Thornton Bales Conservation Area

Beauty not too far from the city. There is limited parking and the hike is steep for some people. If your not the best in shape you might find the trail difficult. My moms 65 and had to sit this one out.

Nothing says autumn more than the 99 steps of stairs at the golden trail.We went there on Oct 17th, and the leaves are all yellow. The sun's rays spill over the leaves on the trees and in the ground in a forest of maple and pine. It's like a dream.The trail could use more markers and maps along the way. There are a few confusing loops and entrances, so you better remember where you entered.The forest floor is easy to walk. The surrounding is clean and open.

Get on your hiking boots and spend an afternoon on a trail. The Thornton Bales conservation area is conveniently located an hour from the GTA. A canopy of mature trees, local plants, rolling hills, and wildlife brings tranquillity to the area.The trailhead is at the top of a hill. Be prepared to walk down a steep set of stairs to explore the area.Note there is limited parking at the trailhead. Additional parking is available on the shoulder of the road.

Nice morning trail with lots of woods…and the best part is 99 steps..lovely to walk down and ur fitness comes up when u walk back… not to many mosquitoes but I advise when u go with kids pls carry spray… What I liked is you can donate to park by a tap machine which didn’t work but later it did.. parking is less so watch out for itWhat I didn’t like is trail paths are not laid properly.. only one oak trail but u can explore within woods a lot.. request you to improve little bit on this..

Nice easy loop trail with the 99 steps up/down the hill. There is a longer side trail that connects all the way over to Jokers Hill. Parking is very limited so keep that in mind when going. I’m sure this trail would be beautiful in the fall time with the foliage

It's a very nice conservation area that has several trails for several kilometers. Small river and hills give a romantics mood . Kids love to slide from the hill and play with the snow. It's convenient parking near the trails. You can spend easy two hours here . No picnic area in this place and food not allowed. Around the trails you can see different animals foot prints. No washroom at the beginning of the trails, better to visit the washroom before you can come here.

Hiked this trail yesterday, and found it to be a very serene and refreshing hike, nice forest with tall mature trees. Interestingly, you notice a clear divide between pine forest and maple, birch, and oak trees, I guess, it is the soil difference as it is beachy sand on the side of pine trees. Better to park on the Bathurst end jokers peak and walk right across to the 99 steps and return back through the other loop around midway. Part of area is restricted as it falls under university of Toronto, but, there is a bypass trail marked in white to get across. Very scenic with ups and downs. In summary, a medium difficulty and scenic experience, especially during fall time.

This is a beautiful place to go for a hike in most seasons. The trails are hilly so I would not rate them as beginner or easy". I've been here in the summer