Walk the Don and experience how the natural environment co-exists in an urban setting!
Recently, Nature Conservancy of Canada conducted a poll and found that 85% of respondents stated that access to nature has been important to maintaining their mental health. 94% of respondents credit time spent in nature with relieving stress and anxiety during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
These figures highlight the importance of nature in our day-to-day lives and the value of supporting sustainable environmental projects.
Home to 1.4 million residents, the Don River watershed is one of the most urbanized in Canada. Today, the Don Valley and its network of trails provide people with a unique connection to nature in the heart of the city.
Walk the Don – Trail Guides
Walk the Don is a series of self-guided trail walks through the Don River valley.
All of the Walk the Don trail guides include a detailed trail map, level of difficulty, parking information, duration and detailed points of interest along the way.
All routes use established trails and are suitable for family outings.
Burke Brook Guide
Follow a section of Burke Brook, a tributary of the West Don River, as it winds its way through a varied urban area. The walk begins where the stream is buried beneath a formal garden and ends as it flows naturally through a forested ravine. Select the thumbnail to download the trail guide.
East Don Parkland Guide | Download the Companion Audio Guide
Discover the natural heritage of this popular trail. Follow German Mills Creek and the East Don River as they meander through a lush forested ravine, wildflower meadows, and wetlands. The abundance of native species make this section of the East Don River well worth the exploration. Select the thumbnail to download the trail guide.
Forks of the Don Guide
This walk begins along the West Don River, crosses to the East Don River and then passes the Forks of the Don where the two tributaries unite to form the Lower Don River. This section of the Don Valley, once heavily industrialized, now struggles to regain a natural state, and is often hampered by flood damage from heavy storms. Select the thumbnail to download the trail guide.
Lower Bartley Smith Greenway Guide
This walk follows the Upper West Don River in the City of Vaughan southwards from Langstaff Park on Langstaff Road to Steeles Avenue West. Select the thumbnail to download the trail guide.
Lower Don Guide
Explore the Lower Don River, the site of one of the largest urban environmental restoration projects in the world. Select the thumbnail to download the trail guide.
Milne Hollow Guide
Once an active industrial site in the 19th century, Milne Hollow demonstrates how a natural green space, two railways, and an expressway can co-exist in an urban environment, yet give the feeling of being in the wilderness. Select the thumbnail to download the trail guide.
Mud Creek – Lost Rivers Loop Guide
Experience a walk along routes of three buried waterways, all hidden from public view decades ago in the interest of progress. Enjoy the natural serenity of living ponds on the former site of Toronto’s largest brick works, right in the heart of the city. Select the thumbnail to download the trail guide.
Taylor Massey Creek Guide
The Taylor family of paper mill fame owned the land west of Dawes Road to the Forks of the Don and the Massey Family’s Dentonia Farm occupied the land east of Dawes Road to Pharmacy Avenue. It was also known as Silver Creek in the past. Select the thumbnail to download the trail guide.
Wilket Creek Guide
This loop offers a series of contrasts. The walk begins in manicured gardens, meanders through an ever-changing and challenged valley, climbs the shore of an ancient lake and descends into the wider valley of the West Don River. It follows a small watercourse degraded through intense pressure from rapid urban development. Select the thumbnail to download the trail guide.
