Very Toronto Trail Guide
A fact-checked field guide to 30 Toronto trails and 9 worthwhile day trips. Routes, transit, access notes, and the details that matter before you go.
A 5-kilometre human-made peninsula extending into Lake Ontario that has evolved into one of Toronto's most remarkable urban wilderness areas, with 18 kilometres of trails through wetlands, meadows, and cobble beaches. The park is a globally significant bird habitat and offers stunning skyline views you can't get anywhere else in the city.
A 1.5-kilometre one-way Parks Canada trail through Little Rouge Creek forest to a two-level viewing platform over the Rouge River valley. The moderate route includes slopes and stairs and takes roughly one to two hours out and back.
A 52-hectare urban forest tucked into the Don Valley with 10 kilometres of interconnected dirt trails through mature hardwood forest. Often called Toronto's best-kept hiking secret, the trail network includes steep elevation changes, a hidden 194-step staircase, and dense canopy that makes you forget you're in a city of three million.
Start with Toronto for an in-city walk, or switch to day trips for Niagara Escarpment hikes. Distances describe the route or trail network named on each page—not every path in the surrounding park.
30 routes
A self-directed waterfront walk through Bluffer's Park and Bluffer's Beach beneath Scarborough's dramatic clay cliffs. There is no single official Scarborough Bluffs trail and no safe trail linking the shoreline to the cliff-top parks, so choose a park-level route and stay behind barriers.
A peaceful 4-kilometre ravine trail cutting diagonally through midtown Toronto, connecting the Beltline Trail to the north with Heath Street to the south. The deep forested valley follows Castle Frank Brook through a surprisingly wild landscape of mature trees, meadows, and creek crossings, all hidden below the surrounding residential streets.
A paved, year-round route through quiet East Don meadows and ravine canopy, best known for the colourful Rainbow Tunnel beneath the railway. It is an easy way into the Don trail system and can be extended north or south along the river.
A waterfront network of paved and granular paths around a wooded peninsula, wetlands, beaches, and Lake Ontario lookouts. One of Toronto's best birding walks, it is also an easy four-season outing with plenty of ways to shorten or extend the route.
A 52-hectare urban forest tucked into the Don Valley with 10 kilometres of interconnected dirt trails through mature hardwood forest. Often called Toronto's best-kept hiking secret, the trail network includes steep elevation changes, a hidden 194-step staircase, and dense canopy that makes you forget you're in a city of three million.
A 6-kilometre paved multi-use trail following the East Don River from Sheppard Avenue south to the forks of the Don at Don Mills Road. The trail passes through deep ravine forest, crosses multiple pedestrian bridges, and connects to the wider Don Valley trail system — a key link in Toronto's north-south ravine corridor.
A 2.8-kilometre network of maintained paths through a tall deciduous forest and the West Don valley, with open parkland, ravine views, and connections around the ski hill. It is one of North York's strongest all-season park walks.
A creekside trail through Etobicoke Valley Park that continues south toward Marie Curtis Park and the Lake Ontario waterfront. The broad valley, open grass, and wooded river edges make it a useful west-end route for walkers, runners, and families.
A 2.4-kilometre trail network through the restored Don Valley Brick Works quarry, with boardwalks over wetlands, meadow paths, and connections to the broader Don Valley trail system. The site blends industrial heritage with ecological restoration, offering an easy and scenic introduction to Toronto's ravine system.
A hidden 11-hectare old-growth ravine in the Beaches neighbourhood with a 1.5-kilometre boardwalk trail through one of Toronto's most pristine urban forests. The ravine shelters rare plants, migrating warblers, and a spring-fed creek, all tucked between quiet residential streets just steps from Queen Street East.
Toronto's largest and most beloved public park features 5 kilometres of trails winding through 161 hectares of rare oak savannah, forested ravines, and manicured gardens. The park is home to Grenadier Pond, a free zoo, seasonal cherry blossoms, and some of the oldest trees in the city.
A 13-kilometre paved pathway hugging the banks of the Humber River through Toronto's west end, stretching from the lakefront to Steeles Avenue. The trail offers a gentle, car-free route through lush river valley scenery, passing historic sites like the Old Mill and connecting to the waterfront trail network.
A 9-kilometre walking and cycling trail built on a former railway corridor that once encircled midtown Toronto. The flat, tree-lined path passes through residential neighbourhoods, dips into the Moore Park Ravine, and connects Cedarvale Park to the Don Valley — one of the best urban rail trails in North America.
