'THE GREAT OUTDOORS': Exploring Toronto's best green spaces

Article content

With more and more Canadians boycotting travel to the United States and choosing to stay in the Great White North, there are so many places to explore.

But easier said than done, right?

In our How Canada Wins series, we look at our favourite ways to tour Toronto — but not in that typical touristy way.

When one thinks of the Six, there are places that are sightseers’ dreams that immediately spring to mind, from the very Instagrammable CN Tower to catching a Blue Jays game at the Rogers Centre to Ripley’s Aquarium sandwiched between both sites.

Visitors to the city can also find inspiration and beauty at the ROM or AGO, shop ‘til they drop at the Eaton Centre, or stroll through Chinatown and Kensington Market.

But if you’re looking for a little serenity within the city, Toronto has so many green spaces to explore.

These bountiful, beautiful parks and walking trails will make you forget you’re in Canada’s largest city.

Don Valley Brickworks Park

Speaking of, this former quarry has been transformed into a flagship restoration site and natural environment park featuring a wide variety of native plant, tree and wetland species.

Explore the space at your own pace; the trails and boardwalks within the quarry garden connect to Evergreen Brick Works — a hidden gem in the heart of Toronto’s beautiful ravine where visitors can walk around the site or wander a nature trail where you will have spectacular views of the city.

There’s also a farmers’ market on Saturdays where locally grown and made goodies can be sampled, and in the winter, there is outdoor skating inside the old brick factory.

Lower Don Trail

The multi-use trail is a 5-km section for pedestrians and cyclists that runs along the Don River, from Pottery Road to Corktown Common — an 7.3-hectare park at the foot of Lower River St. and Bayview Ave.

The spectacular park and community meeting place features a marsh, sprawling lawns, urban prairies, playground areas and a splash pad, as well as a fireplace, barbecue and large communal picnic tables.

Visitors and their pets are urged to keep to the pathways and lawns due to the diverse range of habitats for a growing population of birds, amphibians and insects.

Crothers Woods

A unique and extensive forest habitat in the Don River Valley that boasts about 10 km of natural surface trails ideal for hiking or mountain biking, Crothers Woods is an escape from the city into the thick of nature.

The trails and lookouts provide access to restored natural features, including a songbird meadow and native trees, shrubs and wildflowers, all while offering a gorgeous view of the Toronto skyline.

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Play Video

Milkman’s Lane

It’s been around for more than 130 years, so it’s well-used and well-loved by hikers, cyclists, joggers, walkers and their dogs.

Connecting Rosedale to the Don Valley trail network and the Don Valley Brick Works Park, this wide 300-metre-long trail in Rosedale, which enters the Don Valley near Craigleigh Gardens Park, is short but sweet.

Bluffer’s Park

The stunning, natural Bluffs found at Bluffer’s Park were formed over thousands of years of glacial activity and erosion by the currents of Lake Ontario.

The park, part of Scarborough Bluffs, can be accessed by Brimley Rd. and features a sandy beach, picnic areas, walks, lookouts, a boat launch and visitors’ dockage.

Kay Gardner Beltline Trail

This trail follows an old railway line from Allen Rd. south of Elm Ridge Dr. west to Mount Pleasant Cemetery — a unique way to see the city along old ravines and through hidden green spaces.

The Kay Gardner Beltline Park is part of the Central Ravines, Beltline and Gardens Discovery Walk and features more than 30 bike trails, fountains for humans and dogs, and seven gazebos.

Colonel Samuel Smith Park

It’s one of Toronto’s most popular birding destinations and features a network of paths, a dogs’ off-leash area, an Australian rules football field and the city’s first — and longest — ice skating trail, which is set next to the Power House Recreation Centre.

Sunnybrook Park

Located north of Leaside and south of the Bridle Path, this 154-hectare country estate was donated to the city in 1928.

It features a number of fun outdoor options including bike trails, three cricket pitch fields, five sports fields, outdoor chess tables and fitness equipment, a pond, a picnic area and an off-leash area for dogs.

The ravine land is home to Glendon Forest, which has been designated an environmentally significant area due to its plant and animal diversity, and provides critical habitat for snapping turtles, great blue herons and red-winged blackbirds.

Rouge National Urban Park

In case you didn’t know, Toronto’s largest green space offers an abundance of trails that cover forests, meadows, wetlands, rivers and agricultural landscapes.

It’s a great place to go for a guided walk or photograph migrating birds, but you can also paddle the river and marsh and enjoy a family picnic.

We love where we live, and throughout the summer, we are running a series of stories that highlight what makes our community unique and special within Canada. Follow along with “How Canada Wins” right here.