Hiking Toronto for Dog Lovers

Altona Forest

2021-04-15T14:03:00.030-04:00

Altona is a beautiful mature forest in Pickering near the Rouge National Urban Parks. Besides the dense forest, there is a beaver pond and extensive wetlands.

There are two trails in Altona Forest for a total distance of 5 km. The trails were established in the 1980s with four access points, clear trail markings, along detailed maps and signage.

Lacey's Pond

The section most frequented in Altona Forest is Lacey's Pond. Although smaller than it was originally, it has been restored and is now protected.

You can explore the pond's activity from a safe distance by standing on the bridge or the deck built into the pond. You'll stay dry, and the life in the pond will not be damaged.

Beavers

For me, Altona Forest's highlight is the beaver habitat with the chance to see a beaver or two. The beavers seem accustomed to having people watch them while they swim, eat, or do chores. We've been told that there are three beavers in Lacey's Pond, but we've only seen one at a time.

Dogs may get very excited seeing and smelling a beaver, so have a firm hold on their leash.

This was the first beaver we saw while hiking in Toronto. We've since had several encounters and have learned a great deal. You'd actually be surprised to learn how many beavers actually reside in the city. The most obvious sign that beavers are in the area is chewed trees.

Beavers have been seen dragging trees across roads when preparing for winter. They are primarily nocturnal but are often seen during the day in autumn and winter. We haven't yet seen a beaver this spring, so keep that in mind if you hope to see one.

Parking

There are four access points to the Altona Forest Trail, including Altona Road with a small parking lot: 1883 Altona Road, Pickering.

There are signs with park information and maps at each access point.

There are two trails: White and Blue.

The trail is marked with blazes as well as numbered posts.

Trail Conditions

The trail markings were likely obvious when they were first installed. Unfortunately, time and weather have deteriorated the markings. You'll still see blazes on some trees and posts with numbers, but the boardwalk areas are closed and marked as hazardous. I walked through the closed areas to look and found that it would be pretty easy to trip or step on a nail.

I heard that there had been some vandalism to the boardwalk as well. You can still hike the area, but be careful to avoid dangerous places for you and your dog.

Our actual hike on April 10 looks like this:

To see how much of the trail is unusable because of the damaged boardwalk, the map below was created while hiking the trail in the winter when we could access all the trails.

Forest variety

Even if you don't know the types of trees, you'll notice the difference from one section of the hike to the next. Some sections are very dense with evergreen trees so, it feels like you are in a deep forest.

Birdwatching

Spring seems to be the best season to see Piliated Woodpeckers. These are very large and loud woodpeckers that the cartoon Woody Woodpecker is based on. I did get a photo of one while in this forest, but my photo did not turn out well. Look for the large holes in the trees that are made by Piliated Woodpeckers.

The park's official material says there are more than 100 different birds, so there are many opportunities for a sighting during your visit.

History

Altona Forest is 53 hectares or 102 acres in size and is located in Pickering, just over Toronto's border. When the area was being developed in the 1980s, "The Friends of Altona Forest" lobbied to save as much of the forest as possible because of the biodiversity of the area. Dr. J. Murray Speirs donated a large portion of his land to be used as an ecological reserve. You can see this area marked on the map, but you cannot access it during your hike.

School Visits

School kids from the area come here for outdoor education. The many learning opportunities make this hike ideal for a family outing.

Off-Leash Opportunities

Signs in the park ask that you keep your dog on a leash while in Altona Forest. There may be a few places where you feel it is safe to let your dog off, especially when no one else is around and if your dog has excellent recall.

For official information about Altona Forest, visit www.altonaforest.org or www.trca.on.ca.

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Huntington Park, Markham

2021-03-03T09:51:00.001-05:00

Huntington Park is located south of the 407 highway between Bayview Ave and Leslie Street.

The German Mills Creek flows through the park and eventually into the East Don River.

The trail takes you through two valleys: Valley View Park and Maple Valley Park.

Parking

There is limited parking at the dog park, so drive a bit further to the larger parking lot between the baseball diamond and the soccer field. The address is Huntington Park Drive, east of Lambert Road.

Off-Leash Dog Park

The dog park is quite large, and Lucy has made many friends on every visit. We often start our hikes in a dog park to learn more about the area. On our first visit, we met a couple at the dog park who were planning to hike the trail with their dogs, so they became our tour guides on the hike.

We've only been here in the winter, so I'm not sure what the surface is like underneath the snow.

Hydro Corridor

For a full 5 km loop, I recommend that you first walk the hydro corridor trail parallel to the highway.

The forest will be on your left-hand side, and the trail ends near Bayview Ave where you can then start your hike in the forest along the creek.

Valley View Park

Before you cross the bridge that takes you to Evergreen Crescent, turn left into the ravine and follow the trail beside the creek.

There are areas of erosion, so it's best to choose the trail that passes over the ridge rather than staying near the creek.

There are great views of the creek from the top of the ridge.

Continue in the same direction as the creek until you see a trail going down to the creek.

Maple View Park

This section of the trail is closer to the creek with houses up the hill on the left.

Lucy indicated to me that there are little animals living near the creek. There were damaged trees, so perhaps beavers? More likely they were muskcrats or minks.

Follow the creek along the path until you get to bridge which is Green Lane. There is a small trail on the other side of the bridge, but it is very rugged.

Turn back at this point and head back until you see this carved tree.

From here, follow the trail up the hill and stay to the right.

You'll come out of the forest near the soccer field where you'll see a picnic area and the parking lot.

Off-Leash Opportunities

I was able to let Lucy stay off-leash the entire hike. As we approach other people, Lucy has been trained to come to me for treats instead of saying hi to strangers. Some people keep their dogs on leash, so it depends on you and your dog.

Birdwatching

While walking in the hydro corridor, we saw a raven's nest. When leaving, we saw a pair of ravens capture a meal.

There were many chickadees in one area, and we noticed a woodpecker as well.

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New Don River Trails - Taylor Creek to Flemingdon Golf Course

2021-02-23T10:53:00.001-05:00

If you're looking for the least used trail along the Don River, this has to be it.

The Don River East flows through the parkland south of Eglinton Ave between the Don Valley Parkway and Bermondsey Road. User-created trails have been used for years, but the city is finally building official trails with bridges and eventually a safe way over the train tracks.

Since the trail is still under construction, you may not be able to access it while work is being done. Also, the details in this blog will be out of date once the trail is finished.

Charles Sauriol Conservation Area

According to a label on Google Maps, the section of the East Don River trail between Taylor Creek and Lawrence Ave is part of Charles Sauriol Park.

You may have noticed the monument to Charles Sauriol in the E. T. Seaton parking lot just north of the elevated wetlands. Presumably, there will eventually be a continuous hiking trail along the Don River from forks north to Lawrence Avenue.

There are no official hiking trails that connect the existing trails of the Charles Sauriol Conservation Area between Lawrence Ave and Wigmore Park to this section of the river. Wigmore Park is less than a kilometre away from the entry point near Bermondsey Road.

There are unofficial trails along the river that connect the parks. We followed the trails and found them to be a bit of a mess around Eglinton Ave, largely because of the Crosstown construction.

Access to the trail

There are numerous access points to the new trails. Since this trail isn't officially open, I'll describe my experience accessing the trail with full knowledge that most people will likely want to wait until the trails are completed.

E.T. Seaton Park Area 2

The E. T. Seaton Parking area is the most southerly point of the trail and likely a common starting point for most hikers. On one of our visits, we saw a group of hikers who started from this point.

Be sure to stay on the Don River's east side if you start the hike from here. There is a trail on the west side, but it ends at Don Mills Road.

The trail is an old road, so it is flat and wide and follows the river's east side pretty closely.

The last time we passed through the area, there were piles of bridge pieces on the side of the road.

Not far away, you'll come to the unfinished bridge.

The temporary bridge that was next to the unfinished bridge has been dismantled. Hopefully, that means that the new bridge will be completed imminently.

This is the spot where you come to if you accessed the trail from Northline Road.

Toronto City Sports Centre

You can also access the trails in the ravine from Northline Road.

Park at the Toronto City Sports Centre on Northline Road, off of Bermondsey Road.

After parking, cross the road, and you'll see a trail down to the ravine. The trail is steep, so wear spikes in the winter to avoid falling.

The trail has several boardwalks built into the trail to avoid wet sections. I’m not positive, but I think this trail was created by cyclists looking for challenging off-road rides.

You'll end up reaching the river just south of the unfinished bridge. The temporary bridge was recently dismantled, so if the new bridge isn't finished, you'll only be able to walk south to Taylor Creek or E. T. Seaton.

Linkwood Lane Dog Park

This is a common entry point for residents of the apartment buildings near Spanbridge Road. If you don't live in the apartments, park on the street and follow the trail that takes you into the ravine. Note that the hill is pretty steep, so wear proper footwear.

You'll reach the river, where your only option is to go north over the bridge, heading towards the golf course. If you want to go south, there is a train track that must be crossed to reach the trail to Taylor Creek. This is where a tunnel is needed to connect the north and south parts of the trail.

Many people choose to go over the tracks based on the footprints in the snow and the neatly cut fence.

We came on a day when the river was frozen, so we walked on the ice under the bridge.

After crossing the tracks, there is a choice of taking a road-like trail or a foot trail through the forest next to the river. Both trails take you to the previously mentioned unfinished bridge.

Victoria Village Arena

This is the most straightforward entry from the north end and most likely will become the official trailhead and parking lot.

After parking at the far end of the Victoria Village Arena parking lot, walk to the street and turn right on Bermondsey Road. Pass the driveway for the Bermondsey Transfer Station and turn right into the next driveway.

On your way to the start of the trail, the road takes you past a hydro field, a meadow, and a busy garbage facility.

We met people who drove a 4x4 vehicle to park at the bottom of the hill. No signs indicate that you can't park there, but I've often seen railroad employees parked in this area.

If the employees are there, the gate will be open. Otherwise, use the unofficial opening in the fence and cross the tracks.

You'll reach the river at the south end of the Flemingdon Golf Course. From here, you can explore the golf course when golf is not in season. We've seen people walking dogs, snowshoeing, and skiing on the golf course.

To explore the new trails, stay to your left and head south. You'll be able to see the first of the new bridges.

Cross the bridge to get to my favourite part of the new trail.

An outdoor shelter has been created where you can sit by the river and relax.

Continue south to the second bridge.

This bridge is actually two bridges with a fenced-in connection.

Crossing this bridge brings you to the spot mentioned earlier with the elevated train tracks. The train tracks are crossable, but it's not ideal. While researching, I found plans for a tunnel to connect the north section to the south section.

The plans didn't have a date for when the work will start or finish, but my hope is that the work will be done in the summer of 2021 so more people canenjoy this important new hiking trail.

Distance

The distance of the hike depends on the entry point and how far you choose to go. It's an in and out hike, so you can choose to turn back whenever you like. Walking from the arena to the third bridge and back was just over 5 km. Hiking to the beginning of Taylor Creek and back will likely add 3 kilometres.

Birdwatching

We have seen a red-tail hawk, ducks, blue jays, and woodpeckers. I presume that the population of birds will increase in the springtime.

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Riverdale Park to Pottery Road Loop

2021-02-03T11:02:00.003-05:00

Explore the Lower Don Trails under the Bloor Street Viaduct between Carlton Street and Pottery Road.

