Travel to Devils Elbow with ski insurance from Essential Travel

Devil’s Elbow slopes wind their way through strikingly lovely glades, and snow conditions are reliably good due to comprehensive snow cannon coverage.

The ski resort itself is cosy and family-friendly, with a relaxed atmosphere that makes visiting Devil’s Elbow a pleasure. Because of its small size, however, the resort does not have a village of its own, and potential visitors should be aware that there is no onsite lodging or après-ski venues.

Devil’s Elbow encompasses 11 slopes, with 18 per cent of the terrain devoted to beginners, 73 per cent to intermediate and advanced skiers and boarders, and nine percent to experts. The longest piste here is in keeping with the resort’s size at only 760m, but the lift system, made up of six chairlifts with the ability to transport 11,400 people per hour, is impressive. Additionally, snowboarders have access to an exciting terrain park.

Devil’s Elbow is open from December to March, from 09:00 to 16:30 daily. The best way of getting to the resort is to fly to Toronto and take the ski bus to Devil’s Elbow.

Skiing in Devils Elbow

Much friendlier than its sinister name, the resort of Devil’s Elbow is a small, welcoming resort that provides a limited amount of quality skiing and snowboarding for any age or level of expertise. The resort is situated a short distance from the spectacular Kawartha Lakes, just north of the village of Bethany and northeast of Toronto.

Skiing in Devil’s Elbow is limited to 11 runs, ranging from beginner level (18 per cent), through intermediate and advanced (73 per cent) to expert (nine per cent). Although the runs are not profuse, they are of a high quality, with extensive snow cannon coverage ensuring powdery conditions, and all are scenically lovely, making their way through beautiful wooded areas.

The slopes are connected by six lifts made up of four quads and two double chairlifts with an uplift capacity of 11,400 skiers per hour. The longest run at Devil’s Elbow is less than astounding at 760m, but the resort features an additional 8.5kms of forested cross-country trails.

Hiking is a popular alternative to skiing, with numerous trails around the resort. Devil’s Elbow is open during daylight hours only, and features a popular cafeteria known as Falcon Foods, as well as first-aid amenities and parking for a thousand cars. Additionally, there is a ski school offering ski and snowboard tuition from novice to expert level.

Devil’s Elbow is open for skiing from December to March and children under five ski for free. The quickest and easiest method of travelling to the resort is to fly to Toronto and catch the ski bus service the rest of the way.

Après-ski in Devil’s Elbow

Devil’s Elbow is a daytime ski resort featuring a day lodge with a full service cafeteria, first-aid facilities and a ski school offering ski and snowboard tuition for all age groups and levels of ability. There is no onsite accommodation at the resort, but the nearby villages of Bethany, Peterborough, Lindsay and Oshawa offer a good selection of lodging and nightlife.

Hiking and cycling are popular off-slope activities in the region around Devil’s Elbow, and provide a recreational means of viewing the gorgeous scenery and historical attractions that are characteristic of the area. Particularly alluring is the nearby Kawartha Lakes system, comprising 250 lakes and waterways. Alternatively, the city of Toronto is not far off and offers endless attractions of all description.

No lodging is offered at Devil’s Elbow itself, but the nearby village of Bethany has hotels, bed-and-breakfasts and homely cottages. Peterborough, Lindsay and Oshawa offer additional accommodation. Likewise, Devil’s Elbow is devoid of après-ski, so for dining and nightlife, head to one of the nearby towns.

Transportation to Devils Elbow

Devil’s Elbow is located approximately 1 hour, 30 minutes (115kms) northeast of Toronto, and is directly accessible only by road. Toronto is well served by air, bus and rail transportation, and once in the city, Devil’s Elbow is easily accessible via hire car or the ski bus service.

Self-drive from New York involves a journey of 800kms, taking approximately nine hours. Follow I-80/81 to Rockport, Ontario, from where highway 401 goes west to Port Hope. From there, take highway 28 north to Peterborough and highway 7A west to Devil’s Elbow.

If you are driving from Ottawa, the trip is only 300kms and takes roughly four hours. Travel southwest out of the city on highway 417, which becomes highway 7. Continue all the way to Peterborough. From here, take highways 28 and 7A southwest to Bethany, from where Devil’s Elbow is well signposted.

Trains from Montréal leave for Toronto every few hours and take 4 hours, 30 minutes to complete the journey. One train daily departs for Toronto from New York’s Penn station, leaving at 16:18 and arriving in Toronto at 07:44 the next morning after a short stopover at the US/Canadian border.

The easiest method of reaching Devil’s Elbow is to take air transportation to Lester B Pearson International Airport, just west of Toronto city centre. The airport receives frequent service from Canada, the US and the UK.

Transportation from the airport to Devil’s Elbow is provided by buses, or alternatively, you could hire a car. If you choose to drive, take highway 401 east to Clarington, from where highway 115 leads to Bethany, and follow the signs to Devil’s Elbow. The distance between the airport and the ski resort is 130kms, and the trip takes around two hours.

Additionally, Toronto is served by Greyhound buses from Ottawa and Montréal. Buses also travel between New York and Toronto, taking 10 to 12 hours to reach the Canadian capital. Local buses and taxis run to Devil’s Elbow from the bus and train stations.

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