Hiking Toronto for Dog Lovers

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...

Bluffer's Beach is a great place to take your dog when it gets hot. Many people visit this beach on Lake Ontario to cool down and to take in the sight of the dramatic cliffs. Our blog  Bluffer's Park  gives details on a few hikes you can take along the shores at beach level. When visiting Bluffer's Beach, you may want to go to the top of the cliffs for great views of the lake and park. Unfortunately, no trail takes you from Bluffer's Park to the top of the cliff.  This blog gives details for a hike in Scarborough Crescent Park, which is located on the top of the Scarborough Bluffs. Although you can reach this park by walking up the steep Brimley Road hill, this blog gives details for a hiking loop starting at Crescent Park. There is a fence along the cliff edge so you can walk along without fear of falling off. Signs indicate the danger as well. The fence is easy to breach, so make sure you keep your dog on a leash. In addition to hiking trails and views, Crescent Park ...

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...