Bluffer Park and Marina

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.

Bluffers Park

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). 

Map of a hike in Bluffers Park with a stop at the marina for a snack

Parking

Parking is free during weekdays until 5 pm, but you must pay on weekends, holidays and evenings.

Parking in Bluffers Park is free before 5 on weekdays

Pay to park in Bluffers Park on weekends, holidays, and evenings.

Suggested Loop

Once you've parked, you'll see storage buildings designed to look similar to the bluffs. 

Storage buildings in Bluffers Park

Use the path on the right, closest to the bluffs.

Trail next to the bluffs in Bluffers Park

Trails

The trails in this section do not provide a access to the top of the Bluffs. It is unwise to climb the bluffs, and you'll see many signs to warn of the danger. A future blog entry will cover the details of hiking the meadows above the Bluffers Park.

Signs warning of the danger of climbing the bluffs

Visit the blog entry,  Gates Gully and the Doris McCarthy trail, to learn about a path you can hike from the top of the bluffs to a rocky beach.

Dunker's Flow Balancing System

You'll cross a stream with water flowing from the top of the bluffs. On your left, you'll see a series of five ponds separated by docks and fenced off areas. This system was invented by Karl Dunkers of Sweden and helps reduce the effects of pollution from runoff water flowing from sewers before entering Lake Ontario.

Sign for the Dunker's Flow System in Bluffers Park

Docks over the ponds in Bluffers Park

The ponds are rich with life in the form of small animals like mink, birds of all kinds, and plants such as water lilies.

Mink under the dock in Bluffers Park

Yelllow warbler in Bluffers Park

Water lily in Bluffers Park

Small Beach

The path takes you to a small beach that is popular with families and photographers.

Small beach in Bluffers Park

Off-Leash Opportunities

There isn't an official off-leash area in the park, so if the beach is empty, you may be safe to let your dog off-leash. Consider bringing a Flexi-leash or a long leash so you can have control of your dog while as he or she swims in the lake. 

Small beach in Bluffers Park

At the end of the beach, walk across the branches to continue the walk, or turn back and cross on the docks.

Dog crossing branches from beach to park in Bluffers Park

The choice will be natural for your dog, but if you don't want to risk falling into the cold water, walk back to access the docks.

Take the trail along the pond from the beach to get to the docks in Bluffers Park

The Docks

These docks separate the five ponds that make up the Dunker's Flow System. Walking along the docks is a highlight of this hike. A few of the docks seem to be in rough shape, but luckily they are behind locked gates. Enjoy the flowers and birds in the area.

Docks over the ponds in Bluffers Park

Park Area

The dock will lead you to the park that features picnic tables, large rocks, Muskoka chairs, benches, and BBQs. 

Bluffers Park

Lucy's already learned that she has to model for me at this point and jumps up on the rocks and poses.

Black dog posing in front of Bluffs in Bluffers Park

Sign for Bluffers Park

Follow the trail along the shore. This is a deeper part of Lake Ontario and attracts boaters, SUPpers, and, when the wind is strong,  even surfers.

Water sports are popular in Bluffers Park

Bluffers Park is made up of two peninsulas. You've just walked through the first one called "Bluff's Park Lookout". The second one is currently under construction, so instead, head over to the marina. 

Map of Bluffers Park

Boat Launch

The boat launch area is filled with water birds. Often there are swans as well as geese and ducks.

Swans at the boat launch in Bluffers Park

Duck in the boat launch in Bluffers Park

Public Washrooms

During the pandemic lockdown, many of the city public washrooms were closed. They seem to be open for the summer, and you'll pass by on your way to the marina.

Marina

Part of the marina is open to the public, including the snack bar and restaurant. There is a separate access point and parking lot for members. 

Sign to the Bluffers Park Marina

Marina Snack Bar and Restaurant

After walking the beach and park, visit the restaurant or snack bar for a bite to eat. The snack bar is definitely open with Phase 2 of the Toronto opening after COVID. There are a few picnic tables available. 

The Bluffers Restaurant and Grill had to close during the pandemic, so call ahead to see if they are open if you have plans to eat a full meal during your visit.

Bluffers Restaurant and Gill in Bluffers Park

Snack bar in Bluffers Park

History

The history of the Toronto shoreline is interesting. My go-to-place for reading about Toronto history is the GTA Hiking Blog. Read the entry Sand Castles - Scarborough Bluffs to learn how this area got its name, the amount of erosion that occurs each year, and more about the Dunker's Flow Water System.