In this 7.5 km hike, you'll pass through several iconic Toronto locations, including Cabbagetown favourites: Riverdale Park and Riverdale Farm, Wellesely Park and Necropolis Cemetery, a sculpture garden, the Don River, Pottery Road, Evergreen Brickworks and Rosedale Valley Road.

I call this an epic hike because it takes you through several hiking hotspots in Toronto, but it's only a 7.5k loop in reality.

Parking

Because this hike takes you through several parks, there are many starting points.

We parked in a free spot at Riverdale Park West (387 Carlton Street), where you'll see the entrance to the Riverdale Farm, typical Cabbagetown homes, a tree sculpture and a map of the entire area.

Riverdale Park West

After parking, head down the hill to the field with the Sam Pollock ball diamond. This entire field is a permanent off-leash area for dogs. There are stairs on the left-hand side and a gently-sloped paved path on the right.

The building at the bottom of the sloped path is where the washroom is located. The washrooms are open only in the summer months.

The ball diamond has not been used since the Covid lockdown began, but if there is a game, you'll need to leash your dog, so they don't steal the ball.

On the north end of the park is a footbridge over the Don River and the Don Valley Parkway.

Use this footbridge to reach the Lower Don Trail or Riverdale Park East.

If you continue to the end of the bridge, you'll end up at Riverdale Park East. This park does not allow dogs off-leash, but it does lead to some shops on Broadview Ave if you need a coffee or snack. You'll also see the iconic Ukrainian Church from this park.

For our hike, take the staircase in the middle of the footbridge down to the Lower Don Trails.

Head north along the narrow trail with the river to your right. This trail is popular with cyclists, so keep your dog on a leash and close to you during this section.

Several times on this section of the hike, you'll go over or under bridges. The first bridge takes you over the Don River that, at this point, looks more like a canal with adjacent train tracks and the DVP.

We saw ducks in the section of the Don River next to the train trestle.

The "Belleville Underpass" was completed in 2017 and had historical paintings on the surfaces, but now the underpass is heavily covered with graffiti.

Riverside Trails

There are unpaved trails along the Don River worth taking if the paved trail is busy with cyclists or pedestrians. The trail is easy to find in the winter and may be your best bet for letting your dog off the leash.

I read the book "In the Skin of a Lion" by Michael Ondaatje many years ago, where the Bloor Street Viaduct's creation is described dramatically. It's impossible to see this bridge without thinking of that story and the larger-than-life characters.

Monsters for Beauty

Just past the Bloor Street Viaduct, you'll come to an outdoor sculpture park known as Monsters for Beauty. We enjoy coming here to have Lucy and her friends pose for photos with the sculptures.

The path follows the river, where it passes under yet another bridge. The path is a bit wider in the next section but you still need to be aware of cyclists.

Not far from Pottery Road, you'll pass under a train trestle with interesting graffiti-art.

Pottery Road

When you get to Pottery Road, turn left and use the footpath along the fence just past the train tracks.

You could also use the Bayview Extension Cycling Path immediately next to Bayview Ave, but it may be heavy with cyclists, and Bayview Ave can be a bustling road.

The unpaved path is between a fence and thick bushes, so you may be able to let your dog off-leash.

Evergreen Brick Works

A highlight of this hike is the beautiful paintings on the concrete pillars of the train bridge next to Evergreen Brick Works. These were painted in 2017 for the 2018 PanAm Games. In my opinion, the city needs to do more of these public art displays.

If you want to stop at the Evergreen Brick Works for a snack or visit the dog park, see our blog entry Evergreen Brickworks for details about this park.

Continue to walk on the trails between train tracks and Bayview Ave south towards Rosedale Valley Road. The most interesting thing in this section of the hike is the underpass, which is also heavily painted with graffiti-art.

Cross Bayview Ave at the Rosedale Valley traffic lights. The cemetery on the left is part of the Necropolis Cemetery. Continue on the hike as described to access the cemetery.

Wellesley Park

Go up the 90 stairs to Wellesley Park. While walking up all the stairs, I imagined what it was like to climb this steep hill before the staircase was installed.

Walk through the park admiring the homes that share their front yards with the park. Exit the park and stay to the left.

Toronto Necropolis

Follow the trail along the fence of the cemetery called Toronto Necropolis.

This is a beautiful cemetery that dates back to 1850, making it one of Toronto's oldest and historic cemeteries. According to Mount Pleasant Cemetery website, "The Necropolis is the final resting place of Toronto’s first mayor, William Lyon Mackenzie; journalist George Brown; John Ross Robertson, founder of the Toronto Telegram; former NDP leader Jack Layton; Anderson Ruffin Abbot, the first Canadian-born black surgeon; and world-champion oarsman Ned Hanlan. The Necropolis also features a monument honouring Samuel Lount and Peter Matthews, hanged in 1838 for their roles in the Mackenzie Rebellion."

Turn left onto Winchester St. to reach the entrance to the cemetery, which is across the road from the Riverdale Farm.

Riverdale Farm

Dogs are not allowed into the farm, but there is a fenced area on Winchester Street with pigs and sheep on the other side. I like to take Lucy there to see her reaction to the smell of farm animals.

After sniffing the animals that reside on the other side of the fence, the hike is finished.

Birdwatching

If you pay attention, you should see Red Tail Hawks or Cooper's Hawks along the route, along with smaller birds that are common in Toronto.

On the river, you may see ducks, like Common Merganser or Mallards.

Trail Extensions

Start your walk at Thomas Hauser Trailhead and walk through Crother's Woods to the Lower Don Trail. See our blog entry Crother's Forest Trail for details.

Start your walk at the Evergreen Brickworks or somewhere along the Moore Ravine. See our blog entry Moore Ravine - David Balfour Loop for suggestions.

Instead of turning left at Pottery Road, turn right to visit the Todmorden Mills and return to Riverdale Park via Broadview Ave.

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Bestview Park Nature Trails

2021-01-18T19:24:00.000-05:00

The parkland south of Steeles Ave between Bayview Ave and Leslie Street is a huge area with many trails. One trail follows the Don River, and another follows the tributary, German Mills Creek. The trails immediately behind the tennis courts are known as Bestview Park Nature Trails.

Parking

Park near the Steelesview Public School at 105 Bestview Drive. Park on the street or use the spots at the school when it is closed.

Suggested Routes

These trails are difficult to describe since none of them are marked. To make it clearer, I've separated the trail descriptions into three parts, as indicated by the numbers on the map.

From Bestview Ave, follow the paved path between the tennis courts and the children's playground to the first bridge. This is the spot where the German Mills Creek flows into the Don River and is where our routes split into 1) right to St. Joes, 2) straight to Cummer, and 3) left to Leslie Street and a loop back to Bestview Park.

Saint Joe's

Turn right just before the bridge onto the unpaved trail to explore the trails along the Don River.

The trails in this area are not paved or marked but give the best opportunities to see birds, deer and let your dog off-leash. The distance is roughly 2k and follows the Don River until the path reaches the bridge to the Saint Joseph's Morrow Park Catholic Secondary School, an all-girls Catholic School located on Bayview Ave.

The first thing you'll see on the river is an old dam. The history of this dam and the area can be found in the HikingGTA blog, Flynntown - Ghost Towns of the GTA.

Continue along the unpaved path next to the river until you see the school across the river.

There is a bridge that crosses the river to the school property, but it is locked.

Return to the main path via the same trail along the river or if you want to have a chance to see deer, follow the paths between the river and the houses. We didn't see any, but there are many prints to indicate that they were there recently.

In the winter, it's easy to see the footsteps others have taken. It may be less obvious in other seasons, but you should be able to find a trail.

Off-Leash Opportunities

Of all the trails in this area, the trails along the Don River give you the best opportunity to have your dog off-leash.

To Cummer

When you get back to the paved trail, turn right and continue until you get to the Finch Hydro corridor. This paved trail uses the land below the hydro towers and is popular with cyclists.

The trail travels west until Highway 400. This is too far to hike with a dog, so instead, turn back the way you came to explore the trail to Leslie Street.

To Leslie

In my attempts to make a loop of these trails, I found that if you use the paved path towards Leslie Street, you can cross the footbridge over the creek and ravine to get to the Bestview Nature Trails.

When you get back to the fork in the path, stay on the paved path going to the right. This is the German Mills Creek, a tributary of the Don River.

Follow the path north-east to Leslie Street, near Steeles Ave East. Before you come to Leslie Street, you'll see a massive overhead footbridge.

Climb the 50 steps to the top and cross the bridge over the ravine and creek. This bridge connects Pineway Blvd to Goldenwood Road.

After crossing the bridge, follow the path down into the ravine. Follow the trail the creek to the Bestview Park Nature Trails.

Bestview Nature Trail

The Bestview Nature Trail is unmarked and not paved but takes you through a forest along the German Mills Creek. People use these trails all year round, so if you let your dog off-leash, be aware if others are using the trail as well. It is straightforward to follow the trails in the winter, but this area gets pretty overgrown in the summer.

A faded map is posted, but at best, it gives you a rough idea of the area.

The hills in this area can be steep, so use the staircase to make it easier to explore both parts of the ravine. On Google Maps, the staircase is labelled "Lady's Stairs."

Follow the trail to the tennis courts near the Steelesview School on Bestview Ave to complete the hike.

Actual Route

We hiked 8.5k by following all three trails with a loop back to Bestview Park, as shown. You can adjust the length of your hike by following only one or two of the sections. If you use the MapMyWalk app, you can follow the route we took: https://www.mapmywalk.com/workout/5340627631.

Trail Extensions

As mentioned earlier, the paved trail at Cummer continues west to Highway 400. Other extensions are possible as well.

Don River Trails

If you continue south past Cummer, you'll reach Finch Ave. There is an underpass where the trail continues to Sheppard Ave. See our post about the East Don Trail - Sheppard to Finch for details.

Duncan Woods Creek Trail

At Leslie Street, you can connect to the Duncan Woods Creek Trail and hike south-east to McNicol Ave. Watch for a future entry about this trail.

German Mills Settlers Trail

If you cross Steeles Ave near the Leslie trail ends, you can follow the German Mills Creek to the German Mill's Settler's Park. A blog about this park is coming soon.

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Bob Hunter Memorial Park - Monarch Trail

2021-01-04T16:05:00.058-05:00

The Bob Hunter Memorial Park is part of the Rouge Urban National Park. It opened in 2006 and is named in honour of Robert Hunter, one of Greenpeace's founders. The 500 acres of land that makes up the park is owned by the province of Ontario.

The park is located just north of the Toronto Zoo at Reesor Road and 14th Ave in Markham. Four trails are accessible from the main parking area on 14th Ave in Markham. See a previous blog about the Reesorway and Tanglewood trails. This blog documents the Monarch Trail.

Monarch Trail

The Monarch trail takes you through reclaimed wetlands, a cedar forest and white pine stand next to the Little Rouge River. The trail is 5.5 km in length and is easy to follow, despite the lack of signs. If you use MapMyWalk, follow our trail: https://www.mapmywalk.com/workout/5246779414.

Parking

There is a large parking lot, toilets, seating area, and signage at the park's main entrance: 7277 14th Ave, Markham.

Trailhead

Start the hike on the trail behind the cabin.

Follow the yellow signs for Monarch Trail.

The path is wide, but is icy in the winter. The first section crosses a private driveway, so be aware of oncoming traffic.

