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Mini Article: A Winter Visit To Bluffer's Park Beach

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Suggested Walking Route From Scarborough GO Station (Approx 50-60 min walk one-way, longer on the way back. Be VERY careful with traffic on the main road. Always check conditions. TorontoTreks is not liable for any injuries or changes to the route) Located down a (for Toronto and surroundings), fairly steep cliff, where walking or driving down the road from the unassuming neighbourhood above, feels strangely more like driving down to a beach somewhere in Europe ; Bluffers Park Beach offers a unique experience that is not really found anywhere else in the GTA.  It also has a rare blue flag distinction (something usually associated with warmer countries), meaning that when the weather is warmer, the water is safe to swim in most of the time and water quality reports can be checked online. The area also features, at around a 15 min walk from the main beach, several pubs and restaurants in the yacht club, some of which are open all year-round. The walk, beginning near Brimley Rd and Ki...
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3 Ways To Safely Enjoy Hiking In Toronto This Winter

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Following last winter’s unusually warm weather in Toronto, which at some point left many people collectively wondering whether there would be snow falling at all; a colder-than-usual winter has been predicted this year and already showed up this week in Toronto, which means that with the milder snow here often quickly turning into slush or ice, an increased risk of slipping and falling is present that can potentially lead to a nasty cut or even breaking a bone.  On the other hand, hiking in Toronto, especially in winter, brings significant health benefits to fight seasonal depression and is a great way to enjoy the city and stay active and even makes a fantastic excuse to make social plans, particularly as other activities such as swimming or going to the beach take a seasonal break. There are some ways to stay safe while enjoying the winter scenery: Get Spikes Or Chains For Your Hiking Shoes Although more recommended for non-asphalted trails like Beare Hill (they can produce a dra...
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A Golden Hour Hike Up The Beare Hill Summit In Scarborough

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FULL ROUTE-5 KM LONG UP AND DOWN THE MOUNTAIN-Slightly sloped longer climb with no stairs, steeper shortcut trail  (Always check conditions, TorontoTreks is not liable for any changes to the route or injuries) It is often said that the Greater Toronto Area doesn’t have a lot of high up lookout spots to see the whole surrounding area, including that far beyond the city. That finally changed in 2022 when the stunning Beare Hill Park opened to the north of Rouge National Urban Park. Situated on what, incredibly enough used to be a waste dump, hiking up Beare Hill offers a stunning lookout experience through unique scenery, not found elsewhere in the park, let alone in most of the GTA and that at times, with the scenery turning into wildflowers and dried grasses near the top,  looks more like a walk through southern parts of Europe, rather than southern Ontario, and allows at it’s top, a full unobstructed 360 degree view of the entire area, even allowing you to hike as far as the ...
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A Visit To the Stunning Rouge Beach Lookout

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  Full route 4 KM and is accessible (take caution on the bridge ramp when rain, snow and ice are present) (Always check conditions, TorontoTreks is not liable for any changes to the route or injuries) If you saw the previous article, you may have noticed that it is also possible to walk left from Rouge Hill GO Station and visit the stunning Rouge Beach area. This part of the trail which hugs the shoreline and is a shorter walk from/to the GO station, allows you to stop and enjoy a number of larger more tranquil beaches, and even go up the bridge (which is accessible, please watch out in winter with snow and ice) to visit the lookout point and enjoy the view or take pictures.  The lookout point also serves as the southern entrance to the Rouge Urban National Park, worth a visit in its own right with a stunning variety of terrain and many hours of trails, even leading all the way up to the Toronto Zoo! Taking a left from the train station, you are once again greeted by the tranq...
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A Stunning Late Fall Walk Through High Park, With A Small Detour Through The Ravine

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Normal Route 4 KM More Accessible Asphalt Route 3 KM  (Always check conditions, Torontotreks is not liable for any changes to the route or injuries) High Park is not only one of the most famous and beautiful parks in Toronto, renowned for being a natural oasis in the middle of the city; it is also one of the most accessible ones, not just being centrally located along Bloor Street, but also featuring two stations (High Park and Keele) along the TTC’s Subway Line 2, and even having its own streetcar station on Route 506! Although most famous for the blossoming of it’s Sakura cherry trees between the end of April and the middle of May, attracting huge numbers of crowds each year, this park makes for an incredible escape from the city year-round, with a good variety of activities for all ages, through different scenery and with varying level of trail difficulty. High Park also features the Grenadier cafe, a fantastic place to warm-up with a coffee or to enjoy its all day breakfast men...
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