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.

Great place for a hike. The trail had varying terrains which adds adds to the interest of the…read morehike. Nice trees and views.

I've been looking for hiking trails in the GTA and stumbled upon the Oak Ridges Corridor…read moreConservation Reserve. I started at the southeast corner of the reserve and explored the whole east side. There are several small parking lots near the trails. I parked on Bridgewater Drive, just south of Stouffville Road, and headed north towards Jefferson Forest. The trails by Jefferson Forest aren't well marked and are mainly used for mountain biking. It was a bit difficult to figure out which direction to go and was difficult to find this trail off of the main trail. The trail from Jefferson Forest is shaded by trees and the ground is packed dirt. The trail rises and falls in places, but there is no significant elevation change. What I liked about the trail was the change in scenery. At times, I felt like I was walking through the Shire. There seems to be an attempt to grow different trees in the area, so at times it looks like a tree farm. You'll see perfectly formed rows of trees, such as evergreens. Once you reach the main trail, it turns into well-maintained gravel. I traveled northeast towards Oak Ridges Community Centre. The trail goes through a clearing before you start seeing civilization again. The trail passes by neighborhoods of cookie-cutter suburban homes and even passes behind some of the homes. There are several apple trees along the path before reaching the northeast parking lot at Bethesda Sideroad. I tried to head towards Swan Lake, but there is no visible public access from the road. Overall, I thought the trail was well-maintained and enjoyed a nature hike in the middle of suburbia.

what a view this park offers, seriously a killer view that doesn't look like it would be Toronto at…read moreall (see photos). this short but sweet park, is attached to the Humber river which offers kayak and canoeing services during the summer time. this is one of my favorite parks to come to in the fall months to catch all of the trees turning colors, this park is rarely visited, so you will never have to deal with people, runners, or joggers getting in the way. transit options are the old mill subway station on the bloor-danforth line, and this park has lots of parking if you chose to come and drive here. if you are coming to this park via the subway station, you have to go down a big set of stairs, which is no problem going down, but climbing all the way back up is not fun at all. definitely worth your time to come see this park.

This is a beautiful park with several short (less than 2 kilometres) hiking trails that go into a…read moreforest. There are lots of different plants, neat wooden bridges, super big trees and an abandoned old car, for some reason. It's a pretty easy walk, the ground is soft and there weren't any inclines or tough, rocky areas that I could see. It was just nice and serene, except for the sounds of some wood processing plant nearby. There's parking enough for about 20 cars, and it's free.

If you're looking for a gentle hike with the kids, this is a great spot. Boardwalks, benches and…read morebridges make this great for grandma and grandpa too. trail maps are available and informative. Admission by on your honour donationof what you feel is appropriate.

I'm really surprised I haven't reviewed this place - though I think I at least have reviewed the…read moreTree Top Trekking. The one thing I don't like is the notion of having to pay to enter a park. This might sound like an odd take since it's quite normal in Ontario, but being from BC originally, I can tell you that it was quite surprising (for here, and all other paid conservation parks). It's frustrating that the nicest park in the city - by far, which also has it's only natural lake, is gated and requires an entrance fee. I'll still give it 5 stars since it's part of a norm for the entire province, so I can't really hold that against it. I'll also have to admit that having a fee has perks which become apparent - namely: much cleaner, high staffing ratio (which helps cleanliness), no overcrowding, well maintained and even the configuration. It's similar to hating the cost of the 407 but having to admit you also love being able to cross the GTA in half the time. Heart Lake itself is a nice lake, and as mentioned the only natural lake in Brampton and probably one of the largest for quite some distance around it. Even without having visited, you may have seen it without realizing it since it was used in the movie Tommy Boy years ago (when Chris Farley is sailing and being taunted by kids). There is fishing, various types of boating, which now also includes boating at night with clear boasts that have bright neon lights around them. There are trails to walk along it too, but sadly not to go around it since city planners in their infinite wisdom years ago allowed a handful of houses to back onto the lake. There's also a some cross country trails in the wooded area for that type of running and cycling. The treetop trekking here is fantastic, but a completely different fee and business listing. But worth noting it is located here. There's an insane amount of picnicking spots. A perk with it being paid entry is that you're very likely to find a table and they even offer spots for charcoal disposal. They do offer being able rent out large spots for very big gatherings as well. They have a big splash pad and a nice large outdoor pool which has proper rope separation between shallow and deep ends. Again, the pool is quite large, so even on a busy hot Saturday in July, there was reasonable room in the shallow end - but considerably more space in the deep end. There is another fee for swimming, but it's quite reasonable. Good lifeguard ratio as well. So you've got to 'pay to play', but I also can't say there isn't value for the money. I'd highly recommend looking at an annual pass (family pass especially) which probably pays for itself within 2-3 visits here, or to any of the other TRCA conservation areas. I believe Brampton library does offer the ability to borrow a pass, but you'd want to plan ahead as I wouldn't be surprised there's holds for it.