Wetlands

The first section of the trail takes you through are wetlands that are being reclaimed from farmland. A sign in the area describes the importance of wetlands.

I found the information so important that I copied it from the sign.

Over the years many of the wetlands. such an marshes and vernal pools, in the Rouge watershed have been drained, filled and used as farmland and urban expansion. Today, wetlands cover less than one per cent af the entire watershed. This is far from what is needed to support its fundamental ecological functions.

Wetlands serve an nature's stopover -- providing important nesting and breeding grounds for migrating birds. They are nature's nursery -- breeding sites for many beneficial frog, salamander, fish and insect species. They are nature's sponge -- regulating the water levels in our rivers and streams, evening out the highs and lows by storing water after heavy rains and slowly releasing it during dry periods. This reduces the risks of flash flooding and erosion, while maintaining waterflow in our creeks. Also, wellands are nature's water purifier -- filtering nutrients, breaking down animal wastes and settling out suspended sediments This is important as the Rouge is an urban watershed, vulnerable to many impurities, from road salt to fertilizers and pesticides

Every spring, the wetlands of Bob Hunter Memorial Park attract a wide variety of migrating bird visitors. Among these returning guests, you are most likely to see the familiar Canada goose (Brain canadensis), and mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), the smaller blue-winged teal (Anas discom, and the chatty red-winged black bird (Agelis phoices)

Also keep a lookout for the great blue heron (Ardea herodias) stalking frogs and small fish,
the great egret (Arda alba) with its snowy white plumage, and the noisy marsh wren (Cistothonis palustris) who sings all day and much of the night.

The trail takes you to Reesor Road, where you'll see signs for the park and the Hamlet of Cedar Grove. Cross Reesor Road to continue on the Monarch Trail.

The flat open land is perfect for prey birds to hunt small animals like mice, voles, and even rabbits. If you are quiet and observant, you may see birds like Cooper's Hawks, Redtail Hawks, Bluejays, Falcons, and even Owls.

You'll pass behind a farm before you reach the forest. Maybe you'll spot this treehouse that is on the farm property.

We saw the Redtail Hawk that is a regular in the area.

First Bridge

The first bridge you come to takes you over the Little Rouge River into the forest. People often put seeds on the railing to attract chickadees and nuthatches.

Just over the bridge, we followed a footpath up the hill that overlooks the river. As we reached the top of the hill, we startled a barred owl hunting for prey.

He moved so quickly that I wasn't sure what I witnessed until I looked at the photos on my camera. I was also able to get this photo of the river from the top of the hill.

Where the trail splits, follow the trail that stays close to the river. The other path takes you to another parking lot located on 14th Ave. Consider parking here if you want to shorten this hike.

Signage

There are posts erected throughout the forest, but the signs have not yet been attached. My first time on the trail was confusing, and I was worried that I had taken the wrong route. It's easier in the winter to find your way as you'll see a trail in the snow.

Forest

The forest in this section is beautiful and consists of rare cedar trees. The forest is thick, even in the winter, and when the sun shines in, you'll be able to get some artistic photos.

It's wet in a few places, so boardwalks have been built to keep you dry.

Little Rouge River

Take a side trail to visit the river when you can. We suspect there are beavers, mink, or muskrats living on the river. Lucy found a possible home, and we saw freshly chewed trees.

Rest area

One of the side trails leads you to a rest area that overlooks the river.

The last section of the hike takes you past a farm on one side and greenhouses on the other. Another parking lot is located on this side of Reesor Road.

Cross the road and continue on the path that passes the church. The trail now connects to the Reesorway / Tanglewood Trails. If you turn right, the trail follows the river to a memorial bench and then leads you back to the parking lot.

Trail Extensions

To increase the length of your hike, turn left at the last signpost to hike through the entire Reesorway / Tanglewood Trail. You can also hike the Tallgrass Trek for a 3 km loop that begins at the parking lot.

Off-Leash Opportunities

We hiked the trails in the winter, where there were fewer people than in the summer, so Lucy could stay off-leash the entire hike.

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Bob Hunter Memorial - Reesorway / Tanglewood Trail

2020-12-26T16:10:00.001-05:00

The Bob Hunter Memorial Park is part of the Rouge National Urban Park.

It is located just north of Toronto at 14th Ave and Reesor Road in Markham.

Parking

Park at the trailhead located at 7277 14th Ave, Markham, ON. At this parking location, there is a washroom, signage, and a resting area.

History

From Wikipedia, I learned that

Bob Hunter Memorial Park is a greenspace preserve in Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is named in honour of Robert Hunter, one of the founders of Greenpeace. The park was officially opened in August 2006.

There are four trails: Tanglewood, Reesor Way, Tallgrass Trek and Monarch.

We hiked the Reesor Way / Tanglewood Trail, a 3.3 km loop that passes through a young forest to a more mature forest next to the Little Rouge River.

Suggested Hike

I used UnderArmor MapMyWalk to record the route we took. If you use the app, follow our route.

Young Forest

If you walk the route counter-clockwise, the first section you'll hike through is a young forest. Tree planting was done by volunteers within the past 10 years. I've learned that some of my former colleagues at IBM were part of this tree-planting effort.

Every 100 meters or so, a pole with a perch and a birdhouse has been erected.

We didn't see any birds during our hikes, but it appears that some of the birdhouses are occupied.

We saw very few people and Lucy was able to be off-leash for most of the hike. Walking in the mature forest was peaceful.

The trail is well maintained with visible signs, bridges, and a few historic remnants.

The first historic remnant was an outdoor brick oven. A natural seating area is available to stop for a rest, or in Lucy's case, a pose.

Near the oven is a wishing well. There is no water in the well or wishing opportunities, but it makes for a nice photo opportunity.

Part of the trail is closed, but it doesn't interfere with the hike at all. In fact, the Reesor Way and Tanglewood trails could be considered a single loop.

Near the end of the trail is a bench next to the river.

While sitting here, we noticed something swimming in the river. At first, we thought it was a small beaver, but it was likely a mink. He swam by several times and dove under the ice at times.

Off-Leash Opportunities

We hiked the trails in the winter where there were fewer people than in the summer, so Lucy was able to stay off-leash the entire hike.

Trail Extensions

There are two other trails to explore from the parking lot: Tallgrass Trek and Monarch. I'll post a blog about these trails soon.

Instagram

Enjoy your walk! When you post photos to Instagram, tag us at @hikingtoronto or #hikingtorontowithlucy

Enjoy the Holidays with a Hike

2020-12-24T15:28:00.003-05:00

Happy Holidays as we end 2020 with another lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like many, we’ve been separated from our family for the holidays. We turn to nature and hiking to refresh and for stress-relief. Throughout 2020, Lucy and I have been documenting our hikes so you can get outside to explore the trails and parks in Toronto.

Use this table to find a trail to hike in Toronto. The rows are sorted by Neighbourhood and then by Trail Name. Click the link to take you to the blog entry that gives details on what to expect from the trail, including where to park, a suggested route to take, length of the trail, and more.

Trail Name	Toronto Neighbourhood / Ward Name	Trail Length	Off-Leash Dog Park	Lake, River
East Don River - Sheppard to Finch	Bayview Village	7.5 km		Don River
Todmorden Mills to Chester Hill Lookout	Broadview North	5 km		Don River
Bluffer Park and Marina	Cliffcrest Scarborough	4 km		Lake Ontario
Bluffers Beach	Cliffcrest Scarborough	5 km		Lake Ontario
Bluffers Beach	Cliffcrest Scarborough	4 km		Lake Ontario
Doris McCarthy Trail	Cliffcrest Scarborough	2 km		Lake Ontario
Scarborough Crescent Park	Cliffside Scarborough	4 km		Lake Ontario
Scarborough Heights Park	Cliffside Scarborough	4 km	Scarborough Heights Off-Leash Dog Park	Lake Ontario
Corktown Commons and Distillery District	Corktown	3 km	Corktown Common Dog Park	Don River
Bond Park to York Mills	Don Mills	3 km
Don Mills Trail to Shops on Don Mills	Don Mills	5 km
Duncairn Park	Don Mills	3 km
Wilket Creek Park	Don Mills	5 km		Wilket Creek
Crothers Forest	East York	5 km		Don River
Crothers Woods, Lower Don, Evergreen Brickworks	East York	7.5 km	Don Valley Brickworks Off-Leash Dog Park	Don River
Betty Sutherland Trail	Henry Farm	5 km		Don River
Henry Farm and Betty Sutherland Trail	Henry Farm	3 km		Don River
High Park	High Park - Swansea	3 km	High Park Dog Off-Leash Area
Sunnyside Beach	High Park - Swansea	4 km	Sir Cashmir Gzowski Off-Leash Dog Park	Lake Ontario
Trails through University of Toronto Scarborough Campus	Highland Creek	5 km	Colonel Danforth Off-Leash Dog Park	Highland Creek River
Humber River Trail - Etienne Brulé Park	Lambton Baby Point	8.5 km		Humber River
Earl Bales and York Cemetery	Lansing	3 km	Earl Bales Off-Leash Dog Park	Don River
Earl Bales River Walk	Lansing	5 km	Earl Bales Off-Leash Dog Park	Don River
Earl Bales Park to Don Valley Golf Course	Lansing	5 km	Earl Bales Off-Leash Dog Park	Don River
Earl Bales Park	Lansing	5 km	Earl Bales Off-Leash Dog Park	Don River
East Point Park	Manse Valley	5 km		Lake Ontario
Terraview and Willowfields Gardens Park	Maryvale	2 km		Taylor-Massey Creek
Botany Hill to Morningside Park	Morningside Scarborough	5 km	Botany Hill Off-Leash Dog Park	Hiland Creek River
Morningside Park	Morningside	8 km		Highland Creek River
Warden Woods / Gus Harris Trail	Oakridge Scarborough	5 km	Warden Woods Off-Leash Dog Park	Taylor-Massey Creek
Brookbanks Park	Parkwoods	5 km		Deerlick Creek
Parkwoods Village	Parkwoods	2 km		Deerlick Creek
Donalda Golf Course	Donalda / Parkwoods	5 km		Don River
Cherry Beach	Port Lands	1 km	Cherry Beach Off-Leash Dog Park	Lake Ontario
Colonel Danforth Dog Park and Highland Creek River	Port Union	2 km	Colonel Danforth Off-Leash Dog Park	Highland Creek River
Evergreen Brickworks	Rosedale	3 km	Don Valley Brickworks Off-Leash Dog Park
Moore Ravine to David Balfour Park Loop	Rosedale	9 km		Mud Creek, Yellow Creek
Cedar Trail in Rouge National Urban Park	Rouge National Urban Park	6 km		Rouge River
Mast Trail in Rouge National Urban Park	Rouge National Urban Park	5 km		Rouge River
Orchard Trail in Rouge National Urban Park	Rouge National Urban Park	3 km		Rouge River
Rouge Beach to Petticoat Creek	Rouge National Urban Park	7 km		Lake Ontario
Vista Trail in Rouge National Park	Rouge National Urban Park	2 km		Rouge River
Woodland Trail in Rouge National Urban Park	Rouge National Urban Park	2 km		Rouge River
Sherwood Park	Sherwood Park	2 km	Sherwood Park Off-Leash Dog Park	Burke Brook
Sunnybrook Off-Leash Dog Park	Sunnybrook	2 km	Sunnybrook Dog Park	Don River
Sunnybrook Park to Glendon College	Sunnybrook	5 km	Sunnybrook Off-Leash Dog Park	Don River
Kew Gardens Beach	The Beaches	5 km	Kew Gardens Dog Park	Lake Ontario
Kew Gardens in Winter	The Beaches	5 km	Kew Gardens Dog Park	Lake Ontario
Silverbirch Beach	The Beaches	2 km	Silverbirch / Nursewood Off-Leash Beach	Lake Ontario
Charles Sauriol and Moccasin Park	Victoria Village	5 km		Don River
New Trails of the Charles Sauriol Conservation Area	Victoria Villages	6 km		Don River
Colonel Danforth to Old Kingston Road	West Hill	5 km	Colonel Danforth Off-Leash Dog Park	Highland Creek River
Lower Highland Creek Trail from Colonel Danforth Park	West Hill	5 km		Highland Creek River
Windfields Park	Windfields Bridle Path	5 km		Wilket Creek
Windfileds in Winter	Windfields, York Mills	5 km		Wilket Creek
Taylor Creek Park	Woodbine Gardens	5 km		Taylor-Massey Creek
Taylor Creek in Winter	Woodbine Gardens	5 km		Taylor-Massey Creek
Torrance Barrens Conservation Reserve	Muskoka	3, 5, or 6 km		Highland Pond
Cooper’s Falls Trail near Gravenhurst	Muskoka	7 or 15 km
Hardy Lake Provincial Park	Muskoka	3 or 10 km		Hardy Lake

