Trails through University of Toronto Scarborough Campus

Trails through the University of Toronto, Scarborough Campus

Highland Creek is a river that flows from Finch Ave to Lake Ontario. The river flows through several prominent parks, including Morningside Park and Colonel Danforth Park. The Scarborough campus of the University of Toronto is located right between these two parks.

I went to the University of Waterloo, so I'm not familiar with this campus. I think this is an excellent setting for a university for both the students and professors. 

Suggested Route

The route I suggest starts at the  Colonel Danforth Off-Leash Dog Park and takes up the Valley Land Trail to the main campus. Returning from the main campus, you'll go back the way you came to walk past several U of T buildings.

This route begins and ends the same way as the short route shown in an earlier blog entry, Colonel Danforth Dog Park and Highland Creek. 

Paved path

After exploring the dog park, take the paved path along the river and cross the bridge.

Beaver

Immediately after the bridge, you may see the beaver who has set up a home under the roots of a fallen tree. We didn't see him but were told he's quite big and attracts plenty of attention.

Valley Land Trail

The trail that goes to the main University of Toronto Scarborough campus is called the Valley Land Trail. Recently opened, this path is fully accessible by motorized wheelchairs and scooters. 

Besides native plants along the path, you may see small animals like chipmunks, groundhogs, and squirrels. If you're lucky, you'll see deer as well. 

There are seating areas so people can use this area between classes to get some exercise, have a snack or beverage, or to have small meetings with classmates.

The buildings at the top of the trail appear to be the Joan Foley Hall and the Humanities Wing of the Main Campus. 

Highland Creek River

Take the trail back to the trails along the Highland Creek River. At the river, turn right and continue on the paved path until you get to Morningside Park. For a shorter walk, turn left and go back the way you came to cross the bridge and visit the Miller Lash House, Community Garden and Athletic Fields.

The Trail to Morningside Park

Wildflowers grow between the paved path and the river, so you're likely to see various butterflies and bees.

The river is shallow, so there are many places for a dog to visit.

Morningside Park

The trail takes you to one end of Morningside Park. 

Miller Lash House

Follow the trail back to the bridge you crossed at the beginning of this hike. Stay to the right and follow the signs to the Miller Lash House. The Miller Lash House is an event venue built into a historic home. The house was built in 1913 in the Arts and Crafts style. The gardens around the house are beautiful, and there are many places to stop for a rest or snack.

Solar Walk

Continuing along in the adjoining fields, we found the Neptune and Pluto markers that make up the Solar Walk. There are 10 markers in total, so there are 8 more to discover. Read more about this project on the U of T website: Solar Walk.

Another project I work on is promoting Space Place Canada, an initiative to build a new planetarium in Toronto, so I found the solar walk very intriguing.

Off-Leash Opportunities

There are many large open areas, but there are also signs saying dogs cannot be allowed to run at large. On a quiet summer day, we met up with a few other dogs and let them run free for a few minutes.

Birdwatching

Along the beginning part of the trail, we saw many birds, but deeper into the path, we saw only Canada Geese. 

Trail Extensions

In a future blog, I'll explore the trails on the other side of Kingston Road, which takes you to Colonel Danforth Park. 

Instagram

Enjoy your hike! When you post photos to Instagram, tag us at @hikingtoronto or #hikingtorontowithlucy.