Hiking & Walking

It's an Ontario walking and hiking paradise. Put your boots on.

Whether your ideal hike is a few hours or few days, you'll find fascination in every step as you discover Ontario's nature trails. Ontario offers everything from urban trails that let you explore the towns and cities, to wilderness trails where it's just you and nature.

Many of our walking and hiking trails follow the routes of the aboriginals and explorers. Others are rail trails that have been converted from rail lines.

Ontario boasts significant long-distance trail systems such as the Bruce and Ganaraska trails. Many of them form part of the National Trail, a coast-to-coast hiking trail. Upon its completion, the Voyageur Trail, together with the Bruce Trail, will provide a 1,800-km footpath from Niagara to Thunder Bay.

We have trails that will take you through a UNESCO world biosphere reserve. Some are renowned for bird and butterfly watching, while others take you through wondrous landscapes with scenic cliffs, coastlines and rugged terrain.  Trek high ridges, deep valleys and lakes rimmed with century-old forests.

For walkers and hikers, most trails are open to use and free of charge, but please look for posted signs and proceed accordingly. Also, many trails are mixed use, so you may encounter cyclists, horseback riders or motorized vehicles.