Follow us on Instagram

Enjoy the beach and share your Instagram photos with us by tagging @hikingtoronto or #hikingtorontowithlucy


Watch for future posts to extend your hike in this fabulous park.
Location: Bluffers Park, Toronto, ON M1M, Canada

Comments

  1. EasytoridegreenJuly 3, 2020 at 10:32 AM

    This was super I formative! I've lived in Toronto for over 50 years and mostly in the east end and had no idea we had such a paradise at our doorsteps. Thank you!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. susvisAugust 6, 2020 at 5:07 PM

      Thanks for your comment! It makes me very happy that you enjoyed the blog and the hike. I hope to see you on one of our hikes.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sunnybrook Off-Leash Park

Image
Socialize your dog, visit a creek, and hike through a ravine Enjoy nature in another historic area of Toronto Sunnybrook Park is a place you can visit often and never repeat an experience. There are trails in the woods, paved paths, and a vast off-leash dog area. It is a nice mix of experiences with an occasional encounter with a creek or river. History We can thank the Kilgour family for this fabulous park. In 1909, Joseph Kilgour and his wife Alice established Sunnybrook Farms on a 200-acre lot. Joseph and his brother made their fortune in the paper industry, specializing in cardboard and paper bags. After the death of her husband, Alice donated the property to the City of Toronto on condition that it never be developed. Many of the original buildings and stables still exist. You can learn the full history of the property in the Sunnybrook Park post of the Hiking in the GTA blog. Parking There are two parking lots near the Sunnybrook Dog park. If you arrive at the
Read more

Bestview Park Nature Trails

Image
The parkland south of Steeles Ave between Bayview Ave and Leslie Street is a huge area with many trails. One trail follows the Don River, and another follows the tributary, German Mills Creek. The trails immediately behind the tennis courts are known as Bestview Park Nature Trails.  Parking Park near the  Steelesview Public School  at 105 Bestview Drive. Park on the street or use the spots at the school when it is closed.  Suggested Routes These trails are difficult to describe since none of them are marked. To make it clearer, I've separated the trail descriptions into three parts, as indicated by the numbers on the map. From Bestview Ave, follow the paved path between the tennis courts and the children's playground to the first bridge. This is the spot where the German Mills Creek flows into the Don River and is where our routes split into 1) right to St. Joes, 2) straight to Cummer, and 3) left to Leslie Street and a loop back to Bestview Park. Saint Joe's Turn right jus
Read more

Huntington Park, Markham

Image
Huntington Park is located south of the 407 highway between Bayview Ave and Leslie Street.  The German Mills Creek flows through the park and eventually into the East Don River.  The trail takes you through two valleys: Valley View Park and Maple Valley Park. Parking There is limited parking at the dog park, so drive a bit further to the larger parking lot between the baseball diamond and the soccer field. The address is Huntington Park Drive, east of Lambert Road . Off-Leash Dog Park The dog park is quite large, and Lucy has made many friends on every visit. We often start our hikes in a dog park to learn more about the area. On our first visit, we met a couple at the dog park who were planning to hike the trail with their dogs, so they became our tour guides on the hike. We've only been here in the winter, so I'm not sure what the surface is like underneath the snow. Hydro Corridor For a full 5 km loop, I recommend that you first walk the hydro corridor trail parallel to the
Read more

New Trails in Charles Sauriol Conservation Area

Image
A favourite trail has become even better! For the past few years, construction equipment has been on the south end of the Charles Sauriol Conservation Area. The construction is now complete, and the new trails connect even more neighbourhoods to this popular area of Toronto. The paved trail was originally from Lawrence Ave in the north to Wynford Drive in the south. Now you can follow paved trails to Wigmore Park or Anewen Greenbelt. Hiking from the Lawrence Ave parking lot to Wigmore Park is 3 km, so an in and out hike is a very pleasant 6 km.  Normally the parking lot and the trails are not maintained over the winter months. However, with Covid-19 still causing havoc, the city has decided to maintain trails this winter to allow people to get outdoors to get exercise and stress relief.  If you are new to this hiking area, maybe you have seen the rainbow tunnel driving on the DVP. This tunnel connects Moccasin Park to Charles Sauriol Conservation Area. There is a parking area in Moccos
Read more