More blogs are in the works, and I hope you subscribe to our blog to get updates as entries are published. You can also follow @hikingtoronto on Instagram for daily photos and descriptions of our hikes.

All the best for the new year. May it be healthy and virus-free!

Susan Visser

New Trails in Charles Sauriol Conservation Area

2020-12-13T15:59:00.048-05:00

A favourite trail has become even better! For the past few years, construction equipment has been on the south end of the Charles Sauriol Conservation Area. The construction is now complete, and the new trails connect even more neighbourhoods to this popular area of Toronto.

The paved trail was originally from Lawrence Ave in the north to Wynford Drive in the south. Now you can follow paved trails to Wigmore Park or Anewen Greenbelt. Hiking from the Lawrence Ave parking lot to Wigmore Park is 3 km, so an in and out hike is a very pleasant 6 km.

Normally the parking lot and the trails are not maintained over the winter months. However, with Covid-19 still causing havoc, the city has decided to maintain trails this winter to allow people to get outdoors to get exercise and stress relief.

If you are new to this hiking area, maybe you have seen the rainbow tunnel driving on the DVP. This tunnel connects Moccasin Park to Charles Sauriol Conservation Area. There is a parking area in Moccossin Park as well. Read our blog about this trail Charles Sauriol and Moccasin Park.

This 6 km route can be viewed on the UA MapmyWalkApp: https://www.mapmywalk.com/workout/4980196852.

Parking

There are many parking spots at the Old Lawrence Ave entrance. This is the site of the Milne House that was built in 1871. You can read more about the history of this area in the Hiking the GTA Blog.

Conservation Area

When hiking in a conservation area, you have the opportunity to observe plants and animals in their natural habitat. Near the trailhead are signs for the Toronto Bird Flyways, interpretive signs to understand the region, and a seating area overlooking a pond.

This is an excellent spot to watch the birds that migrate through Toronto. We've seen great blue heron, sandpiper, grosbeak, cardinals, sparrows, cedar waxwings, woodpeckers, finches, warblers, and more.

eBird Canada is an online resource that allows people to record the birds they've seen in the area.

Past the pond is a seating area along the Don River. This is one of the spots where you can see salmon migrating up the river in September and October.

The Don Valley Parkway is on the other side of the river, so the trail is only truly quiet when the highway is closed.

If you turn right at the first bridge, you'll see the popular rainbow tunnel. This is an excellent spot for photo opportunities and leads to the Moccasin Trail. For more information on this trail, see our blog entry, Charles Sauriol and Moccasin Park.

To access the new trails, keep on the main path going south under the train trestle.

The next bridge on the trail is one that I photograph often. It looks interesting in every season and is another common spot for heron or salmon sightings.

Although the trail is finished, there is still work being done on the park train bridges.

New Trails

There is a large open area that marks the beginning of the new trails. If you go left over the bridge, you're in new territory.

If you turn right, you'll access the steep trail to Wynford Ave. This part of the trail is still under construction but is open when workers are not present.

The Don River twists and turns in this part of the park, so much of the construction work entailed building the bridges that cross the river multiple times.

In between the bridges, there is space to play with friends you encounter along the way.

The trail takes you under another train bridge that is under construction.

And then there's another bridge over the Don River.

In this part of the trail, they've added seating areas where you can rest and visit with friends. The forest is thick and mature in this section, so there are opportunities for wildlife sightings.

The next section is a bridge followed by a boardwalk followed by another bridge. I'm not sure why it was engineered this way, but the fences and bridges make it harder for people to visit the forest and river, but hopefully, wildlife is not blocked.

A switchback was built into the trail to reduce the steepness of the hill.

The next part of the trail is fenced on both sides. I'm not sure of the rationale for the fences, but there are rails, so perhaps it's to help people walk on the steep trail, which is slippery at times.

You'll see side trails on both sides of the path in this area. Signs have not been erected yet, but I have explored every trail.

The one on the left takes you to the Anewen Greenbelt which is a large open area that leads to nearby neighbourhoods. The side trail on the right-hand side goes to the river and then ends. Trails are being built on both sides of Eglinton Ave, so perhaps this trail will eventually connect with the trails near the Flemingdon Park Golf Course.

The last stretch of the new trail takes you up a hill. The trail is fenced on one side.

And finally, you'll be at Wigmore Park. The walk was just under 3 km from the Lawrence Ave parking lot with plenty of hills to climb, rivers to cross and things to see.

Offleash Opportunities

Letting your dog off-leash on this trail depends on your dog's recall ability and the number of people on the trail. I often use the unpaved trails to let Lucy run free.

Trail extensions

There are several side-trails that can be explored if you want to make your hike longer or more rustic.
From the Lawrence Ave parking lot, we've hiked north along the Don River to the Donalda Golf Course. From a side trail after the last bridge in the new area, we hiked south all the way to the Taylor Creek Trail near E.T. Seton and the elevated wetlands. We've explored the old foot trails through the Anewen Greenspace area. We've explored both sides of the river through the entire park. If you have the time and desire, there is much to explore.

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Earl Bales Park to Don Valley Golf Course

2020-12-10T09:11:00.004-05:00

Earl Bales is a large park with Sheppard Ave West to the north and Bathurst Street to the west.

There are many hiking trails in this park that we enjoy exploring, but only in the winter can the general public walk the golf course. The Don Valley Golf Course is south of Earl Bales and allows hikers and dogs to visit the property during the winter months.

We've blogged about this trail before. See Earl Bales Park. For this hike, we start at the community centre off of Bathurst Street, visit the dog park, walk past the ski hill, along the Don River to the golf course. We've previously turned back at the 401, but this time we continued to Wilson Ave for a 9 km hike.

Parking

There is no shortage of parking spots in the winter. The parking near the Community Centre is located at 4169 Bathurst Street.

Dog Park

We followed the signs down to the dog park. The trail is between the community centre and the Barry Zukerman Amphitheatre.

As usual, we met new friends at the off-leash dog park, including Milo.

Ski Hill

After leaving the dog park, we passed the ski hill that is not in operation due to snow.

West Don River

We made a brief visit to the river to watch the ducks. Lucy doesn’t seem interested in going into the water now that it’s cold.

Golf Course

The golf course gate is now open, so we didn’t need to walk past the pond.

We walked the majority of the course, mostly on the paved trails.

Many people and dogs were on the trails, but it is easy for people to follow social distancing guidelines.

The dogs refuse to keep a distance and continue to get close and personal as often as possible.

The Don River winds through the park giving many crossing and viewing opportunities.

Last year there was staff asking for dogs to be on a leash. We didn’t see anyone patrolling the park, and all dogs were off-leash.

There are many places to turn back, but we chose to go to the section south of the 401.

For those who drive on the 401 regularly, it’s another world to be under the massive highway!

We turned around at the 10th hole and took a different pathway back to Earl Bales.

Steep Hill

Several trails take you back to the parking lot near the community centre. We chose to walk up the ski hill since there were very little snow and no one zooming down the hill.

MapMyWalk

If you use the Under Armor Mapmywalk App, find this trail at https://www.mapmywalk.com/workout/5080148191.

Alternate routes

Earl Bales Dog Park is a great starting point for several hikes. Read these blogs for trails along the river and to the cemetery:

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Rouge Park Woodland Trail

2020-12-04T18:39:00.006-05:00

The Rouge Park Woodland Trail is one of the lesser-known trails in the Rouge Urban National Park.

Several trails take you through a beautiful forest and along the Little Rouge River. The 2 km trail is marked with green signs. The longer trails are not marked but are easy to find.

Parking

The parking area is located at 19 Reesor Road. The lot is small, so if it's full, see if you can find a spot on the shoulder of Reesor Road.

The Trail

Our actual 3 km route is shown in the map from the UnderArmor MapMyWalk App. If you use this app, find our route: https://www.mapmywalk.com/workout/5069365768

The longer 5 km route takes you up a steep hill to a flat area closer to Reesor Road. If you use this app, find our route: https://www.mapmywalk.com/workout/4991115811

The beginning part of the trail is lined with rocks.

Well-worn footpaths follow the river. Be careful as the trail is very close to the riverbank that is eroding.

You'll get great views of the river with a few spots that dogs can easily access for a drink or swim.

We saw a woodpecker on our hike and noticed a few birdhouses along the trail.

Lucy especially likes to run through the forest on the hills. The natural obstacles give her the challenge she needs as a mountain dog.

You'll find a flat trail that travels south parallel to Reesor Road at the top of the hill. On some maps, the trail seems to go all the way to Meadowvale Road, but we haven't explored past the hydro field.

Just before we got back to the parking lot there is a seating area. Or, in Lucy's case, a place to practice jumping up and posing for a photo.

Off-Leash Opportunities

Lucy was able to do the entire hike off-leash since we were hiking on a day with very few people, and she stays very close to me.

Explore more trails in the Rouge Urban National Park

See our blog entries for these trails:

Cedar Trail in Rouge National Urban Park

Mast Trail in Rouge National Urban Park

Orchard Trail in Rouge National Urban Park

Vista Trail in Rouge National Park

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Torrance Barrens Conservation Reserve

2020-11-18T10:36:00.004-05:00

Hiking Muskoka

In October, we spent two weeks hiking trails in the Muskoka region. This entry is part of that series.

Torrance Barrens is a great trail that was recommended to us by local hikers. On a Sunday morning in October, the parking lot was completely filled, so this is a well-known trail. Even with a full parking lot, we rarely encountered other people on the trail. The area is extensive and people walk the trails at different speeds.

Parking

The official parking lot is on Southwood Road, Gravenhurst.

Portable toilets can be found at this location. We noticed cars parked on other sections of the road, so there are many access points.

One of the first things I noticed about this trail is the secondary name "Dark Sky Reserve." A sign at the trailhead gives more information.

