The falls was only a few steps away from parking. A quick walk takes you deep into the woods and as…read moreclose to nature as you can get without breaking a sweat. There were people and kids bathing in the lake below. There was also a water park which seemed interesting. Definitely must visit place if you are looking for something quick and accessible yet very enjoyable. Parking is free but there seems to be few spots only

Lots of great scenic hiking around this falls area. Several different sized falls around as well…read more Great for canoeing as well.

I had been to the Thornton Bales Conservation Area before and couldn't quite make it to Joker's…read moreHill due to rainfall in the area. However, today I found out that there's a parking lot for the Joker's Hill hiking trail. The parking lot is fairly large, but inconspicuous. There are no signs, so you just have to slow down as you near the entrance heading south on Bathurst because it's easy to miss. I recommend wearing bug spray and long sleeve shirts and pants because there are signs indicating that there are ticks in the area. I also recommend wearing proper hiking shoes because there are areas that get muddy, depending on how far you hike. Don't forget to bring water. The trail starts off on the right and is shaded. Another trail head starts heading straight from the parking lot. I took the one that went straight. That trail starts off very narrow and passes by residential houses until you eventually reach a wider trail. The trail markers are dark blue. It's important that you know how to follow a trail and know how to read the trail markers because I'd say 95% of the trail is marked well and it's easy to go off the trail if you're not paying attention. I used my phone's GPS and Google Maps to figure out where I was located, though Google Maps doesn't show the trail that I was on. The trail merges with other trails. The blue trail markers turned into red and white. I believe the red trail markers are for the loop that starts off to the right of the Joker's Hill trail parking lot. I followed the white trail markers to the end of the Joker's Hill hiking trail, where I entered the Thornton Bales Conservation Area. The trail markers turn light blue. At the end of that trail are the 99 Steps. In total, it's a little over 5,000 steps and about 50 minutes to hike from the Joker's Hill parking lot to the 99 Steps parking lot. Overall, a pretty decent hike.

Amazing experience!!!! Can't say enough about the guides, their knowledge of the area and super…read morefriendly. I felt very comfortable and welcomed as we all enjoyed the amazing hike and caves together. Such an amazing spot that you would never know is there!!! You can literally see and smell the world's history!!! Highly recommended!

From the owner: Step it Up Adventures is a trusted hiking, snowshoeing, paddling and back country adventure company…read morethat competently and patiently elevates our guests to new heights in their outdoor experiences. Our tours are private, and we take great pride in providing each guest with a unique and unforgettable experience. If you’re ready to step away from screens and into the wild, book a tour with Step it Up Adventures. It’s time to Step it Up and rediscover what it means to move, breathe, and feel alive in nature. Check out out website to book your tour!

Seems like a wonderful place to pack a atv with some drinks and and a small bbq. Foodland is right…read morethere with awesome fresh meat. Then just let the wilderness take over your body mind and soul. Seems like a great day to me. Going to make that plan.

Pick your adventure from so many trails at so many parking spots…read more Trails for the beginner to experienced hiker. scenic views and a must visit and best of all it's free!

Love it! A perfect day-trip from Toronto! This a trail that almost any rider can enjoy. Round-trip…read moreis about 26 miles of paved trail that winds through a variety of areas (town, beach, wetland, but mainly forest). There are minimal spots where you have to cross a road. I would say that it is a very accessible trail for anyone in your family, from children to seniors. There is plenty of shade along the way, provided by the forest, so don't worry about melting, even if it is hot. Please note this a very friendly trail. Most of the riders greet each other, so don't be too shy to say hello or good morning. What sets this trail apart from so many (apart from the fact that it is fully paved and well-maintained) is that it seems carefully planned out. There are benches and trash cans at intervals, and at slightly longer intervals there are picnic tables, even in the middle of nowhere. There was even a port-o-potty or two right on the trail. The trail screams, "Bring a picnic!" During a trip to Toronto, we made the drive up (about an hour and fourty-five minutes) just to ride the trail. It was a very nice break from the city and absolutely worth the time. We made a stop in Barrie, a very pleasant town along the way, for coffee and a snack. I recommend taking some time to enjoy Barrie too. Note: You can park at Pete Pettersen Park (your have to add the Pete for Apple Maps, but it is called Pettersen Park on Google Maps) in Midland to start your ride. You will need to drive through a section for truck and trailer parking for boats to find the park. Don't give up and think it is only boat parking. Parking is free. Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, a French Jesuit settlement from the 1600's is right along the trail, so you might want to take your bike locks if you plan to visit it.

We came to Midland this weekend and biked the entire Midland - Waubaushene Trail. We like cycling…read moreand, in my opinion, this is one of the most scenic bike rides in South Ontario. Former rail trail, it is level, fully paved and perfectly maintained. The trail follows Georgian Bay shoreline and the views are simply amazing. The roundtrip is 42 km but you can turn back at any point. Suggest stopping at Victoria Harbor on the way, it's really scenic. You may also visit Sainte-Marie among the Hurons historic camp, our kids really liked it. We were really lucky with the weather (it was Indian summer weekend) and finished the ride with well deserved beer on the patio of Boathouse eatery in Midland.

This is a review of the 99 Steps trail, located in the Thornton Bales Conservation Area…read more Located in Newmarket is a short 4 km loop trail called 99 Steps. It's located on 19th Sideroad between Dufferin and Bathurst. You'll know you're there when you see cars parked along the side of the narrow road. There is a small parking area for 9-10 cars at the trailhead. The trail starts with steps heading down. I don't know why it's called 99 Steps because there are only 80 steps (I counted). The trail is well maintained and has clear markers. There were only a couple of spots where it was unclear where the trail continues. The trail has some moderately steep downhill paths, so bring a walking stick if you have knee problems. Unfortunately, when I visited last week, a portion of the trail was closed, so it felt more like 2 km roundtrip. Overall, I thought it was a very nice trail and I'm looking forward to returning during the autumn when the leaves change colors.

4.5 Because of the pandemic, I've been trying to find more…read moreoutdoors-y things to do and I've been having that itch to go on a satisfying hike. This trail connected to another named 99 steps is located in King city just 10 minutes from Upper Canada Mall. You may bring dogs here on leash. Parking is extremely limited, about 10 spaces and I wouldn't recommend parking on the side street. There have been reports that you will get ticketed about $50 for it so I recommend you to wait until someone leaves which was only a couple minutes for me. First off... please please please research the trails before you go. It is a good idea to do this for any trail because there can be trail closures/diversions that can change. For example this one is connected to the Koffler scientific reserve at joker's hill which is part of the U of T research. They have sections closed off for scientific research. I recommend googling it to see which sections are closed. This trail is rated as a moderately difficult meaning that it is very technical with hills, tree roots and some rocks which is normal for these types of trails. Wear good shoes with good traction to protect your feet. In the beginning, they make you start off with going down hill with the steps although there's only 80 (counted). You can walk only the 99 steps section or go further out and walk the larger loop that includes koffler. In total, it's about 6 kms if you walk it all and took about an hour and a half for me who walked it sorta quickly. . I thought the trail was fantastic. Blazes (paint on the trees) well marked in the beginning of the trail. FYI. Single paint=trail is straight, 2 stripes, left higher = trail turns left, right higher = trail turns right. Unfortunately, like another review said, the blazes disappeared at the second half of the trail and the all trails map isn't all that accurate so I walked an extra km by accident, but found the correct trail back and it's a single trail all the way back to the steps. I recommend downloading the all trails app and following as gps for that bit, but maybe I'll contact the conservation to make the blazes so people won't get lost. Still gonna be back because it's so so beautiful! Thanks for reading my long review/tips lol.