10 Easy Hikes In Ontario If You Skipped The Gym All Winter
Everyone loves the great outdoors to a certain degree. The fresh air, the hot sun, and the beautiful greenery are all perks of being outside.
But when you want to get out into nature but know you aren't making it up any steep climbs to the top of a forested mountain, there's still hope for you! Don't hang up your hiking boots until you've tried one of these 7 easy breezy hikes in Ontraio.
Waterfront Trail, Whitby
Where: 269 Water Street, Whitby
This off-road paved trail at the Whitby Waterfront is perfect if you want to get out and enjoy nature but can't be bothered to go full-on workout while hiking. The trail is just over 6 kilometres, but its easy walkways lead you to spectacular views of Lake Ontario and through the Lynde Shores Conservation Area where you can enjoy the wildlife.
Twin Bridges Trail, Massey
Where: Chutes Provincial Park, 650 Imperial Street North, Sables-Spanish Rivers
This easy trail is 6 kilometres long, but with mostly gravel, soil and a boardwalk, it'll be like walking your favourite shopping mall but with a much more natural view. The trail follows along the Aux Sables River and leads to a seriously stunning lookout at Seven Sister Rapids.
Crawford Lake Trail, Milton
Where: 3115 Conservation Road, Milton
This trail is a short 1.4 kilometre walk through some of the most beautiful forested area Halton has to offer. The elevated boardwalk makes it easy for even the most novice of hikers and leads to a beautiful meromictic lake.
Lime Kiln Trail, Ottawa
Where: 4897 Old Richmond Rd, Nepean
This trail is only half a kilometre but the short distance does not spare any beauty. The sky-high forest is lined with cedars and the compacted soil makes it super easy to venture through. If you're not satisfied with the short hike, you can cross the road at the dead end and venture down to Ball's Mill conserveation area for more scenic wonder.
Haliburton Sculpture Forest Trail, Haliburton
Where: 297 College Drive, Haliburton
This beautifully simple trail offers an easy hike through the outdoor gallery of 34 sculptures and 3 unique benches. You can enjoy the trails while taking in your daily dose of home-grown art. There's several different trails of different lengths throughout the forest so you can choose the one to match your skill level.
Dufferin Islands Park, Niagara Falls
Where: Portage Road, Niagara Falls
In Niagara, the Dufferin Islands Park trail offers a tranquil exploration of some of the most beautfiul scenery the province has to offer. The trail is 2.3 kilometres long and follows the path of man-made bridges and footpaths for easy access to the forested area.
Granite Ridge Trail, Killarney
Where: 960 Hwy 637, Killarney
This 2.6 kilometre trail is surrounded with a beautiful high forest and offers an easy footpath throughout. One of the biggest draws of this trail besides the naturalistic beauty is the old broken down car that has become one with the forest. It's really a sight to see for any skill level!
Balsam Lake Lookout Trail
Where: 2238 Kawartha Lakes County Road 48
Located in the Kawartha's, the Balsam Lake Provincial trail is a 3 kilometre gravel and soil walkway running through the Balsam Lake Provincial Park. The trail offers 3 different landscapes to venture through including a meadow, a swamp, and the forested are surrounding the lake. The end of the trail is a beautiful lookout over Balsam Lake that's not to be missed!
Nokomis Trail
Where: Lake Superior Provincial Park, Algoma
The Nokomis Trail is an easy 5 kilometre walk through Lake Superior Provincial Park along Old Woman River. It's made up of compact soil and a bit of rock making it easy to navigated and although it's one of the longer ones on the list, it's well worth it. The trail leads to a breathtaking view of Old Woman Bay and offers beautiful scenic views of it's surrounding landscape.
Sifton Bog
Where: 1210 Oxford Street West, London
Perhaps the most interesting on the list is Sifton Bog, a 3 kilometre stretch of acidic lands that only provides environment for a limited amount of plant life to flourish. The result of this is a change in vegetation over the course of the short trail that would normally not be seen in such a short distance. The boardwalk leads you through the serenity of the forest over swamp-like conditions for a beautiful short hike through the Class 2 provincially significant wetlands.