Hiking Toronto for Dog Lovers

There's no place better to be on a super hot day than near the water. Toronto has many bodies of water that can help you and your dog beat the heat this summer. One of the most popular places is Bluffers Beach in Scarborough on Lake Ontario. Next to the beach is a marina and park. It is possible to hike the entire area in one day, but why not visit multiple times? A previous blog entry,  Bluffers Beach in Summer , gave details on visiting the large beach on the east side. This blog post is about the park instead of the beach.  There is a small beach on this hike, but on a holiday or weekend, this might fill up fast. People like to arrive early with food and shelter to stay the day.  Directions My suggested route is 4 km at the most and starts in the parking lot at the southern end of Brimley Road,  furthest to the right (west).  Parking Parking is free during weekdays until 5 pm, but you must pay on weekends, holidays and evenings. Suggested Loop Once you've pa...

A visit to the dog park followed by a walk through a forest Recommended route The route I recommend is a 3 km loop. Use the parking lot for the Earl Bales Dog Park that is located on Don River Blvd. Dog Park Start your visit at the off-leash dog park. This is one of the better dog parks I've seen as it is large and has a run in the forest for dogs to chase each other.  Burnett Park After visiting the dog park, cross the bridge and walk down Don River Blvd to Burnett Park. You'll walk through what feels like a secret neighbourhood. Turn right onto the path just past the last house. York Cemetery Follow the paved path up the hill. This path takes you directly to York Cemetery. Follow the trail beside the Cemetery until it ends at a fence.   There are many access points into the forest, so feel free to choose where you want to enter. We went right to the end to make sure we covered as much ground as possible. Play with friends and follow the many trails through the forest. The tr...

Enjoy a hike along the northeast section of the Don River that flows between Sheppard Ave and Finch Ave. The park is popular and gives you an opportunity to see wildlife, birds, and wildflowers. The trails along the Don River north of Sheppard Ave are paved and except for the first km, primarily flat. The river through this section is tame and quite shallow in places, especially in the summer.  This blog entry gives directions for a hike along the river from Sheppard Ave and Leslie Street to Finch Ave. The starting point is near the North York General Hospital and is reachable from the Betty Sutherland Trail . Suggested Route The route I suggest is a 7.5 km loop that can be modified in several ways to make it either shorter or longer depending on your situation. For the 7.5 km loop: follow the paved path for 3 km until you reach Finch Ave. Walk west along Finch Ave for 1 km. Turn left onto the trail into the ravine just past the condo building and before you get to Bayview Ave. Fol...