Published June 16, 2020
Going outside is one of the simplest pleasures life has to offer. It’s fun. It’s free. It’s freeing. It’s good for our physical and mental health. There’s something magical about being surrounded by the symphony of the forest amongst hundreds of thousands of leaves rustling, lilting birdsongs, babbling brooks.
Trails are for everyone—including those with physical disabilities.
What to know about accessible trails in Ontario:
What makes a trail accessible?
- Entrances with openings that are 85 centimeters to 1 meter wide
- Detailed and legible signage at each trailhead
- Widths of at least 1 meter and headroom clearances of 2.1 meters
- Long, narrow openings at right angles to the direction of travel
- Firm, stable surfaces with openings smaller than 2 centimeters so mobility devices can’t get stuck
- Raised barriers next to water or drop-offs
Find out more about accessible recreational trails requirements in Ontario here.
Which trails in Ontario are fully accessible?
Beach Trail at Rouge Park. Photo Credit: Lindi Osborne
- Beach Trail at Rouge Park
- Beaver Pond Trail
- Betty Sutherland Trail
- Bleasdell Boulder Trails
- Bowmanville and Soper Valley Trails
- Bowmanville Harbour Conservation
- Brant Tract Trails
- Cedarvale Ravine and the Beltline Trail
- Collingwood Trails Network
- Collingwood Waterfront Trail
Coronation Park. Photo Credit: Andy Nystrom (Flickr: Link)
- Coronation and Battery Park Trail
- Courtland Urban Trail
- Downsview Dells Park Trail
- Ernest Thompson Seton Park Trail
- Experimental Farm Pathway Trail
- Fairy Vista Trail
- G. Ross Lord Park Trail
- Galt Historical Trail
- Garrison Creek
- Goderich Waterfront Boardwalk
- Gordon Glaves Memorial Pathway
- Gravenhurst Historic Mural Routes
- Gray's Creek Trail
- Harvey Park
- Heritage Trail
- Hickory Trail
Cherry blossoms in High Park. Photo Credit: The City of Toronto (Flickr: Link)
- High Park Trails
- Howard Watson Trail
- Humber Arboretum & West Humber River Valley
- Huntington Trail
- Huntsville Urban Route
- Iron Horse Trail
Rattray Marsh boardwalk. Photo Credit: Joe deSousa (Flickr: Link)
- Jack Darling Memorial Park & Rattray Marsh Trail
- King's Mill Park Trail
- Kiwanis Way
- Leslie Street Spit Trail
- Malton Loop
- Martin Goodman Trail - Ashbridge's Bay Park
- Michael Starr Trail
- Midland Rotary Waterfront Trail
- Millennium Trail
- Muskrat Urban Trail
- New York Central Fitness Trail
- Northern Ravines & Gardens
- Omanique Beach Waterfront Trail
- Oro-Medonte Rail Trail
- Oshawa Waterfront Trail
Ottawa River Pathway. Photo Credit: Douglas Sprott (Flickr: Link)
- Ottawa River Pathway
- Penetanguishene Waterfront Park
- Pickering Waterfront Trail
- Pier 4 Park Trail
- Port Carling Urban Route
- Promise Rock Nature Area Trail
- Purdon Bog Trail
- Renfrew Millennium Trail
- Saugeen Rail Trail
- Second Marsh Wildlife
- South Temiskaming
- Sugar Bush Loop
- Sugar Bush Trail System - Green Trail
- Tiger Dunlop Heritage Trail
- Unionville Valleylands Trail
- Uptown Toronto
Desjardins Canal, part of the Hamilton Harbour Waterfront Trail. Photo Credit: Tom Flemming (Flickr: Link)
- Waterfront Trail - Hamilton Harbour
- Wawanosh Valley Conservation Area Trail
- Western Ravines & Beaches
- Whitby Waterfront Trail
- Wilket Creek Trail
- Woodland Trail at Crawford Lake
Check out accessible beaches in Ontario here.
Send us pictures of your favourite accessible outdoor space by posting your photos with #greatlakesguide and tagging us @greatlakesguide