Sherwood Park Off-Leash Paradise

Image
Sherwood Park is located in mid-town Toronto between Bayview Ave and Mount Pleasant Road, north of Eglinton Ave. The city built Toronto's best off-leashed dog playground in the ravine. Dogs can run free through the forest and access Burke Brook. Despite the large number of dogs who visit the park, it is very clean and frequented by non-dog owners jogging or walking through the fenced-in area.    Parking There is a free parking lot at  160 Sherwood Ave  as well as street-parking on Blythwood Road.   Suggested Route It's a pretty straightforward trail. To explore every path, turn left whenever there is a choice to be made. The trail through the dog park is 2 km in length. The path is paved or decked, so it is clean and usually wide-enough to keep your distance from other people.  The off-leash area is fenced, so your dog is unable to go on roads or private property. It's hilly, so there is plenty of variety for you and your dog. Parts of the forest are fenced to protect envir
Read more

Earl Bales Park to Don Valley Golf Course

Image
Earl Bales is a large park with Sheppard Ave West to the north and Bathurst Street to the west.  There are many hiking trails in this park that we enjoy exploring, but only in the winter can the general public walk the golf course. The Don Valley Golf Course is south of Earl Bales and allows hikers and dogs to visit the property during the winter months. We've blogged about this trail before. See  Earl Bales Park . For this hike, we start at the community centre off of Bathurst Street, visit the dog park, walk past the ski hill, along the Don River to the golf course. We've previously turned back at the 401, but this time we continued to Wilson Ave for a 9 km hike. Parking There is no shortage of parking spots in the winter. The parking near the Community Centre is located at 4169 Bathurst Street . Dog Park We followed the signs down to the dog park. The trail is between the community centre and the Barry Zukerman Amphitheatre. As usual, we met new friends at the off-leash dog
Read more

Humber River Trail - Etienne Brulé Park

Image
The Humber River is 100 km long, so there are many hiking trails to explore.  The river connects to Lake Ontario in the south. See earlier blog entry, Sunnyside Beach , about a park to explore at the southern point of the Humber River. Parking or Transit This hike begins at the  Etienne Brule Park , where there is free parking. For those who use transit, the nearest subway station is the Old Mill Station . You'll be following part of the Humber River Recreational Trail.  Suggested Route Starting at Etienne Brule Park, walk north on the paved path until you reach the footbridge over the Humber River. Turn back at this point for an 8.5 km hike.  The Trail You can walk the paved trail for the entire hike if you like. There is also a gravel path as well as a footpath next to the river. Cyclists tend to use the paved path and joggers the gravel path.  I like to use the river path to get the best view of the birds, and for Lucy to play in the river. Weir or Low Head Dams The barrier that
Read more

Rouge Park Woodland Trail

Image
The Rouge Park Woodland Trail is one of the lesser-known trails in the Rouge Urban National Park.  Several trails take you through a beautiful forest and along the Little Rouge River. The 2 km trail is marked with green signs. The longer trails are not marked but are easy to find. Parking The parking area is located at 19 Reesor Road . The lot is small, so if it's full, see if you can find a spot on the shoulder of Reesor Road. The Trail Our actual 3 km route is shown in the map from the UnderArmor MapMyWalk App. If you use this app, find our route:  https://www.mapmywalk.com/workout/5069365768 The longer 5 km route takes you up a steep hill to a flat area closer to Reesor Road. If you use this app, find our route:  https://www.mapmywalk.com/workout/4991115811 The beginning part of the trail is lined with rocks. Well-worn footpaths follow the river. Be careful as the trail is very close to the riverbank that is eroding. You'll get great views of the river with a few spots that
Read more

Colonel Danforth Park to Old Kingston Road

Image
Discovering this trail was one of the highlights of my summer. Lucy loved playing in the river and I had many opportunities to photograph wildlife. I met friendly people on every visit. I plan to visit more often and highly recommend it to anyone wanting to explore nature within the city. Suggested Route This hike is really straight forward. You can park at either end of the trail: The Colonel Danforth Dog Park  (on the west end) or the Colonel Danforth Park  (on the east end). My map shows the route starting at the dog park. The distance is 2.5 km each way. Parking After parking at the Colonel Danforth Dog Park, cross Old Kingston Road and turn left to cross the bridge. The trail head begins immediately after crossing the bridge. The Trail A paved path follows the river and attracts cyclists and joggers.  I walk on the unpaved trail beside the river, which allows me to see more wildlife and hidden treasure. It also allows me to leave Lucy off-leash for most of the walk.  Birdwatching
Read more