Hike Program
Every year thousands of hikers enjoy the beauty of the Bruce Trail. Come discover it with the Toronto Club. We offer about 400 guided hikes a year on the Bruce Trail, and in conservation areas, parks, and ravines around Toronto and southern Ontario. We have beginner, intermediate, and advanced hikes. Hikers travel to the trails in cars, chartered buses, or public transit.
(Please check our News Section for 2024 Winter Program Dates)
Overview of hiking program
Our commitment
All our members have their own individual perspectives, skills and interests. Our commitment to personalization and honouring the unique characteristics that make us who we are, are promoted in our 3 hiking program elements:
- We honour our members voice as we want to understand their thoughts, viewpoints and experiences.
- Diversity is at the core of our beliefs and we use our resources to promote it.
- We value open, two-way dialogue with community partners.
Because we adhere to these three elements, we experience an awesome hiking program.
Hike with us! Become a member and help us secure and maintain the Bruce Trail.
Experienced leaders
When hikers choose to see the world with our hike leaders, they know they are in good hands. Our hike leaders are extensively trained to recognize the right ingredients that go into making a memorable and rewarding hiking experience.
Our hike leaders craft outstanding hiking experiences. We hike woodlands, meadows, cliff edges, cross streams, tramp the many ravines of Toronto and cross the harbour to walk and relax on the Toronto Islands. Our hike leaders organize hiking trips that attend the theatre, tour vineyards, visit provincial parks and other areas of interest. We afford hikers the time to take pictures of identified flowers and trees, we talk about geology and learn about local history.
Our hike leaders will lead hikes in the rain, in the snow and we even hike at night. Our team works hard to create hiking experiences that ensure an enjoyable and safe experience. Hike leaders are selected for their skills and experience. Being a hike leader affords you the opportunity to share your love of the outdoors. You will also be benetting our Club by joining a very special team of people.
Hike Levels
The Toronto Bruce Trail Club offers guided hikes for beginner, intermediate, and advanced hikers. Each entry in the hiking calendar includes a detailed description of the pace, length, and terrain of the planned hike. Read the information carefully to select hikes that are appropriate for your fitness and skill level.
Easy (Level I)
These hikes are leisurely paced (usually less than 3.5 km/hr), and cover between 8 and 12 kilometres. Routes are mostly on flat, well maintained trails with hard-packed surfaces. Easy hikes are suitable for beginners.
Intermediate (Level II)
These hikes are moderately paced (usually between 3.5 and 4.5 km/hr) and cover between 13 and 17 kilometres. Routes include hills and uneven surfaces (rocks and roots underfoot). Intermediate hikes are suitable for experienced hikers and fit beginners.
Advanced (Level III)
These hikes are fast paced (usually 5 km/hr or more) and cover between 18 and 25 kilometres. Routes include steep hills and some scrambling over boulders. Advanced hikes are suitable for fit, experienced hikers.
Every hike is different. Sometimes there are fast hikes on easy terrain, and slow, long hikes on challenging terrain. If you are unsure about a hike and would like more information please contact the hike leader.
Bus hikes, cross-county ski and snowshoe coach trips, car hikes, and urban walks
The Toronto Bruce Trail Club is the only Bruce Trail Conservancy member club that uses different modes of transportation to get to and from hiking destinations. Members and guests can travel by car, chartered bus, or public transit.
In the winter, we offer cross-country ski and snowshoe trips and travel to and from the trails in luxury highway coaches.
Bus hikes
Hikers travel to and from hiking destinations in school buses. Buses depart from central locations in the city. Departure locations are included in hike descriptions. They are described in detail below:
Kipling subway station
Buses wait by the North Parking Lot at Kipling Subway Station.
Google Map location: https://bit.ly/3M5Ek28
York Mills subway station
Buses park at 16 York Mills Road, northeast corner of Yonge St and York Mills Rd, in front of the York Mills Centre and opposite the Shell gas station.
Bus Fare
Adult BTC members: Regular $25, Long distance $30
Non-members: Regular $32, Long distance $37
Member Children under 12: $10, Long distance $14
Non-member Children under 12: $14, Long distance $18
All fares include a $1 donation to the Escarpment Legacy Campaign.
Cross-country ski and snowshoe coach trips
On winter weekends the Club offers cross-country ski and snowshoe outings. We visit provincial parks, conservation areas, and resorts that have trails groomed for classic and skate skiing, and marked snowshoe trails. Skiers ski on their own or with friends. Snowshoers can join guided hikes or snowshoe on their own. Sometimes our hike leaders take snowshoers off resort to enjoy the beauty of winter on trails like the Bruce and Ganaraska. We travel in luxury highway coaches that depart from Yonge St and York Mills Rd. Bus fare is higher on these trips than on regular bus hikes.
Car hikes
Regular car hikes
To join a car hike, you need your own car. Hikers are responsible for getting themselves to the trailhead. If the planned hike is a loop, then all hikers leave their cars at the same location. If the planned hike is linear then the hike leader organizes car shuttles. Since everyone is expected to participate in car shuttles there is no transportation charge.
Car pool hikes
On car pool hikes, hikers are asked to meet at central locations in the city, usually subway stations. Hikers who don’t have cars travel to and from trailheads with other hikers who have extra seats in their cars. After hikes, drivers drop passengers off at the same central locations they picked them up at. Passengers are expected to contribute to drivers’ costs. The suggested fee is $10.00. Passengers should offer this money to drivers; drivers should not have to request payment.
Urban walks
Hikes in the Greater Toronto Area that are accessible by public transit are listed as urban walks. Meeting locations and suggested transit options are included in hike descriptions. Hikers can travel to meeting locations by public transit, in their own cars, by bike, or on foot. Some urban walks are loops and others are not. If a walk is linear and you travel to the meeting location in your car or on your bike, you will need to make your own way back to your car or bike after the hike.