Hiking Toronto for Dog Lovers

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...

My last blog about a trail in Rouge National Urban Park was published in the winter, so I'm way past due publishing another.  This park is very popular for hiking at all times of the year. During the COVID Lockdown, the parking lot was closed, but people were still able to hike the trails. Everything is open now, but there are still signs encouraging people to social distance from others on the trails.  This blog is about the Vista Trail. It is the easiest trail in the park and has a lookout over the river. The trails are unpaved and clearly marked, so it's a perfect hike for beginners. You can follow the signs for the Vista trail without any guidance and cover a distance of 2-3 km. My suggested route adds a visit to the Little Rouge Creek because I know a few dogs who can't do a hike unless it includes an opportunity to get wet. Parking Park on Zoo Rd near the Rouge Valley Conservation Centre. All the trails are natural and clearly marked.  Turtles Some lucky hikers wil...

I've met several people looking for trails from the Bluffer's Beach to the top of the bluffs. There are very few trails available that take you from the bottom to the top and vice versa. The Doris McCarthy Trail is one such trail. The trail is very steep, especially during a summer heatwave. This blog describes a path that can be considered "Doris McCarthy Lite": Scarborough Heights Park. Suggested Route Scarborough Heights Park is located next to Rosetta McLean Gardens near the bottom of Birchmount. The park is behind the Scarborough Pumping station and has an off-leash dog park, a parking lot, and a meadow along the cliff. The trail, as shown, is 4 km in length. Dog Park Start your walk at the Scarborough Heights Dog Park  on Fishleigh Drive. It's a relatively sizeable off-leash park with woodchips covering the ground and a few trees for shade. The Views After leaving the dog park, walk along the treeline for glimpses of the lake. It's dangerous to stand on...