For the past year, I've been working with the Space Place Canada team to bring a planetarium to Toronto. One of the things that Toronto is short of is a dark sky. The Torrance Barrens Dark Sky Reserve is a roughly two-hour drive for most Torontonians, allowing them to find a pristine night sky to view and photograph. I didn't visit at night but will one day.

From the muskoka.ca brochure:

In 1999, Torrance Barrens Conservation Area was designated as the world’s first permanent Dark Sky Reserve. The 4,700-acres of Crown land is bedrock and wetlands, with trees and bushes that are stunted in height. For star-gazers this means a spectacular 360 degree view of the night sky, unhampered by light pollution. Even an amateur’s telescope can see the rings of Saturn. Late in the summer and in the early fall it’s posssible the northern lights (aurora borealis) could put in an appearance.

The next thing you'll notice is the barren bedrock. The Canadian Shield is a striking landscape feature of the Muskoka area, and this park is a perfect example.

Muskoka's landscape was inspirational to the Group of Seven artists, so at times, walking this trail is like walking in a painting.

Trails

There are three trails in Torrance Barrens Conservation Reserve: 3 km, 5 km, and 6 km loops.

We hiked the 5 km loop which took us around Highland Pond.

We encountered a Hindu statue near a giant boulder. We'd love to learn the story about the placement of the statue!

We met other furry friends who also loved the trails.

We normally visit the water to see if there is wildlife, but on this hike, we just enjoyed the pond's view from a distance.

Moss and lichen covered much of the barren bedrock and reminded me of the book "The Signature of All Things" by Elizabeth Gilbert. The protagonist Alma Whittaker studied moss, and the book makes you see moss in a whole new way.

Near the end of the hike, you'll cross Southwood Road and come to a small waterfall.

If you do the trail in reverse by crossing the road to start your hike, you'll come to the falls immediately. This may be a way to do a very short hike that is appealing to young children.

The trails are well marked with blazes on trees or rocks as well as blue signs.

Birdwatching

We didn't get photos of many of the birds in the area except for a woodpecker. The granite bedrock and wetlands make this area home to 94 identified species of birds.

Further information

For more information on this trail, see

https://www.discovermuskoka.ca/things-to-do/hiking-trails/torrance-barrens/

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Cooper's Falls Trail near Gravenhurst

2020-11-16T12:06:00.004-05:00

Hiking Muskoka

When we're able, we use our talents as hikers in Toronto to explore other parts of Ontario. This entry is one of the series from our October visit to Muskoka.

Cooper's Falls Trail is a 7.3 hike each way and is located near Gravenhurst with beautiful lakes and the Canadian Sheild landscape.

The Cooper's Falls Trail is part of the Trans Canada Trail that spans 27,000 km across Canada.

There are no waterfalls on this trail, instead expect typical Canadian shield terrain and marshy ponds.

Expect to climb over large rocks that are typical in this part of Ontario.

The trail is mostly well marked with blue signs. We had some trouble finding the trail past Larroger Road.

Parts of the trail are very muddy so wear appropriate footwear.

The leaves were still colourful during our hike, which made the scenery spectacular.

We turned around halfway but met several hikers who trekked both ways.

Parking

There are parking lots at each end:

Links

For further information, see these pages:

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Moore Ravine - David Balfour Park Loop

2020-11-14T17:02:00.001-05:00

It's hard to believe that there are ravines like this in the middle of Toronto. Surprisingly, it took me so long to blog about this route.

The hike encircles the Rosedale and Moore Park neighbourhoods with Yellow Creek on the west and Mud Creek on the east.

My delay in blogging about this hike is two-fold. There is ongoing construction in the Rosehill Reservoir and David A. Balfour park affecting the trail on the west side. Hikers can still use most of the trail, but some of the access points are closed. Secondly, if you don't live within walking distance or use transit, there are very few free parking spots.

Suggested Route

I parked at the Rosehill lot and began a 10 km hike at the David A. Balfour Park entry point on Avoca Ave. Walking south, follow the trail to the left to Evergreen Brickworks. Join the Beltline trail that takes you through the Moore Ravine to the Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Join the trail back into the ravine along Yellow Creek to the access point to the David A. Balfour park near the parking garage. This garage is near the St. Clair Subway Station.

Off-Leash Opportunities

There is no official off-leash area for most of this hike. I took Lucy to the Evergreen Brickworks Off-Leash Park as part of the hike to play free. If you find an area that isn't busy and your dog is trained to stay with you, there are opportunities. The west side of the trail near Yellow Creek has nearly no cyclists and easy access to the water. The Moore Ravine side is crowded and is often patrolled for off-leash dogs.

Heath Street

You can enter the ravine from Heath Street East. The street ends at the Nature Trail sign.

There are steep stairs that take you to the lower level trails along the Yellow Creek.

The area next to the creek has a few areas that may be safe for dogs to run off-leash.

We found a painted face in the part of the creek that is under construction. It remains to be seen if the large concrete pieces survive the construction.

Yellow leaves completely cover the ravine in November with bright red burning bushes in just a few places to make a beautiful landscape.

There are trails on both sides of the creek and at different levels of the surrounding hills.

Use the bridge to cross to the other side of the creek to make a short loop.

The trails along the hill are lined with railings for safety.

There is just enough room on the trails for dogs to meet and play.

Past the railroad trestle, the creek ends, and the trail gets wider and goes through a forest.

Cross Mount Pleasant Road at Roxborough Drive and stay on the trail that goes through Park Drive Reservation Lands.

When you come to a fork in the trail, stay to the left towards the Moore Ravine.

Just past a maintenance building, the trail splits again. Both trails take you to Evergreen Brickworks. The trail on the right takes you to an entrance of the Evergreen Offleash Dog Park. The trail on the left takes you up a hill and passes the dog park.

Evergreen Brickworks

You can either walk right through the Evergreen Brickworks to continue your hike. If you wish to stay and explore, see our blog entry about this area.

Beltline Trail

The trail through the Moore Ravine is also known as the Ravine Beltline Trail and is part of the Kay Gardner Beltline Trail. This trail is very heavily used by cyclists, joggers, and pedestrians of all kinds. It is essential to keep your dog on a leash through this area as it is often patrolled.

Mud Creek is deep in the ravine and is far enough from the trail that dogs can play in the water to cool off.

Before reaching Moore Ave, you’ll come to the Cat’s Eye Bridge that connects Heath Street for pedestrians.

At this point, you can cross the bridge to walk along Heath Street back to where you parked or cross Moore Ave to enter the Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

Parking

For free parking, the best I can suggest is local street parking. These can fill up fast, so come early and be sure they allow parking for longer than one hour at a time. Look for spots around Moorevale Park and the surrounding streets. Consider parking in an official lot. My suggestion is the Rosehill Parking Garage, which has a $5 maximum on Sundays. The hike takes you through Evergreen Brickworks, so parking there is an option as well.

Route Alterations

There are many ways to shorten this hike while still making a loop. The most common one is to loop around Yellow Creek for a 3 km hike in the ravine.

You could use the Cat's Eye Bridge and walk along Heath Street to make it a 7.5 km hike.

To lengthen the hike, join up with one of the routes previously blogged about:

Todmorden Mills to Chesterhill Lookout

Crothers Woods, Lower Don, Evergreen Brickworks

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Rouge Beach to Petticoat Creek Conservation Area

2020-11-09T09:26:00.002-05:00

Rouge Beach is located at the mouth of the Rouge River and is part of the Rouge Urban National Park. The trails are not connected because of the large marsh area just before Lake Ontario.

Rouge Beach is popular for fishing, beach play, and canoeing. Hiking is done along the Waterfront Trail. Read our earlier blog entry about a hike from the Highland Creek Water Treatment Plant to Rouge Beach. This blog entry goes east along the lakeshore through Petticoat Creek Conservation Area.

Parking

There is plenty of parking at the intersection of Rouge Hill Drive and Lawrence Ave East.

Suggested Route

The route we took was 7 km in length, as we explored in the Petticoat Coat Conservation Area. Future posts will cover more of the area.

Rouge Beach

From the parking lot, walk on the boardwalk next to the marsh.

The marsh is beautiful even after most of the leaves have fallen.

There is damage to the trees, so there are beaver in the area, but we didn't see any. With a marsh, there are opportunities for birdwatching. We were greeted by a Northern Cardinal when we arrived and saw plenty of starlings that have homes under the bridge.

Bridge to Pickering

Cross the bridge for views of the lake and marsh.

After leaving the bridge, you are officially in Pickering.

There are parking spots on this side as well. Follow Rodd Ave to get to the Waterfront Trail that takes you through Petticoat Creek Conservation Area.

Petticoat Conservation Area

You'll be at the top of the bluffs where you'll have a great view of the lake.

Just past the bridge over Petticoat Creek, we found a trail to the lake. Lucy was able to play on the deserted beach.

At this point, we turned back and walked along the Petticoat Creek to explore a bit of the park. The park was closed the day we went in mid-November, so we had the place to ourselves.

Lucy met a few friends along the route that she was able to play with.

There isn't an official off-leash area for the dogs, so be cautious if you let them off to run free.

There are signs about wildlife like skunks and coyotes in the park, so be aware of your surroundings.

There are many places along this route to spend the day, so enjoy your hike. Tag us on Instagram @hikingtoronto.

Trail Extensions

We turned back just after Petticoat Creek, but the trail continues to Fisherman's Bay. Walking to Fisherman's Bay will likely add 3 km to your hike.

We only explored a small part of Petticoat Creek, so you can extend your hike by exploring more of the park.

Rouge River Trails

There are three other entry points into the Rouge Urban National Park, where you can hike more trails. See these blog entries for details:

Hardy Lake Provincial Park

2020-11-03T19:00:00.000-05:00

Like most hikers who live in Toronto, I don't always have the opportunity to hike trails in other parts of the province. I stay fit and active by hiking as often as possible in Toronto so that when I can leave the city, I can enjoy many more trails.

Recently we spent two weeks in the Muskoka region of Ontario. This is affectionately known as "cottage country” to many.

Hardy Lake Provincial Park is located 19 km west of Gravenhurst, ON on Highway 169. Camping is not allowed, but hiking is very popular.

The park is nearly 1800 acres and features million-year-old rocks sloping into Lake Hardy. There are multiple well-marked and well-maintained trails meandering through the park. The forest is made up of mature hardwoods, including maple, oak, beech, hemlock, red oak and white pine. Autumn colours are quite incredible.

I loved the park so much that I went twice in a week. On a weekday, we hiked 10 km and saw very few people. Our second hike was on a Sunday in October, and the parking lot was full, so we parked on the side of the road. Even with many hikers on the trails, we were able to keep a safe distance from other hikers.

The 10 km loop takes you completely around Hardy Lake on well-marked and maintained nature trails.

The part of the trail that is repeated is next to a beaver pond. We were lucky to see a beaver swimming in the pond while we were there. There’s a saying “busy as a beaver”, but he was clearly enjoying his leisure time by swimming slowly in the pond when we saw him.

A sign in the park provides details about beaver’s eating and living habits:

Beaver chew down poplar and hardwood trees to eat the bark and twigs. The sound of running water prompts beaver to build a dam which creates a pond. These ponds quickly become home to a variety of wildlife and plants. Beavers build their lodges and transport branches to their feed beds in the pond. A beaver lodge consists of interwoven branches with an underwater entrance leading up to 2 or 3 chambers. Winter feed is stored under winter and hauled into the house as needed. Once edible parts are consumed the branches are woven onto the lodge or used to strengthen the dam.