The conservation park has a lot to offer: Tree Trekking, trails that continue along the lake,…read moreexercise equipment, lots of parking space and huge picnic and bbq area with lots of picnic tables, with all the safety measures in place; designated place to throw away ashes, big garbage bins. Good for all seasons

Maple Nature Reserve is a hidden gem, nestled in the stretch of road on Dufferin between Major…read moreMackenzie and Teston. It's easy to miss and you'd never know that it was there as you drive by. There are 4 parking spots in the parking lot, but I've seen others park on the grass. It's a 3km circuit hike that includes inclines, some are quite steep. From the parking lot, you can take the Salamander Valley Trail, which is a dirt trail and can get a bit muddy after a rain. Once you're off the Salamander Valley Trail, everything is gravel trail. There are some isolated sections where you can easily forget that you're still in a city. There are plenty of trail maps along the way so that you really can't get lost. There could be better signage at major landmarks. For instance, the trail map indicates that there's an arboretum but I couldn't find it. It's ironic since arboretums are usually have tags identifying trees and plants. Overall, this trail is a good way to get out into nature while still being in the middle of a city.

Friend found this spot while trying to find a middle spot to meet up with friends for an easy hike…read more The entrance could be difficult to find as it's a little hidden. Small parking lot, with one port-a-potty for washroom needs. It'sa very easy loop trail with a pond and close to residential houses. Some of the trails can lead to dead ends, but there were plenty of signs by each fork where it points out where you are located so it's very hard to get lost. There were also a wooden teepee that someone built along the trail. I would say it'd take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete a walk around.

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!

Fantastic trail no matter what the season. Most of the trail is in the shadow of trees and that…read moregives a good respite from hot days. Don't forget to go to all the three kilns and also the "hole in the wall". Gives a good adrenaline rush for a short time. The walk amongst the rocks is calling as well and when you reach up you see all the crevices that you can jump. Be careful there as we saw some hats, sun glasses etc at the bottom that once fallen there is no way getting them back. Some hidden spots that are just amazing for camping, but alas there is no camping allowed. (Video uploaded). One last plus for this location you don't pay any parking fees.

I had a wonderful walk in this conservation area - the trails were well maintained. Seeing the…read morerock formations and crevices was a good experience. No entrance or parking fees.

We were staying in Brampton, and we were looking for a trail to ride our bikes on. I was looking at…read morethe Peel bike website, and saw this long squiggle across the foot of the escarpment. I suggested doing this trail to Lee, and we drove to the start in Terra Cotta and off we went. There are a variety of surfaces to this trail, mostly crushed stone, sometimes dirt, and occasionally paved. It winds through the countryside, past an abandoned brick factory, through farmlands, suburbs, and forests, as well as a downtown tourist area. If you've ever driven along Highway 10 towards Orangeville, you have seen the blue arched bridge of the trail path. It's part of the Trans Canada Trail, and one of the pavilions is located near Caledon East. The trail is gentle and mostly flat, although there are a couple of road crossings that are steep, probably because a railroad trestle was removed at some point. There's a lot of opportunities for nature watching, particularly because the trail goes through several nature preserves. I saw quite a few chippies and squirrels, as well as orioles, jays and other birds. I only have a couple of complaints: one is that although there are frequent trash cans along the trail, in a couple of places they were overflowing with garbage, implying that it had been a very long time since it had been cleaned up. This was pretty yucky in my opinion, a bit of a disappointment. The other complaint was that part of the trail was shut down for maintenance/construction, but there were no signs directing cyclists to a detour. We ended up doing what most people were doing: cutting through the fence and going through the construction site. Other than these quibbles, it's a great trail that you should check out if you're in the area.

@ontrails #YELPGTA #THEGREATTRAIL #INGLEWOOD #TRANSCANADATRAIL…read more You can access this trail via a lot of points - it's actually the first registered section of the Trans Canada Trail. We accessed it through a frail yet charming town of Inglewood, right off of McLaughlin Road. To those staying in Mississauga and Brampton, you can basically take the road straight down to the trail. Apparently, it isn't a hidden secret and tons of people know about this trail. We went at 7 am and saw a few bikers and some walkers. We hiked down with Caesar (my doggo) and it was serene and empty enough that I could let him off leash. We covered about 10km (past hwy 10 and then back). It's an easy hike as the land is pretty flat, a few ups and downs here and there but nothing too rough. It was mostly pebbled path with trees on both sides and some streams of water that Caesar was so KEEN on jumping into. There were 2 concrete bridges we crossed over - all in all it was a great morning walk with the dog. I highly recommend this place.