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    Cheltenham Badlands

    3.9 (30 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

    Cheltenham Badlands Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Cheltenham Badlands

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    Crissi L.

    We drove 30- 45 minutes from downtown Toronto and arrived to find out reservations are needed (poor planning on my part ) Luckily it was a Wednesday in October and several online reservations spots were available. After an easy and short hike we arrived. With the fall colors surrounding the region, it was an epic view.

    Badlands
    Winnie H.

    Nice view for badlands in the bridge. I paid $10 plus tax online for parking. During checkin online, it stated I can go to Terra cotta in Halton Hill(8mins from Badlands) and Island Lake in Orangeville for free. . Since it is weekdays, it is $10 plus tax. For weekends and holidays, it will be$20 plus tax. Nice view in badlands in fall and only took me 45 mins for taking pictures. Small area to view. When I left , I saw a parking warden ticketing the cars not pay parking.

    Arlan B.

    Very cool looking bit of nature. The variety of colours is so interesting to see. I would love to go back when we have more time.

    This was taken on the last week of October, so some leaves have fallen already. Best time to come is beginning - mid Oct.
    Kevin C.

    Beautiful landscape, educational, and makes you appreciate nature's amazing creations. This place used to be relatively unregulated, where you can park whenever you want, and roam freely on the badlands. I appreciate the protective measures (due to negative human impact) and support them regulating the amount of people. It's also great that they added a wooden pathway and a trail leading to the badlands. However, I do not appreciate how they charge money for the parking. There are very limited number of spaces, and if you run out, you'd have to go somewhere and take shuttle. In my opinion, however beautiful the landscape is, given that the observation area is not as big, it does not justify parking costs. The trail itself takes around 7 minutes to complete, while the observation/photos of the scenery probably takes only 10 minutes. Most of the people finish the tour in 30 minutes and are left with extra time. Do note there are no public transit to the area. My recommendation is for them to add more parking (free), expand more trails and make it into a large park, and build permanent washrooms. If you're nearby the area (Brampton/Mississauga), I do think this is worth a visit (especially during Fall with the leaves). But if you're more than 1 hour away, I don't think it's worth for you to come all the way just for the Badlands.

    Badland from boardwalk
    Ivana L.

    Unfortunately I have to rate this one star. I had a chance to go to Badlands on the first day of opening. I rate one star because of cost and the duration of enjoyment. It will cost you $10 if you can get a parking spot on the site. If you try to park nearby be careful you will get a ticket. If you cannot they have a shuttle from Terra Cotta Conservation that will cost you $6 per adult $3 per children. The overall cost was 3 adults and one child. $21 You have to walk a path that will be quite muddy on rain days. And eventually you arrive to the boardwalk. Without being able to run through it (a past time of mine). There is one section that you may be able to step on it on the fenced side. Was it worth $21 not really. I would have preferred paying $10 and getting discount at the conservation area. Cost. Expensive $10 per car spot, if you cannot get a spot you are paying per person $6 for adult $3 for kids. Length of enjoyment. Short-lived, you can finish it in 40min. The trail is short. You see badlands-same that you can see from road side. It's really better from roadside. Accessibility. Be ready to walk, if you have issues with slopes and stability of ground, you'll want a piggie back or sit out because the path is not stroller friendly, not wheel chair friendly -able legs is a must. Washrooms. Porta-potty.

    Stefi P.

    A 10/10 for the management! Must say they are particular about the reservations and it's the best way given the Covid-19 situation. Reservations must be done online at cvc.ca I did it 3 weeks in advance. This guarantees parking spot and no chaos. Total time booked is 1.5 hours You are allowed to park starting 15 mins prior to your time slot. admissions no later than 15 mins from start time. Map is handed over which is basically for 40 mins bruce trail and it's not strenuous. And a fork for the badlands. The badlands looks really good. Wish we were able to get to it but with the new viewing and the regulations just viewing from the newly constructed path is possible.6-7 spots for the clicking pictures. This place is definitely beautiful during fall. We went here for the badlands but the backyard fall colors just swept me off my foot. Overall it was a good hour.

    Shaili B.

    This was such a cool place! I've never seen any natural environment like this before and its free!!! The only thing I did not like is the whole place was under construction including the parking lot, but we were still about to find a good place to take pictures. Badlands is in the middle of nowhere, deep deep into uncharted territory. Definitely come ready to take some pictures with makeup on, your phone, or a great camera!

    Jennifer K.

