Toronto Neighbourhoods with Close Access to Hiking Trails
Now that summer is approaching and lockdown restrictions are slowly being lifted, how convenient would it be if you live close to the great outdoors for an evening stroll or weekend hike? Toronto is not made up of just concrete jungle. There are plenty of green parks, ravines, and hiking trail systems connecting different neighbourhoods and areas throughout the city. If you’re looking for a new place to live with close or easy access to greeneries and trails for hiking, biking, or simply walking through the woods, here are the top picks.
#1: Leaside, East York
Leaside in East York is bounded by Bayview Avenue in the west, Leslie Street in the east, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in the north, and the Lower Don Parklands in the south. It’s right in the middle of numerous parks and trails including the Moore Park Ravine, Sunnybrook Park (which is also great for picnic and various outdoor activities in the summer, with its vast open fields), Thorncliffe Park, ET Seton Park, Flemingdon Park, and the scenic Lower Don Parklands. The Lower Don Valley trail, which is great for both hiking and biking, is connected to the larger system of Don Valley Trails (including Upper Don Valley).
From there, you can easily access Todmorden Village (which can make you feel like you have stepped back in time and feel immersed in nature), Evergreen Brick Works, and Crother Woods (one of the most popular hiking spots in the city).
Leaside and the broader East York offer options when it comes to housing types, including detached and semi-detached homes and high-rise condominiums.
#2: Cabbagetown, Riverdale, and Greektown
Cabbagetown, Riverdale, and Greektown, which are just south of East York, provide close access to Riverdale Park West and Riverdale Park East. Riverdale Park is a large park spanning the Lower Don River in Toronto, between Cabbagetown to the west and Broadview Avenue in Riverdale to the east. The park has recreational fields for soccer, baseball, and Ultimate Frisbee on both sides of the river. It’s a popular area for dogs, and there is also a farm (Riverdale Farm) in the area, which holds the annual festival every fall. Given its steep hill and a backdrop of the Toronto downtown skyline, Riverdale Park East is a popular spot for gorgeous sunset viewing and tobogganing in the winter.
These neighbourhoods are also close to Crother Woods, a popular hiking area with approximately 10 km of multi-use natural trails, a diverse bird population, and scenic lookout spots offering spectacular views of the Toronto skyline.
#3: Waterfront
The Toronto Waterfront is home to a large number of modern high-rise condominiums, as well as lower-rise luxury condominiums in and around Harbourfront. Not only is this neighbourhood a central spot for all-year-round activities, events, and festivals, it also has the Martin Goodman Trail in its backyard. Martin Goodman Trail, part of the Waterfront Trail System, spans 22 km from east to west along Toronto’s waterfront. It’s a popular trail for cyclists, runners, joggers, and dog walkers. The trail offers access points to various parks, beaches, and recreational areas such as: Cherry Beach, Tommy Thompson Park (great for bird watching), Ashbridge’s Bay Park, Eastern Beaches area such as Balmy Beach and Woodbine Beach, Budapest Park, and Ontario Place.
#4: West Humber, Swansea, and High Park
These neighbourhoods are home to the West Humber Parkland, King Mill’s Park, Humber Marshes, South Humber Park, and the famous High Park. West Humber Parkland is located in the east end of Rexdale near the Highway 401 and 400 interchange. It is the gateway to the extensive Humber Recreational Trail system travelling both east and west along the Humber River and its tributaries. For the wildlife enthusiasts, the Humber Park trails make an excellent place to view wildlife and spot waterfowl. Across the street is Summerlea Park with a baseball diamond, wading pool, cricket pitch, more sports fields, playgrounds and an outdoor skating rink.
Just southeast of West Humber neighbourhood are Swansea and High Park. The areas around Old Mill and High Park subway stations contain access points to numerous hiking trails that are part of an interconnected nature system. The Humber River watershed is the largest watershed in Toronto. There are over 60 species of fish in the river, and it’s a popular spot to watch the phenomenon of “salmon jumping” (swimming upstream against the current) every fall. Fish migration may be observed from the Old Mill Bridge. The marshes and nature corridor play an important part for the migration of song birds and monarch butterflies.
High Park, which spans 161 hectares (400 acres), is a mixed recreational and natural park, with sporting facilities, cultural facilities, educational facilities, gardens, playgrounds, and a zoo. One third of the park remains in a natural state, with a rare oak savannah ecology. Cultural events such as outdoor Shakespearean plays are also held in the park in the summer. High Park is a popular spot for regular joggers and runners. The neighbourhood has some of the most enticing housing values in the city.
#5: Scarborough
In the east, Scarborough is home to Rouge National Urban Park and Bluffer’s Park and Beach. Rouge National Urban Park is Canada’s first national urban park. Most of the park is located in Toronto’s suburban district of Scarborough, while parts of the park are in the bordering cities of Markham and Pickering. It spans an impressive area of 79.1 square kilometres (30.5 sq mi), and is home to amazing biodiversity (including Carolinian ecosystems). Rouge Park also contains Toronto’s only campground, one of the the region’s largest marshes, a beach at Lake Ontario, and some of Canada’s oldest known Indigenous sites dating back over 10,000 years. Who says that you need to drive far to do camping and experience a nature getaway with rich biodiversity? In addition to Rouge National Urban Park, there is also Bluffer’s Park – with public access to the scenic Scarborough Bluffs and beach areas.
Browse our listings for real estate sales in the neighbourhoods above.