Ontario Parks: Tommy Thompson Park
Prior to the pandemic, I was always traveling. I was averaging 8 flights a month, partly due to living part-time in Massachusetts and partly because I had the constant urge to explore new places. Although I loved every minute of it, I was ignoring the one place that I truly called home - Ontario, Canada. Therefore, I have recently made it my mission to start exploring Ontario and its numerous city, provincial, and national parks and conservations areas. Each week, I will be posting about a new place in the province that I think is worthy of visiting. I’ll be honest about my experiences so you have a good idea of what to expect if you decide to explore.
To start, I want to highlight a park that is easily accessible to those in Toronto - Tommy Thompson Park. Simply a five minute walk from the TTC and 15-20 minute drive from downtown Toronto, Tommy Thompson Park has free parking, bike rentals and a plethora of wildlife and trails. This park is most often visited in the spring, summer and fall but has opportunities for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing on unmanaged trails in the winter. If you’re an avid bird watcher, this park also boasts over 300 bird species so be sure to bring your binoculars and camera. You can also download the park’s bird checklist here.
I love a beautiful landscape but if I am being completely honest, wildlife excites me most. This park is a nice balance between the two. Not only do you get a great view of the Toronto skyline and lake Ontario, but you also have the opportunity to see raccoons, beavers, mink, muskrats, deer, coyotes, cottontails, snakes and variety of bird species. Just a stones throw away from the city, this park is peaceful and serene as well as it is interesting. Furthermore, it’s flat, which makes the park great terrain for any level of hiker or cyclist.
Upon my visits, I saw a raccoon, coyote, red-tailed hawk, eastern cottontail, garter snake and a wide variety of beautiful birds. When on the trails, you’ll see many others hiking, biking, bird-watching and/or fishing and I can assure you that each experience will offer you a different perspective of the park, which you can easily explore for hours. So find a nice day, plan a hike or bike ride, and enjoy the outdoors because right now, we all need it more than ever.
For more information on parking, amenities and trails, you can view the Tommy Thompson Park Map here.
Things to know before you go:
Cost: Free
Parking: Free (Tommy Thompson Park parking lot, street parking on Leslie Street and Unwin Avenue)
Washrooms: Available (portable toilets)
Bike Rentals: Available
Camping: Not Available
Swimming: Not Available
Pets: Not Allowed