    How come I did not come to this place earlier? Cheltenham Badlands now had been fenced off for conservation and not available for public access anymore. You have the option to admire it from a distance like seeing animals at a zoo. Parking on the side road is now forbidden with all these No Standing signs put in. So I can now only admire its beauty from all the photos that had been posted online.

    The view from the boardwalk
    Serafina M.

    This place is amazing. Not far from Toronto but feels like your in outer space. We went the May long weekend this year. It was very crowded. Not much parking and you have to pay. Maybe 30 spots. It was too full and we parked on a side road about 10 minute walk to it. There's also a shuttle bus for the long weekend. They were prepared for crowds. They recently renovated. There is a nice board walk along a path so you can see the badlands. It's all cut off so you can't walk on them. There is also a trail of your in the mood for a hike/walk. It's pretty muddy and a lot of dirt, so wear the appropriate foot wear. We spent about an hour there. Definitely a must see attraction that you should visit.

    Jay L.

    This is a really nice little short hike to get to the large wooden platform to get a great view of the badlands. You don't need any serious hiking shoes but something with good grip and able to walk on a dirt path will be helpful. The scene is really beautiful with the layers of red and white shale folding into each other against the green forest background. You can no longer walk onto the badlands themselves as human activity has started to disturb and threaten the naturally occurring formations. Figures that we don't know how to behave when left to our own devices. There is quite a bit of parking available and you don't really need more than 1 to 2 hours here depending on how much you want to explore along the trails. Parking is $6.50 for one hour and $10 for two. It's worth it to help keep the preservation and operation of the trails and badlands area.

    View from the car
    Hayley S.

    First of all this place is CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC, not sure why it's not mentioned on here but keep that in mind if you consider checking this place out. We drove by on our way home as I'd never been before and was curious. It's worth noting that there's really no where to pull over to actually look at the Badlands and the street it's on has a strict no Uturn policy so unless you plan on looping back a couple km down the road you've got one real shot or you'll miss them. From everything I've read and saw the park will be opening again sometime later this year. There's new signage and a pretty small parking lot, so when it does open it's guaranteed to be constantly packed. Overall it's a cool thing to see at least once if you're in the area, but find other things in the area to do if you're coming from farther away

    Cher A.

    This place is really cool. I came here with some friends recently and it's definitely a place to come during the warm summer months. In the winter it was really muddy and wet. We wanted to explore it more but didn't want to fall or have any injuries so we played it safe. It is still really cool! The idea of seeing land like this in Canada is pretty cool. I would love to come back in the summer so I can enjoy it more. It's definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

    Beautiful!
    Angel L.

    A gorgeous little taste of nature here. Just 1 hour out of downtown Toronto, it makes for a stunning photo session, and an easy walk. I would even hesitate to call it a "hike" because there are routes that are very easy to navigate. However, some of the steeper slopes you come across means running shoes, at least, are a must. Parking is just off the road, and can be tricky because of the slopes in the road. Be careful, in case passing through traffic doesn't slow down! According to a recent news article, it looks like by the end of May 2015, the Badlands will be fenced off and closed from visitors to prevent further damage. Ironically, this article is probably sparking a ton of visitors before it closes off!

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    Review Highlights - Cheltenham Badlands

    Bring some good runners or hiking boots, it's a little tricky at times to walk through these badlands.

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    Mono Cliffs Provincial Park

    Mono Cliffs Provincial Park

    4.4(10 reviews)
    31.7 km

    Decided that thanks to COVID that I would explore more of the trails/parks that are close by…read more About 1.5 hrs from Toronto, this is a great hiking spot with good paths marked (although watch out for the horse poop!) and great views. There are multiple trails (named/colour coded), but the blue marked trail seems to be the "main" trail. I think the green trail takes you up to the viewing platform where you get some lovely views - I can only imagine when the leaves start changing colour - it must be epic! There is a map slightly into the entrance - i took a photo of it so I could see how all the different paths interconnected. Fairly large parking lot - you can only pay for either 4hrs or all day parking - there is no option to pay for anything less (but luckily it is not too expensive). I came on a random weekday so it was pretty dead - which was perfect! Lots of bugs so bug spray is a must. There really isn't any sitting areas - ie - no picnic areas/grass areas/benches to sit...it's definitely more of a walk walk hike hike area. Overall, it's a fairly easy and enjoyable hike. I'd love to come back in the fall and see the changing scenery!

    One of my favourite hikes! We went on a Sunday afternoon and the weather called for slight chance…read moreof light rain. Luckily this made it easy to get a parking spot, and the park was not busy at all. There are certain areas of the trail that are bit more difficult, but so enjoyable. Can easily spend hours here; can't wait to be back!