At the end of our hike, the beaver was out of the water, but I couldn’t get a photo. Lucy was very interested in this “little animal” that is surprisingly large when out of the water.

The forest is filled with wonder and obstacles.

Dogs must be leashed so they won’t’ disturb the wildlife, but I did let Lucy off briefly to run with another Bernedoodle we met on the hike.

We were a little surprised to see a cabin deep into our hike. There is also the remnant of an 1870s pioneer house foundation that nature is reclaiming.

Part of the hike is through wetlands. Boardwalks allow you to observe without causing damage.

The lake was too cold for swimming, even for Lucy, but the view was spectacular.

Maps are placed throughout the park so you can track your progress and gain a perspective of the area you are hiking through.

Although not overly steep, you will climb high enough to get vista views of the lake and surrounding forest.

Perfect for rest and photo opportunities, a couple of colourful Muskoka chairs sit on the lake’s shore.

Large boulders can be found throughout this hike and the Canadian Shield. We learned from a sign written by Alex Tilley that these boulders are called "erratics":

Boulders of all sizes were snatched from the hills of granite by glaciers. They travelled under and within it, scraping away even more rock. These boulders sometimes travelled great distances; we call them erratics, from the Latin errere, to wander. You'll see these smooth rounded rocks everywhere in Muskoka. There are millions of these "wanderers".

Lucy is a Bernedoodle, which is a mixed breed of Poodle and Bernese Mountain Dog. She likes to show off her mountain skills by jumping on the top of large boulders. She also demands a tax for every photo I take of her.

Trail Options

There are three different length trails through Hardy Lake Provincial Park. The shortest loop is 3 km in length. If you want a shorter route, I suggest you take the middle trailhead and visit only the beaver pond.

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Find a trail to hike

2020-11-01T09:40:00.002-05:00

The "Hiking Toronto for Dog Lovers" blog now has 50 trails documented for you to choose from.

Trail Name	Toronto Neighbourhood / Ward Name	Trail Length	Off-Leash Dog Park	Lake, River
East Don River - Sheppard to Finch	Bayview Village	7.5 km		Don River
Todmorden Mills to Chester Hill Lookout	Broadview North	5 km		Don River
Bluffer Park and Marina	Cliffcrest Scarborough	4 km		Lake Ontario
Bluffers Beach	Cliffcrest Scarborough	5 km		Lake Ontario
Bluffers Beach	Cliffcrest Scarborough	4 km		Lake Ontario
Doris McCarthy Trail	Cliffcrest Scarborough	2 km		Lake Ontario
Scarborough Crescent Park	Cliffside Scarborough	4 km		Lake Ontario
Scarborough Heights Park	Cliffside Scarborough	4 km	Scarborough Heights Off-Leash Dog Park	Lake Ontario
Corktown Commons and Distillery District	Corktown	3 km	Corktown Common Dog Park	Don River
Bond Park to York Mills	Don Mills	3 km
Don Mills Trail to Shops on Don Mills	Don Mills	5 km
Duncairn Park	Don Mills	3 km
Wilket Creek Park	Don Mills	5 km		Wilket Creek
Crothers Forest	East York	5 km		Don River
Crothers Woods, Lower Don, Evergreen Brickworks	East York	7.5 km	Don Valley Brickworks Off-Leash Dog Park	Don River
Betty Sutherland Trail	Henry Farm	5 km		Don River
Henry Farm and Betty Sutherland Trail	Henry Farm	3 km		Don River
High Park	High Park - Swansea	3 km	High Park Dog Off-Leash Area
Sunnyside Beach	High Park - Swansea	4 km	Sir Cashmir Gzowski Off-Leash Dog Park	Lake Ontario
Trails through University of Toronto Scarborough Campus	Highland Creek	5 km	Colonel Danforth Off-Leash Dog Park	Highland Creek River
Humber River Trail - Etienne Brulé Park	Lambton Baby Point	8.5 km		Humber River
Earl Bales and York Cemetery	Lansing	3 km	Earl Bales Off-Leash Dog Park	Don River
Earl Bales River Walk	Lansing	5 km	Earl Bales Off-Leash Dog Park	Don River
East Point Park	Manse Valley	5 km		Lake Ontario
Terraview and Willowfields Gardens Park	Maryvale	2 km		Taylor-Massey Creek
Botany Hill to Morningside Park	Morningside Scarborough	5 km	Botany Hill Off-Leash Dog Park	Hiland Creek River
Morningside Park	Morningside	8 km		Highland Creek River
Warden Woods / Gus Harris Trail	Oakridge Scarborough	5 km	Warden Woods Off-Leash Dog Park	Taylor-Massey Creek
Brookbanks Park	Parkwoods	5 km		Deerlick Creek
Parkwoods Village	Parkwoods	2 km		Deerlick Creek
Cherry Beach	Port Lands	1 km	Cherry Beach Off-Leash Dog Park	Lake Ontario
Colonel Danforth Dog Park and Highland Creek River	Port Union	2 km	Colonel Danforth Off-Leash Dog Park	Highland Creek River
Evergreen Brickworks	Rosedale	3 km	Don Valley Brickworks Off-Leash Dog Park
Cedar Trail in Rouge National Urban Park	Rouge National Urban Park	6 km		Roug
Mast Trail in Rouge National Urban Park	Rouge National Urban Park	5 km		Rouge River
Orchard Trail in Rouge National Urban Park	Rouge National Urban Park	3 km		Rouge River
Vista Trail in Rouge National Park	Rouge National Urban Park	2 km		Rouge River
Sherwood Park	Sherwood Park	2 km	Sherwood Park Off-Leash Dog Park	Burke Brook
Sunnybrook Off-Leash Dog Park	Sunnybrook	2 km	Sunnybrook Dog Park	Don River
Sunnybrook Park to Glendon College	Sunnybrook	5 km	Sunnybrook Off-Leash Dog Park	Don River
Kew Gardens Beach	The Beaches	5 km	Kew Gardens Dog Park	Lake Ontario
Silverbirch Beach	The Beaches	2 km	Silverbirch / Nursewood Off-Leash Beach	Lake Ontario
Charles Sauriol and Moccasin Park	Victoria Village	5 km		Don River
Colonel Danforth to Old Kingston Road	West Hill	5 km	Colonel Danforth Off-Leash Dog Park	Highland Creek River
Lower Highland Creek Trail from Colonel Danforth Park	West Hill	5 km		Highland Creek River
Windfields Park	Windfields Bridle Path	5 km		Wilket Creek
Taylor Creek Park	Woodbine Gardens	5 km		Taylor-Massey Creek

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Send comments if you have suggested trails we should document. So far we've been focused on trails located in the city of Toronto but have plans to expand to trails near Toronto.

Warden Woods Trail

2020-10-16T21:08:00.001-04:00

This ravine park a hidden gem in Toronto. It is a beautiful park in a forest surrounding a section of Taylor-Massey Creek. You may know of the Taylor Creek Trail. Warden Woods Park is east of the Dawes Road and Victoria Park entrances to Taylor Creek Park, on the other side of the Dentonia Park Golf Course.

Off-Leash Dog Park

The Warden Woods Off-Leash Dog Park is located on Pharmacy Ave between St. Clair Ave East and Danforth Ave. The ground is packed gravel with shade trees along the fence. The same parking lot is used for the dog park and the hiking trail.

Suggested Route

The hiking trail, also known as the Gus Harris Trail, was named after Scarborough's mayor from 1978 - 1988. The paved trail turns into a crushed gravel trail and runs from the parking lot to St. Clair Ave E, near Warden Ave. At St. Clair, a path along the road takes you into the forested side of the creek. The forest trails are well-established and easy to follow. The entire hike is 5 km in length.

The Trail

After parking, follow the paved path to the first bridge. Cross the bridge to begin your hike on the forest trails.

People tell me that the forest side is an official off-leash area in this park. Of course, whether you let your dog off-leash in a forest depends on your dog's training and personality. Lucy stays next to me and comes when called, so it's safe to allow her to run off-leash.

I suggest crossing the bridge to start your walk in the forest; after crossing the bridge, stay on the trails to the right.

The trail is well-maintained by neighbourhood locals. They rake the trails, set up fire pits, and pick up trash.

I especially enjoyed this forest because of the variety of landscapes and the natural obstacles for good photos and awe of nature.

The autumn leaves cover the trails in areas, making it feel like walking on a red carpet.

Fallen trees are left to rot and are fun to jump on for an agile dog.

The creek isn't always accessible from the trail, but standing on the edge looking is fun too.

Eventually the trail leads to the fenced backyards of the neighbouring houses. The area has been cleared and is maintained almost as a private park. It's beautiful.

Turn right and walk along St. Clair Ave. There is a sidewalk, but you can actually stay inside the guardrails to continue on the trail.

Walk back to your starting point using the wide trail. It is crushed gravel for about a kilometre and then paved. The trees are colourful in autumn.

Wildlife

We saw a great blue heron in the creek and Cooper's hawk in the forest.

We also saw woodpecker, cardinals, and nuthatches. Apparently, there have been sightings of deer and coyote as well.

Friends

I'm not sure if it is because of the pandemic or the serenity of walking in nature, but the people I meet on Toronto's trails are friendly and kind. A 5-km walk can take us 3 hours because of frequent stops to chat and play.

Dentonia Park Golf Course

As mentioned before, the Dentonia Park Golf Course is between Warden Woods Park and Taylor Creek Park. There are discussions about the future of city-owned golf courses, so perhaps this land will be opened up for housing or more parkland.

When golf season is over, the courses are opened up to the public, and many allow dogs to be off-leash. You can easily reach Dentonia Park Golf Course from Warden Woods.

After crossing the bridge, follow the trails to the left. When we walked the trail, there were birdhouses in the trees along the way.

The golf course is immediately on the other side of the Pharmacy Ave overpass.

Since we're not golfers, we look forward to winter when we have additional parkland to play in.

Trail Extensions

Warden Woods is connected to several smaller parks that you could explore to extend your walk. These include St. Clair Ravine, Moreau Trail Park, Fir Valley Woods, Byng Park, Cataraqui Park, and Prarie Drive Park. We haven't hiked any of these trails yet, but we will.

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Enjoy your hike! When you post photos to Instagram, tag us at @hikingtoronto or #hikingtorontowithlucy.

Botany Hill Dog Park to Morningside Park

2020-10-11T07:43:00.048-04:00

Start at a beautiful dog park and then take a pleasant 5 km hike for chances to see salmon migrating, deer, blue heron, blue jays, and some of the best autumn vista views.

Suggested Route

After visiting Botany Hill Park, hike along the Highland Creek River using the newest trails in Morningside Park. Once you get to the western parking lot, hike over the steep hill for views and then hike back along the river to your starting point.

New Trails

The city is building new trails with bridges and paved paths in the section of Morningside Park below the Botany Hill Park. The trails are closed when active construction occurs, but the trails are safe to explore on weekends and evenings.

Parking

There are several parking lots in Morningside Park, but for this blog entry, I start the trail from Botany Hill Dog Park on Orton Park Road, where there is street parking.

Botany Hill Dog Park

The Botany Hill Dog in Scarborough has all the best features for an off-leash dog playground: shelters, benches, water bowls, grass, and shade trees in a large fenced area. There is free parking on Orton Park Road in front of the Botany Hill Park.

