You don’t get to appreciate how beautiful Autumn is in downtown Toronto, but fall is my favourite season! Every year, I try to go on as many hikes as I can both in Toronto and around the GTA, to see the best fall colours. If you love watching the leaves change and are looking for an excuse to immerse yourself in trees and get outdoors, I’ve got you covered. Here are 5 of the best spots for a fun fall hike.
- Crothers Woods
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Abandoned railway tracks, flights of wooden stairs coated in colourful fallen leaves, and a view of the city all in one place? Yeah, that’s Crothers Woods. Watch for bikes riding by on this trail as you take in the beautiful fall colours. Either you follow the main hiking trail and walk through the woods, or you can take a detour and follow the abandoned railway tracks to a great view of the city! You know the super popular lookout point of Toronto at the Evergreen Brickworks? This trail gives you the exact same view, just from a little further away. I’d definitely recommend this spot because it isn’t a long drive from downtown Toronto and parking is really convenient (there’s a Loblaws with a large lot right at the start of the trail). Get lost on the way? Just Google Maps the Loblaws and GPS your way back!
Location: Crothers Woods Trail, East York, ON M4H 1P6
Perks:
Nearby, right in Toronto
Free Parking
Big Parking Lot
Great view of Toronto
- Lambton Woods Park
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I had no idea that this park existed! Don’t be fooled by the name because this isn’t a small west-end park, this place is massive! An easy hike to bring the whole family on, you can park for free at the James Garden entrance and see some beautiful flowers before starting your trek. On this trail, you can hop off of the main path and walk along the water for a bit which gives you a view of the nearby golf course, surrounded by beautiful Fall trees. (maybe I should take up golfing?) Once you get back on the trail, you’ll end up on a cute little walkway that leads you to a great view of the railroad tracks up above, making it a perfect picture sight if you’re lucky enough to see a train pass by. If you walk far enough, you’ll even end up at Étienne Brûlé Park, a famous hotspot for watching the salmon jump at this time of year. You could easily spend a whole day here!
Location: 1193 Royal York Rd, Etobicoke, ON M9A 4C9
Perks:
Nearby, right in Toronto
Free Parking
Big Parking Lot
Intersects with other nice trails
- Smokey Hollows Trail
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Looking for waterfalls with great fall colours? Visit the Smokey Hollows Trail! You can go right up to the waterfall (careful, the rocks can get slippery!) for some fun Instagram photos and then go on a hike through gorgeous trees and big rocks. While hiking here, I even came across a section filled with dozens and dozens of little inukshuks, which were really nice to look at. Parking here is free, but the lot is really small so try to get here early! Another thing I love about this waterfall is it’s right at the start of the trail, so you could go on a short hike, see the falls, and then spend the rest of the day in Hamilton chasing waterfalls.
Location: 80 Mill St S, Waterdown, ON L0R 1R0
Perks:
Easy access to a waterfall that you can get close to
Can be a quick hike, allowing you to checkout other nearby hikes
Free Parking
- Kelso Conservation Area
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I visited Kelso Conservation Area in the summer and fell in love. I didn’t get the chance to escape there this fall (you could easily spend all day here), but the area is surrounded by water, elevated cliff-sides, and lucious trees, making it a perfect place to take on in autumn. Feeling a little beachy? They’ve got you covered there too with a private beach, although it’s probably not something you’d write on a bucket list to do duringfFall. The best views here would definitely come through hiking up! You can hike to the very top of the summit at Kelso and take in an incredible view of the trees. The hike can get a little difficult at times because you’re walking uphill for a while, but you’ve got this! Keep in mind that with Kelso, you must make a reservation online first and prepay for your tickets and parking. Tickets for adults are $6.50 each (no student pricing), but it really is worth a visit.
Location: 5234 Kelso Rd, Milton, ON L9E 0C6
Perks:
Lots of parking available
Covid-19 precautions in action: regulates park capacity through ticket sales
- Mono Cliffs Provincial Park
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This park makes for a really nice hike, where you’re surrounded by trees and even get to enjoy a nice lookout point! Hopefully you don’t mind some stairs but in my opinion, they make the hike even more enjoyable. Fair warning, despite the great views, this place gets busy FAST. If you want to avoid the crowds, I would recommend going early on a weekday morning to get the best experience out of your hike here. You do have to pay for parking here ($15 for the whole day) and again, this place gets busy quickly, meaning the parking lot fills up fast too. If you can’t find a spot, don’t worry, there’s normally some (free) parking on side roads.
Location: 795122 3rd Line E, Orangeville, ON L9W 2Y8
Perks:
Other parking options if the main lot is full
Great route with stairs
I hope you get to enjoy some of these hikes and go on a mini autumn road trip this year, just don’t forget your mask!