    Photos
    Mono Cliffs Provincial Park
    Mono Cliffs Provincial Park
    Mono Cliffs Provincial Park

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    Fairy Lake Park - View from Water Street

    Fairy Lake Park

    5.0(1 review)
    49.9 km

    For years, I have been driving along Water Street whenever I'm in Newmarket. I enjoy the scenic…read moredetour. It allows me to travel between Yonge and Leslie Streets using a smaller set of streets. I have passed by Fairy Lake Park countless times. Yesterday, I finally paid it a visit. This park is steps away from Newmarket's Main Street South. It's where all the cool, small shops and eateries are. I was at this park to partake in the Newmarket Craft Beer Festival. What stands out during this time of year is the park's fountain. It can be clearly seen from Water Street. It's enjoyable to look at, even on a gloomy day. At first, it looked like parking would be crazy. However, when I turned onto a side road that gets you to parking at this park, it was great. There are roughly three parking lots going down this road. All are free. I decided to park on the side road where there are designated spots. It was humid and rainy. That combination is horrible to visit a beer festival. However, I survived with an umbrella, some grub, and, of course, beer. There are portable washrooms at this park. It was a nice touch. I saw geese enjoying the rain and one another's company. There is plenty of geese poop around, so look down when you walk. I liked the various signs scattered in this park. I love self-discovery tours and I got a decent one yesterday. I learned that this park is also known as the Wesley Brooks Memorial Conservation Area. Its namesake was born in Mount Albert and moved to Newmarket after serving in World War II. He served as Clerk-Treasurer of Newmarket and continued serving the town for nearly two decades. Fairy Lake is a man-made lake. It's maintained by a dam on the East Holland River. The lake was originally a millpond, but it's now a recreational area. The dam has been at the lake since 1801. This park is open year-round. Parking and admission to this park are free. I can see some paths being off-limits during the wintertime, though. It was pretty muddy when I walked on the grassy parts. I appreciated the gazebos and covered pavilions yesterday. They kept everyone dry from the rain and much happier! There is a playground at this park. Naturally, no one was using it while it was raining. I hope to return and enjoy walking through this park when it's dry and sunny. There's an ice cream store on Main Street South that I'd love to drop by. I can see myself spending some time indulging in frozen desserts at this park. (210)

    Photos
    Fairy Lake Park - Parking lot

    Parking lot

    Fairy Lake Park - About Weeh Brooks

    About Weeh Brooks

    Fairy Lake Park - Kilometre trail marker

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    Kilometre trail marker

    Albion Hills Conservation Park - The enclosed pool area

    Albion Hills Conservation Park

    3.0(5 reviews)
    19.7 km

    I visited this park for the Polar Rush obstacle race back in February. I recommend proper snow…read moreboots or hiking boots for those coming during the snowy season. Otherwise, you'll lose traction down the paved path. I forgot my hiking boots at my parents and only had my Vessi's... It was fun either way. I sat on my snow pants and slid down the steeper paths. During the winter, it's also popular for cross-country skiing and in the warmer months for mountain biking. I recommend checking out Polar Rush next season for snow obstacle racing. We slid down a tube, crawled over a plank and tangled strings, climbed over obstacles etc. Sometimes they offer discount tickets too!

    Entrance is off Hwy 50, other smaller entrance was closed during my visit…read more I got free passes, so I decided to use them sooner rather than later/never. It's about an hour's drive outside of S Mississauga. Site itself is MASSIVE and there's even camping, that's how big it is! Prior to my visit, I did take a look at what kinds of things can be done here in the Summer. There's also an outdoor pool with a splash pad, I believe that entry was under $5pp. There are tons of picnic areas, but the amenities weren't great aside from picnic tables and metal barrels to put your bbq ashes. Not all picnic areas had a lot attached to it. I went with the intention of hiking, but to be honest, be prepared to get lost! Maps provided/posted were quite poor. There would be a bunch of symbols, but no reference as to what they were. I just ended up using Google maps to make my way back to the car. As far as the hiking goes, it's not really meant for beginners - where the Red trail is concerned. There's narrow parts to the trail and lots ups/downs. To top that all off, the Park is very popular for Mountain Bikers, so you always hafta keep alert as to when they're coming. I'd say that it's better for MTBers, again this is only for the Red trail - the other ones may be better. So not super relaxing if you just want a leisurely hike!

    Photos
    Albion Hills Conservation Park - Polar rush obstacle course trail

    Polar rush obstacle course trail

    Albion Hills Conservation Park
    Albion Hills Conservation Park

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    Cheltenham Badlands - parks - Updated May 2026

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