Lucy was greeted by many friendly dogs who were happy to play and chase.

The Trail

Behind the dog park, go down the gravel path to the Highland Creek River. The trail is wide and winds through colourful trees.

Salmon Run

In September and October, this is a great place to see the salmon migration. We saw many dead salmon, so that means they've spawned and finished their life cycle. The salmon have travelled over 20 km up this meandering river to get to this endpoint from my calculations.

Lucy was curious about the movement in the river and investigated. The salmon are large and splash and dart away when she gets close. Luckily she wasn't interested in the dead salmon and was frightened of the live ones, so she has learned to ignore them as she does with most wildlife.

New Bridges

I like the colour and style of the new bridges being erected in Toronto parks. They blend in nicely with the surroundings, especially in autumn. These bridges are easy for dogs to walk over. Some bridges in Toronto have metal grids that are painful to dogs.

Birdwatching

We witnessed many blue jays in the area, and I was able to get a photo.

A great blue heron spent a lot of time in the bend in the river hunting.

Views

When we reached the Morningside West Parking Lot, washroom and picnic area, we were drawn to climb the steep hill instead of following the trail around it. Our efforts were rewarded with amazing views of the colourful trees in the park.

Some creative people built a bench at the top to enjoy nature and amazing views.

Toronto has many great deciduous forests that are colourful in the fall, including the busy 401 and DVP highways. The view from the top of this hill in Morningside Park must be one of the city's top views.

Be careful, walking down the hill. The trail is covered with acorns, which can be as dangerous as walking on marbles.

When back down to the river, walk back to the parking lot and then back to the Botany Hill Park where you parked your car.

Trail Extensions

There are many more trails in Morningside Park that are worth exploring. See our blog, Morningside Park, for one of the trails. From Morningside Park, you can connect to other parks surrounding the Highland Creek River, including:

Trails through University of Toronto Scarborough Campus

Colonel Danforth Park to Old Kingston Road

Lower Highland Creek Park

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Enjoy your hike! When you post photos to Instagram, tag us at @hikingtoronto or #hikingtorontowithlucy.

Todmorden Mills to Chester Hill Lookout

2020-09-28T21:03:00.002-04:00

Explore Toronto history by taking a hike through the Tordmorden Mills Heritage Site. If you've travelled on the DVP, you've likely noticed the iconic tower.

The route I recently discovered combines seeing the buildings of Todmorden Mills, hiking the trails on the site, as well as visiting the Chester Hill Lookout and a few places along the Lower Don Trail. This might seem ambitious, but we did all of this about 5 km.

Parking

At the bottom of Beechwood Drive off of O'Connor, there is a free parking area near the entrance of Toronto Police Dog Services.

Suggested Route

The route I suggest begins on Beechwood Drive. Walk south on the Lower Don Trail to Pottery Road. After crossing the street, turn left on Pottery Road to the entrance of Todmorden Mills Heritage Site. Visit the historic buildings and hike the trails up to Broadlands. Walk to Chester Hill to the Lookout.

Autumn Vibes

The trails are beautiful in September and October as the days get shorter and the foliage gets colourful. Here is a collection of photos I took walking from my car to Pottery Road.

Lower Don Trail

The Lower Don Trail is extensive, so visit often to explore it fully. A previous blog used this trail to connect Crothers Woods to Evergreen Brickworks.

After parking, use the paths through wildflowers to get to the Lower Don Trail. You may encounter a Police K9 dog on a break as we did on one visit.

You can stay on the paved trail or use the side trail along the river. We prefer the river trail as it allows dogs to be off-leash.

If you're lucky, you will see salmon in the river. The salmon migration occurs annually in September and October. The Don River is one of the rivers in Toronto where you can see the salmon run.

Be sure to stop at the Don River Fish Ladder. A seating and viewing area was recently installed so you can wait patiently to see a salmon jump over the weir.

Pottery Road

Cross Pottery Road and turn left. On your right, you'll see the historic Pottery Road Bridge that was built in 1928.

There are several artistic signs at this junction, including the name sign, crossing signs, and murals on the underpass.

Todmorden Mills History

On the left-hand side of Pottery Road is the event venue, Fantasy Farms. In 1790, all this land was owned by the Isaiah Skinner family, who started a lumber mill. Fantasy Farms is the actual location of the Skinner home, which was torn down years ago. Fantasy Farms is private property, but you can see an ancient horse coach on display in front of the venue.

This area became a vibrant community with a brewery, lumber, paper, flour and sawmills, and a brick factory. Thomas Helliwell and John Eastwood opened the brewery in 1820, and the area was renamed Todmorden after the village in England, where John Eastwood was born.

The Skinner family operated the mills on the site until 1855 when the property was sold to the Taylor family, who also owned Don Valley Brickworks across the road. The mill remained in operation until 1920 when the mill was converted to riding stables. In 1940, the property was used as a German Prisoner of War camp.

In 1967 the area became a historic site and community museum.

The 9-hectare natural area around the mill is the Todmorden Mills Wildflower Preserve.

This preserve is maintained by a group of volunteers working to restore the land to the original vegetation before Europeans settled the area in 1790.

Chester Hill Lookout

One of the trails in the Todmorden Mills Preserve leads you up a steep hill.

Follow this trail to get to Broadview Avenue.

Turn right and walk along Broadview Ave until Chester Hill. At the end of Chester Hill is a lookout over the valley with great views.

A fence blocks the seldom-used trail from the lookout to the Todmorden trails, so instead, walk back the way you came to return to your starting point.

Birdwatching

We heard bluejays and other birds, but only captured a photo of a red-tailed hawk.

Route Suggestions

Todmorden Mills Heritage Site: You can actually park on-site in a small parking area beyond the Todmorden Mills entrance. If you choose this parking area, your hike will be dramatically shorter.

Crothers Woods: There is plenty of parking at the Thomas Hauser Trailhead on Redway Road. See this blog entry Crothers Woods, Lower Don, and Evergreen Brickworks for details. The distance will be about the same if you start from Crothers Woods instead of Beechwood Drive.

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Enjoy your hike! When you post photos to Instagram, tag us at @hikingtoronto or #hikingtorontowithlucy.

Humber River Trail - Etienne Brulé Park

2020-09-17T20:32:00.000-04:00

The Humber River is 100 km long, so there are many hiking trails to explore.

The river connects to Lake Ontario in the south. See earlier blog entry, Sunnyside Beach, about a park to explore at the southern point of the Humber River.

Parking or Transit

This hike begins at the Etienne Brule Park, where there is free parking. For those who use transit, the nearest subway station is the Old Mill Station. You'll be following part of the Humber River Recreational Trail.

Suggested Route

Starting at Etienne Brule Park, walk north on the paved path until you reach the footbridge over the Humber River. Turn back at this point for an 8.5 km hike.

The Trail

You can walk the paved trail for the entire hike if you like. There is also a gravel path as well as a footpath next to the river. Cyclists tend to use the paved path and joggers the gravel path.

I like to use the river path to get the best view of the birds, and for Lucy to play in the river.

Weir or Low Head Dams

The barrier that runs across the width of the Humber River is called a weir. These low head dams alter the flow of water, and there are several in the Humber River. In the autumn, salmon migrate upriver to spawn and face the challenge of jumping the weirs. This has become a spectator sport in Toronto, with people cheering as the salmon make their jumps. Follow our Instagram account to find out when this is happening.

Footbridge

About 4 km from the start of the trail, you'll come to a footbridge that crosses the Humber River. Enjoy the view from the bridge in the middle of the river.

I was hoping to find a trail going south along the west side of the Humber River after crossing the footbridge, but there doesn't seem to be one that starts at this point. There is a trail going north on the west side of the river, but not south.

Birdwatching

The Humber River was never as industrialized as other rivers in Toronto, so parkland, and therefore wildlife, is abundant. Fishing is a popular activity on the river for both humans and waterbirds.

Egret

Cardinal

Red-Tail Hawk

Cormorant

Wildlife

The only wildlife we saw on our hike was a raccoon. This is not good as raccoon shouldn't be out during the day, and this one wasn't the least bit afraid of the humans or dogs passing by.

There are likely deer, coyote, foxes, rabbits, groundhogs, and other animals in the park.

Friends

We met plenty of other dogs on our walk. As usual, instant friendships were formed regardless of the breed, colour, or size.

Most of the play was done while leashed.

We let the dogs run off-leash for a bit in the large grassy areas alongside the trail.

I was able to keep Lucy off-leash while we walked on the river path as it was separated from the pedestrian and cycling traffic.

Scenery

Natural scenery such as wildflowers, cliffs, and unusual trees can be seen while on this hike.

Purple Aster

Creative people have been busy making scenery in the form of rock cairns and painting concrete.

History

Do you ever try to imagine what the world looked like to the first people to inhabit these lands? The Humber River was a significant waterway to the first people to inhabit the region. Read this description that I found on the toronto.ca website:

Etienne Brule park is a historically significant piece of land. It was named after Etienne Brule, the first French explorer to venture beyond the St. Lawrence River into Upper Canada (Ontario). The Humber River and its shores along Etienne Brule park were once used as a major trade route by the Aboriginal Peoples of the area. It is a beautiful park stretched out along the Humber River starting near the Old Mill and winding north to the bend in the River around the Baby Point neighbourhood.

Trail Extensions

If you would like to make your hike longer, you can cross the river via the Dundas Street Bridge and walk the west side of the river before returning to your starting point.

As mentioned earlier, there are many trails along the Humber River, so stay tuned for more blogs about hiking opportunities.

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Enjoy your hike! When you post photos to Instagram, tag us at @hikingtoronto or #hikingtorontowithlucy.

Cedar Trail in Rouge National Urban Park

2020-09-13T19:20:00.001-04:00

The Cedar Trail has become my favourite hike of Rouge Park. The path has less traffic than the Vista or Orchard trails and takes you from a pond through a forest to the river with plenty of opportunity for off-leash play, birdwatching, and wildlife spotting.

Lucy was able to be off-leash for most of the hike as we encountered very few people.

Suggested Route

The hike is about 6 km in length, including the walk to and from the parking area to the trailhead.

Parking

Park on the road near the Rouge Valley Conservation Area.

Walk down the service road towards the Cedar and Orchard Trails. There are signs at the trailheads, so avoid the temptation to follow one of the side trails for now.

The Pond

The Cedar Trail begins with a walk along the pond. This is where you're likely going to see a lot of wildlife. On one visit, we encountered staff from the Toronto Zoo, releasing painted turtles in the pond. They were quickly welcomed into the habitat by the locals.

Birdwatching

Belted Kingfishers, Cedar Waxwings, Cardinals, Eastern Kingbirds, Great Blue Herons were the birds we were able to identify and photograph on the hike.

The Forest

Once you approach the forest, you'll see signs for the Cedar Trail.

Follow the white blazes through the forest over boardwalks and stairs until you reach the river.

The River

The trail continues through the forest, but it's worth taking some time to enjoy the Little Rouge River. Wildflowers grow along the banks, and hopefully, you'll see the Great Blue Heron that hunts this river.

The Trail End

Walk through the forest until the trail ends at Meadowvale Road.

We encountered deer in this part of the forest. I think there are plenty of deer in Rouge Park, but they are experts at hiding when they hear approaching hikers.