A 5-kilometre paved multi-use trail beside the Don River from Pottery Road to Corktown Common. It is a vital downtown-ravine connection, but active construction and weather-related silt can affect access.
Toronto's principal paved waterfront route, running for more than 20 kilometres between the western and eastern beaches. It connects major lakefront parks and neighbourhoods, with many easy access points for shorter walks or rides.
A 2.5-kilometre trail through one of Toronto's most dramatic ravine landscapes, descending from the Beltline Trail near Mount Pleasant Cemetery to the Brick Works via a steep forested valley. The trail follows a creek through dense canopy, crossing wooden bridges and climbing a long staircase to connect the upper and lower sections of the Don Valley.
A major Scarborough ravine corridor following Highland Creek through Morningside Park, with connections toward The Meadoway, Cedar Ridge, the University of Toronto Scarborough, and the waterfront trail. Current construction means this is best treated as a set of open sections, not one continuous route.
A 1-kilometre ravine trail connecting the Beltline Trail to Davenport Road through a narrow, densely forested valley in midtown Toronto. Despite its short length, the trail descends steeply through mature forest that feels surprisingly wild, with a creek running through the ravine floor.
A 1.5-kilometre one-way Parks Canada trail through Little Rouge Creek forest to a two-level viewing platform over the Rouge River valley. The moderate route includes slopes and stairs and takes roughly one to two hours out and back.
A forested ravine trail through one of Toronto's most beautiful urban woodlands, featuring 150-year-old trees, a wooden boardwalk, and the trickling Burke Brook stream. The 4-kilometre network stretches from Bayview Avenue to Blythwood Road with a popular off-leash dog area that draws locals year-round.
A 60-hectare park with over 5 kilometres of trails through open meadows, forested ravines, and along the West Don River. The park connects to Edwards Gardens and Wilket Creek Trail to the north, and to Serena Gundy Park to the east, making it a central node in Toronto's connected ravine trail network.
A scenic 7.2-kilometre paved trail winding through Taylor Creek Park along a gentle creek in Toronto's east end. The wide, flat pathway is one of the city's most family-friendly trails, passing through lush ravine forest with regular benches, washrooms, and parking lots along the route.
A transforming Scarborough hydro corridor of meadow habitat and multi-use trail. The completed vision spans 16 kilometres between the Don Valley and Rouge National Urban Park, linking seven river systems, 15 parks, and 13 neighbourhoods—but the route is not yet continuous.
A wooded creek trail through Thomson Memorial Park linking the Scarborough Museum area with Cedar Brook Park and Hague Park. The combination of forest, open parkland, and cultural stops makes this an easy, flexible Scarborough walk.
A 5-kilometre human-made peninsula extending into Lake Ontario that has evolved into one of Toronto's most remarkable urban wilderness areas, with 18 kilometres of trails through wetlands, meadows, and cobble beaches. The park is a globally significant bird habitat and offers stunning skyline views you can't get anywhere else in the city.
A chain of 15 small islands in Toronto Harbour offering 8 kilometres of car-free walking and cycling paths with unobstructed skyline views. The island trails connect beaches, gardens, a century-old amusement park, and one of the best urban vantage points in North America — looking back at downtown Toronto across the harbour.
A 6-kilometre section of the Lake Ontario waterfront trail connecting Rouge Beach Park to Port Union along Scarborough's eastern shoreline. The paved path passes through marshland, lakeside bluffs, and quiet residential waterfront communities, offering a peaceful alternative to the busier central waterfront sections.
A 2.1-kilometre paved rail trail from Cariboo Avenue to Dundas Street West at Sterling Road, running beside the GO and UP Express corridor. Public art, native planting, and frequent neighbourhood entrances make it one of Toronto's most useful short urban routes.
A 3.5-kilometre paved trail connecting Edwards Gardens to Sunnybrook Park through a lush ravine valley. The wide, flat path follows Wilket Creek under a thick forest canopy, making it one of the most accessible and scenic ravine walks in midtown Toronto. The route passes through Edwards Gardens' free botanical displays before entering the wilder ravine sections.
A hidden ravine trail through the Windfields estate lands between York Mills Road and Edwards Gardens, following the upper reaches of Wilket Creek through 200-year-old trees, open meadows, and one of the most tranquil stretches of urban forest in Toronto. The trail connects Irving Paisley Park at Bayview and York Mills to Edwards Gardens at Lawrence and Leslie, forming the northern leg of the complete Wilket Creek corridor.