effect of the Don Valley Trail, park in the gravel lot off of Pottery Road and pedal your way up the nasty climb directly in front of you. It’s as tough as the climbing gets on these trails, since everything else is mostly quick ups and downs. The trails are easy in a few spots, but for the most part, it’s tight and technically challenging singletrack. Since much of it runs along the valley walls, there’s no shortage of off-camber fun.

The main trail runs about six kilometres north to a parking lot off of Thorncliffe Park Drive and from there you can either ride back along the same trail, head west over the tracks to another section of singletrack that takes you back to the start, or continue north to find some of the more hidden sections of singletrack, as well as the popular paved trails in Taylor Creek Park.

What makes the trail system even more interesting is the fact that it was never really “planned,” but just sort of came about due to hikers and cyclists.

“The trails along the forested slopes of the Don Valley developed over several decades through informal, social use, and were not planned or constructed to be sustainable,” said Keri McMahon, the natural environment specialist for the City of Toronto.

But in order to keep them usable, the city is now working with trail users such as the DVTUC to “improve the sustainability and safety.” While there are a number of man-made stunts in the trail network, they are few and far between compared to what used to be there about two years ago. Some of the obstacles were poorly built and dangerously high, so the city and the DVTUC worked to clear out anything that could be considered a serious liability issue.

“It boils down to risk management. We’re not in there as trail police . . . but if you set a bad example in the city of Toronto and things go south, you’ll get a lot of bad press, which will lead to further loss of trails in other areas,” said Luner, who credits city employee and mountain biker Bob Bonner with bringing together the city and the trail riders two years ago. “I think it’s crucial to have that working relationship with the city. It took a long time to get here and it’s going very well. We meet on a regular basis.”

The city isn’t completely opposed to letting riders have some fun. McMahon said they are working on guidelines that will address what, if any, structures should be allowed and where they should be located.

All of the trails are two-way, and in the summer the brush gets fairly thick, so be cautious about tearing around corners and coming down hills. If you can swing a ride during the weekday mornings, you’ll have the trails to yourself, but on weekends and in the summer evenings, things can get a bit busy, so be courteous and give the climbers the right of way.

The best news for cyclists is the trails should be around for a long time because part of Toronto’s master plan is to not sell off any parkland, especially something as environmentally important as the Don Valley.

“Much of the Don River Valley, where the trails are found, is designated as parkland. Crothers’ Woods in the Lower Don Valley has been designated an Environmentally Significant Area by the TRC,” said McMahon. “This forest habitat and other ravine parklands are important components of the city’s Natural Heritage System.”

Ride the trails and you’ll forget you’re surrounded by six-million people. The trees, occasional glimpse of wildlife, and sounds of Nature mask the hustle and bustle of the city “” at least until a police car breaks the silence as it roars past on the Don Valley Parkway.