When the trail ends at Meadowvale, I recommend turning back and retracing your steps until you get back to the pond.

When you get back to the pond, keep to the left to complete a circle of the pond. You'll end up back on the service road near the train crossing. Notice the fence on the other side. This is a new trail that is scheduled to open soon.

Extend Your Hike

My obsession with making a loop for each hike caused me to try walking along Meadowvale Ave instead of turning back. Here are my experiences.

Turn left on Meadowvale Ave

This took across a narrow bridge where I walked along the side of busy Meadowvale Road. I went past Toronto Zoo parking lots and fields. At one point, we saw wild turkeys. This might be a suitable walk without a dog, and on a day that isn't super hot.

Turn right on Meadowvale Ave

This was a much longer route, likely because we went down a driveway that we hoped would circle back to the Rouge Park. It didn't. We turned onto Plug Hat Road, then Beare Road, and finally onto Finch Ave and walked past a honey stand.

We saw signs for the new Beare Hill Park that is in developed, but due to construction, the area is fenced off.

We turned onto a forest path and were able to get onto the new trail. We walked a long way until we came to a path across the train track. Again, this might be a great extension when you don't have a dog who likes forests and rivers instead of busy roads.

Orchard Trail

You can easily connect to the Orchard Trail after circling the pond. See our blog that combines the Orchard and Vista Trails.

Rouge River Side Trails

Between the parking area and the trailhead for the Orchard and Cedar Trails, there are unmarked side trails along the Rouge River. The one on the south (right-hand side) is a 1 km loop. I've been told that this is an excellent spot to see salmon migrating upriver.

The trail to the north is more complicated. It takes you through several Toronto Zoo properties, including Valley Halla, which is a historical home. There are many "no trespassing" signs in the area, so we didn't feel comfortable exploring. There are online reviews of Valley Halla, so at one point, this was a place you could visit.

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Enjoy your hike! When you post photos to Instagram, tag us at @hikingtoronto or #hikingtorontowithlucy.

Crothers Woods, Lower Don, and Evergreen Brickworks

2020-09-09T18:20:00.001-04:00

This is a great walk that takes you through three significant green areas near the Don River. As documented, the hike is 7.5 km in length.

Suggested Route

After a winding hike through the forest, you'll walk part of the Lower Don Trail. On the way to Evergreen Brickworks, you'll pass some impressive artwork. Once at the Brickworks, you can visit the off-leash dog park and have a snack at Cafe Belong. After visiting the lookout, you'll hike over an abandoned rail line that takes you back to your car.

Parking

Park at the Loblaws on Redway Road near the Thomas Hauser Memorial Trailhead. Parking is free and plentiful. You could start at Evergreen Brickworks but must pay for parking.

Trailhead

For a history of this park, see our earlier blog entry, Crothers Forest Trail. This entry explores a different part of the trail but begins in the same spot. Choose the trail on the left for this hike. You can shorten the hike by taking the middle or right-hand trail, but you'll miss a few interesting sights.

Hilly Trail

The first part of the hike switchbacks through a large forested hill. This trail is maintained and used by off-road cyclists. Keep your dog on leash through this stretch of the hike.

Redway Road

Cross Redway Road and continue on the trail on the other side.

When you see the sign for Harder vs Easier, turn right to choose the "Easier" trail.

Boardwalks

You'll come to an extensive boardwalk and stairway on either side of the trail. If you turn right, it takes you to the water treatment plant. If you go left, it seems to take you to a neighbourhood in Leaside. We haven't explored this trail yet. Simply continue on the path straight ahead.

Service Road

This trail ends at the service road between train tracks and the water plant. There is a sign with a map and details of the full route. Turn right and follow the service road until you reach the next sign post.

The Trail to Cross the Don

Follow the trail to a gravel path. Turn left and cross the bridge over the Don River.

On the right, just past the bridge, your dog can access the Don River for a swim. The K9 Training Unit is nearby, and we've met Police dogs playing here.

You can follow the river till you can't go any further as there are excellent trails to explore with the potential to see birds like herons, kingfishers, and others. To get to the Lower Don Trails, however, you must cross the parking lot at the bridge, and then the rail crossing.

Lower Don Trail

Turn right onto the Lower Don Trail that is paved. This is a very popular route for cyclists, so keep your dog on a leash while walking on this path. There are several spots to visit the river for great views, drinks, and swimming.

Pottery Road

Walk the paved trail until you reach Pottery Road. You'll see an arch bridge, street art, and a two-part crosswalk.

Bayview Ave

The Lower Don Trail continues, but to get to the Evergreen Brickworks, you must turn right towards Bayview Ave and cross the bridge. There is a paved path on the left side of the road, but I suggest you take the footpath closer to the fence. This keeps you further away from a busy street.

When this trail ends, you'll be a short distance from the crosswalk to Evergreen. Most spectacular are the paintings on the train trestle.

Evergreen Brickworks

Read our blog entry about the Evergreen Brickworks Trail for details on the Off-Leash Dog Park, history, and more. We did visit the dog park, but it was completely empty. I wonder if the signs about poison ivy are to blame?

Instead, we grabbed a treat from the coffee shop and sat near the Robertson Davies’ Stones and played with other dogs on leash. We heard that parking and leash by-laws are being enforced.

Lookout Point

Admire the views of the city and the Evergreen Brickworks from this vantage point. Be sure to come back when the fall colours are at their best.

Evergreen Brickworks is so beautiful in the autumn that you may not need to drive out of the city to see the splendour.

Abandoned Train Track

To reach the abandoned train tracks, use a side trail on the right hand side. The rest of the walk is primarily on the trail next to the abandoned train track. This is a perfect spot to let your dog off-leash as you are unlikely to run into other people.

You will see graffiti on the underpasses.

About 1 km in, you’ll connect to the Crothers Woods trail. Follow the trail until you’re back at the starting point.

Extend your Hike

This hike takes you through three great hiking areas of Toronto. Each of them can be a 5-10 km walk on its own, so there is no shortage of ways for you to extend your walk. We try to go once a week to try different routes and meet more people.

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Enjoy your hike! When you post photos to Instagram, tag us at @hikingtoronto or #hikingtorontowithlucy.

Orchard Trail in Rouge National Urban Park

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The Orchard trail is primarily through a mature forest next to the Little Rouge River. Perhaps there are apple or other fruit trees in the woods, but I only saw acorns on the ground.

This hike is 2 km each way, but if you include the walk from the parking area, it's closer to 3 km if you park on Zoo Road.

Suggested Route

Park along the road near the main entrance at 1749 Meadowvale Road. Walk east on the gravel road until you see the signs for the trailhead. The Orchard Trail takes you to Twyn Rivers Road, where you can connect with the Vista Trail to return to your car.

The hike begins beside a pond. There are side trails to the pond if you want to get close. Mid to late summer the vegetation is pretty thick, so you may wish to delay visiting the pond until another season.

The Trail

The trail is well marked with white blazes marked on trees. The main path is also pretty wide and well-worn.

If you stay on the main trail, you'll hike through a forest, but if you like to visit the river, there are many side trails to explore. A narrow path is beside the river, so you can walk that for a fair distance before rejoining the main trail. I like staying on the smaller side trails for Lucy to play off-leash.

The trail is well maintained with a boardwalk in some areas as well as handrails.

The trail takes you to the Twyn Rivers Road. Cross the road and take a short hike along the river to get to the main parking lot for the Rouge Trails.

Vista Trail

Instead of going back to your car the way you came, make a loop via the Vista Trail as marked in red on the map. The Vista Trail begins just west of the spot where the Orchard Trail met Twyn Rivers Road.

This hike starts out with a steep hill, but otherwise is a short, easy trail with a lookout deck.

Extend your hike

To extend your hike, take the Mast Trail to the Glen Rouge Campground before taking the Vista Trail.

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Enjoy your hike! When you post photos to Instagram, tag us at @hikingtoronto or #hikingtorontowithlucy.

Mast Trail in Rouge National Urban Park

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The Mast Trail is a popular hike in the Rouge National Urban Park between the Little Rouge River and Rouge River. Hike a 5 km loop that begins near Kingston Road through the hills to the Twyn Rivers trail head.

The Mast Trail is an intermediate-level hiking trail. Some of the hills are steep, and it is pretty easy to get off the official path, so perhaps it can be considered an advanced-level hike. You won't get lost if you leave the official trail, but you may end up walking further than you anticipated.

Read my blog about the Vista Trail, which is likely the easiest trail in Rouge Urban Park.

Parking

The Glen Rouge Campground is still closed due to the pandemic, but the parking lot is open for day-hikers.

This is a popular place for people to hike, especially on weekends. If you find a full parking lot, drive to the Twyn Rivers Drive parking lot and start your hike there.

Suggested Route

The official trail is marked by blazes that are painted on trees.

The Trail

After parking, cross the bridge over the river. You can go left or right. Both trails take you to the same place.

I like to go to the right as this part of the trail is less travelled and goes through fields of wildflowers and ferns.

Yellow irises grow on the banks of the river.

The sandbanks in the river are a great place to let your dog off-leash.

It's on this sandbank that I've seen Great Blue Heron. I've seen many of them this summer, but it never gets old. They are beautiful birds to see.

Follow the trail up the hill, and you'll be treated to vista views of the river.

The forest is thick, so you can beat the heat, and if few people are around, let your dogs off-leash to chase squirrels.

I don't usually see birds this deep in the forest, but on one recent hike, we followed a blue jay until we got a photo.

The trees are painted with blazes to show you the route. This one says to continue straight, up the stairs.

The recommended route is marked by these blazes. You need to pay attention because they are easily missed. There are many well-travelled trails that you might accidentally follow. If you do, you'll lose the main trail.

At the top of the stairs, we found an extensive collection of "Rona 2020" painted rocks.

A double blaze with the left one higher than the right means you should veer to the left to stay on the main trail.

Meadow

About 2 km into the walk, you'll reach the meadow and then the river. Across the river is the Twyn Rivers Parking Lot.

Turn left and follow the path along the river until you see a tree with double blazes that look like an equal sign. This means you've come to the end of the Mast Trail, so you have a few choices.

Twyn Rivers Trail Head

At this point, you could turn around and retrace your steps back to your car. The trees are marked with blazes all the way back to where you came from.

If you cross the road, you will be at one end of the Vista Trail. See my blog entry about the Vista Trail.

My recommendation is to turn left and follow the path up the hill. This will take you back to your starting point but on unmarked trails. It's easier to follow these unmarked trails without getting lost, so why not give it a try.

The Route Back

From the meadow, you likely noticed a very steep hill with trails. You'll now be at the top of that hill. I've seen people run up this hill for training, and in the winter, it's a popular spot for tobogganing.

We found a large stone and made this our rest stop for the hike.

Follow the trails, and when you get to the top of a fairly steep hill, you'll be back on the main trail.

You'll see a broken orange fence and a sign for the Mast Trail. Continue on the trail to the right and follow the blazes back to your starting point.

Exploring

As mentioned earlier, there are many different trails in this part of the park. I've explored many of the trails and have seen some unusual things. I can't direct you to these location, but encourage you to take the time to explore the area to see if you can find them.

Urban Art

Outdoor Living Room

Mushrooms or some kind of tree growth.

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Enjoy your hike! When you post photos to Instagram, tag us at @hikingtoronto or #hikingtorontowithlucy.