Hiking Toronto for Dog Lovers

Winter on the beach Experience the Winter Stations We went to the beach on a cold day in late February. Days like this attract a special kind of person who is usually accompanied by a friendly dog. Off-Leash Park Our first stop was the Kew Gardens Dog Park. Most of the beach is open to dogs in the winter, but many people wish to have their dogs play in the fenced area for safety. You still get full access to the beach from the dog park and can also see the faraway CN Tower. Once outside the dog park, there are the usual fun things to do. Like, sit in a Muskoka chair. Play with friends It doesn't matter how cold it is, you're sure to find many friends to play with. Admire the trees I see something new every time I visit the beach. I really like the way this tree grew. And when did this table and chair get installed? I love the creativity of people in the city. Admire the sky over Lake Ontario The lake is always mesmerizing to me, but the clo...

From East Point Park to Rouge Beach Walking the shores of Lake Ontario For those living in Toronto, exploring the shores of Lake Ontario is one of the most satisfying things we can do. The trails are endless, and more are being created. It has been a trend for the last few years to improve the waterfront making it more friendly for the people of the city. Great Lakes Waterfront Trail This trail is part of the massive project to connect 140 communities over a distance of 3000 km known as the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail . As dog walkers, we'll only join small stretches of the trail at a time. Parking There is a large parking lot near the Highland Creek Treatment Plant, near the intersection of Copperfield Road and Beechgrove Drive. 10 km hike The hike we did was 5 km directly from the parking lot at the Highland Creek Water Plant to the beach part of the Rouge National Urban Park. We then came back the exact same route, making it a 10 km walk. This is...

Leash-Free Dog Park The gold standard in a playground for dogs There are quite a few off-leash dog parks in Toronto, and they vary widely in terms of fun factor. Cherry Beach is the best one that I've visited for several reasons. Size It's huge! I walked from one end and back and clocked 1 km. It's so large that you need to make sure you don't lose your pet. Parking  There's plenty of it. And it's free. Beach Dogs can play in the lake from within the fenced area. Washrooms Available and open year-round. Trees There is a forest to walk through. We came in February, so it wasn't green yet. The temperatures were still below freezing, so it wasn't muddy either. Views It's always fun to look at the iconic buildings when you visit this part of the city.  From this point, you can see Tommy Thompson Park, also known as the Leslie Street Spit.  There was a huge ship docked beside ...

Run Like a Racehorse Hike along Wilket Creek and contemplate the history of the land This isn't a huge park, but it fits all the criteria for a great, dog-friendly green space to take your dog, especially if they like to run like a racehorse. There's parking, paved trails, unpaved trails, a forest, a creek, and grass-covered hills. Parking This path connects many beautiful neighbourhoods including Misty Crescent, Tudor Gate, Post Road, Bridal Path, and Banbury Road. If you aren't walking distance to the park, there are three different parking areas: York Mills Arena, Banbury Community Centre, Canadian Film Centre. Suggested 5 km route The route I like to take is about 5 km in length and visits each of the three main attractions. The paved path from the York Mills Arena takes you directly to the Banbury Community Centre. To make your walk more interesting, I suggest you also walk through the forest to Post Road and then around a copse of trees to r...