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Parks and Conservation Areas in the Toronto Region
 
For such a cosmopolitan and developed area it's surprising just how much park and conservation land there is in the Toronto region. Again, it's often the ravines that are responsible for the land being set aside, with many of the parks named after the river watersheds that they protect. These include the Rouge Park, Black Creek, East Don and Lower Highland Creek.  
Humber River - Toronto
 
The Bluffs - Toronto
  The lakeshore also provides a lot of green areas, our favorites are the parks along the stunning bluffs in the cities east end including Guildwood, Eastpoint and Bluffers Park. While some of Toronto's urban parks are not much larger than a postage stamp and little more than grassed and treed lawns, others are truly remarkable. The best example of this is the Rouge which contains large tracts of forested land with opportunities for canoeing, riverside hiking, camping and swimming off the shores of lakeside beaches - all within the city.
 

Provincial Parks in the Toronto Region
Forks of the Credit Provincial Park

Provincial Parks Near the Toronto Region
 
 
 
Regional and District Parks in the Toronto Region

Toronto Parks
National Parks

There are no national parks in the Toronto Region but there are several within a couple of hours drive.

Dog Friendly Parks

Most Ontario Provincial Parks allow you to bring your four legged friend along but they must be on a short leash. Bronte Creek Provincial Park has a trail where you can untether your companion as do High Park, Withrow Park and Trinity Bellwoods Park. Check with Toronto Parks, the Conservation Authorities and Parks Ontario for more options and to ensure the rules haven't changed.
 
Brant CA outside Brantford
  Conservation Areas

The Conservation Authorities are responsible for much of the green space in and around the Toronto region. Their mandate to protect the watersheds has become a huge boon in preventing urban sprawl from eating up all of the areas natural splendor. The Toronto region is covered by the Toronto Conservation Authority which is largely responsible for the city proper and the Credit Valley Conservation Authority which protects and manages the Credit River watershed to the east of the city. The authorities for the surrounding regions include, Halton, Central Lake Ontario, Simcoe and Nottawasga Valley. It should be noted that along with their other responsibilities, the Conservation Authorities maintain many of the Provinces canoe routes - hats off to all of them for thier good work.
 
Toronto Region Conservation Authorities
  • Rattray Marsh - Credit Valley Conservation Authority, Mississauga, Toronto Region, Ontario
  • Terra Cotta - Access to the Bruce Trail, Group Camping (certain conditions apply - contact the CA), Credit Valley Conservation Authority, Mississauga, Toronto Region, Ontario
  • Belfountain - Credit Valley Conservation Authority, Mississauga, Toronto Region, Ontario
  • Ken Whillans - Credit Valley Conservation Authority, Mississauga, Toronto Region, Ontario
  • Island Lake - Credit Valley Conservation Authority, Mississauga, Toronto Region, Ontario
  • Other Credit Valley Conservation Lands - Jack Darling Park, Lakefront Promenade Park, J.C. Saddington Park, Erindale Park, Meadowvale CA - Credit Valley Conservation Authority, Mississauga, Toronto Region, Ontario

Conservation Authorities Near the Toronto Region

  • Crawford Lake Conservation Area - 500+ Acres, Lakes, Hiking, Access to the Bruce Trail, Halton Region Conservation Authority, Southwestern Ontario, Ontario
  • Kelso Conservation Area - Beach, Hiking and Mountain Biking, Group Camping, Access to the Bruce Trail, Halton Region Conservation, Southwestern Ontario, Ontario
  • Mountsberg Conservation Area - 1,100 Acres, Lake, Raptor Center, Halton Region Conservation Authority, Southwestern Ontario, Ontario
  • Mount Nemo Conservation Area - 414 Acres, Lookouts, Crevice Caves, Access to the Bruce Trail, Halton Region Conservation Authority, Southwestern Ontario, Ontario
  • Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area - 650 Acres, Lookouts, Climbing, Group Camping, Access to the Bruce Trail, Halton Region Conservation Authority, Southwestern Ontario, Ontario
  • Glen Eden Ski Area - Downhill Skiing, 12 Trails, 5 lifts, 2 Half Pipes, Halton Region Conservation Authority, Southwestern Ontario, Ontario
  • Hilton Falls Conservation Area - 1,500 Acres, Waterfalls, 16km of trials, XC Skiing, Biking, Hiking, Access to the Bruce Trail, Halton Region Conservation Authority, Southwestern Ontario, Ontario
  • Beaver River - 17km Hiking, Mountain Biking (Rail Trail), Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, South Central Ontario, Ontario
  • Willow Beach - 3.6 hectares, Swimming, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, South Central Ontario, Ontario
  • Scanlon Creek - 282 hectares, Hiking, Group Camping, XC Skiing, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, South Central Ontario, Ontario
  • Shepards Bush - 23.9 hectares, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, South Central Ontario, Ontario
  • Whitechurch - 10 hectares, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, South Central Ontario, Ontario
  • Pangman - Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, South Central Ontario, Ontario
  • Rogers Reservoir - 38.9 hectares, Hiking, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, South Central Ontario, Ontario
  • Mabel Davis - 6.4 hectares, Hiking, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, South Central Ontario, Ontario
  • Westley Brooks Memorial - Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, South Central Ontario, Ontario
  • Thorton Bales - 20 hectares, Hiking, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, South Central Ontario, Ontario
 
Huts, Yurts and Cabins Outside the Toronto Region - within 4hrs of the City
  • Algonquin - 8 yurts, Cabins, Huntsville, Algonquin Region, Ontario
  • Bon Echo - Cabins, Cloyne, Eastern Ontario, Ontario
  • McGregor Point - 8 yurts, Lake Huron, Southhampton, North Central Ontario, Ontario
  • The Pinery - 12 yurts, Lake Huron, Sarnia, Southwestern Ontario, Ontario
  • Silent Lake - 3 yurts, Bancroft, Eastern Ontario, Ontario
 
 
  Camping

Toronto is one of the few Canadian cities you can camp in. Although this practice is common in Europe (Paris, Munich and Strasbourg are good examples), it has never caught on in North America. Not only is there camping in Toronto, but many of the campsite surroundings are very natural and not at all what you would imagine in an urban setting. For a list of front country campsites in Ontario's parks click here.
 
Front Country Camping in the Toronto Region

Front Country Camping Nearby the Toronto Region

Front Country Camping Outside the Toronto Region - within 4hrs of the city

Group Camping in the Toronto Region

  • Terra Cotta - Access to the Bruce Trail, Group Camping (certain conditions apply - contact the CA), Credit Valley Conservation Authority, Mississauga, Toronto Region, Ontario

Group Camping Nearby the Toronto Region

  • Scanlon Creek - Group Camping, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
  • Kelso Conservation Area - Group Camping, Beach, Hiking and Mountain Biking, Group Camping, Access to the Bruce Trail, Halton Region Conservation, Southwestern Ontario, Ontario
  • Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area - 650 Acres, Group Camping, Lookouts, Climbing, Group Camping, Access to the Bruce Trail, Halton Region Conservation Authority, Southwestern Ontario, Ontario

 

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