Best Nature preserves in Canada

Don't follow the Google Maps for this one. You'll need to go to Jack Darling park to get parking. Park all the way down to the end and then start walking on the path heading west. You'll see signs telling you where the Marsh is. Loved the long boardwalk. Also loved that you get to walk alongside the lake before you get to the boardwalk path. Nice, cool experience with all the trees.

Great place to go for a walk with kids and dogs. Boardwalk, very well maintained, and beautiful trails to observe nature and take pictures. We usually park at Jack Darling parking lot and go from there. Stop by the pebble beach near the marsh to see the lake, very quiet and not busy at all. Recommend using some bug repelent because of the mosquitos.

Very accessible conservation area. Great for the whole family. The boardwalk spans a vast area with lots of turns. There are benches throughout the trail. A great hiking trail for those on wheels. There are washrooms at the park next to the trail. The marsh is full of life and the area is very quiet and serene. A very lovely space.

Meticulously well-kept and flat hiking trail, which loops around a marsh. The path leads through a forest and there are a few exit points - trail is well-marked. Park at Jack Darling and walk along the waterfront. I saw bunnies, chipmunks, squirrels and various birds. Boardwalk is wonderful and accessible for wheelchairs. Lots of rest stations. Enjoy views of Lake Ontario and Toronto skyline. Water is clean enough to swim.
Check out the Credit Valley Conservation site for details and events. From the website: Explore the last remaining lakefront marsh of its kind between Toronto and Burlington.
This environmental gem along Mississauga’s Lake Ontario shoreline features a shale beach and pedestrian boardwalk overlooking a natural wetland. This park is a unique experience for nature lovers and is a must-see for avid birdwatchers.
Discover wildlife including herons, rabbits, beavers, deer, foxes and more.

Little Cove is the essential place to visit to get away from the city!
Little Cove is a nature preserve that has a lot of inhabitants and habitats in the surrounding areas.
It's a bit of a drive from Toronto and camping isn't allowed on the grounds, so come prepared to walk for about 5 hours through the glorious trials, through rocks , through bushes, and to see the peak of water 🌊 presence.
The sunsets at Little Cove are awesome but it does get cool at night so come prepared to bring sweaters and wear comfy clothes.

Please lower admission prices - $8 per adult plus $5 parking is expensive and I’m less likely to return when it costs $30 for my family to enjoy the trails for an hour. The space is beautiful but it’s difficult to justify spending $30.

Attended a wedding here. Beautiful location, amazing food and friendly staff. Lisa the bar tender knew everyone’s drink and was super fun and professional.

Little Cove has a decent rocky beach along with a hiking trail parallel to the waterfront that passes the Grotto, though I didn't venture that far on the hike. It was of moderate intensity. Technically this is part of the Bruce Peninsula National Park and it requires a Parks Canada permit, though it appears to be the honour system. (The Grotto entrance requires going through a toll booth.) The parking lot appears to be hectic during the long weekend, with some deciding to park their cars on the side of the road leading down to the trail to the beach area.

Beautiful conservation area in Mississauga, visited on Friday at 11 am. Parked at Green Glade Public School and walked to the conservation area. The trails are nice, especially the boardwalk.
Beautiful scenery. We really enjoyed our time here, perfect for nature lovers.
Would love to visit again.

Jack Darling Park is also close by.

Spanning over 400 hectares, Kanaka Creek Regional Park is a wilderness haven located along 12 kilometers of Kanaka Creek in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. Established to protect the unique ecosystems and wildlife of the area, the park provides a tranquil escape for visitors seeking outdoor recreation and nature appreciation.
The park is divided into four main sections:
* Fraser Riverfront: This section offers scenic views of the Fraser River and features accessible washrooms and picnic tables.
* Lower Reach & Fish Fence: Here, you can observe the fish fence, which plays a crucial role in monitoring and enhancing chum, coho, and pink salmon populations.
* Mid Reach & Cliff Falls: This section is a popular destination for picnics and relaxation. Cliff Falls, a spectacular canyon carved by the creek, is the centerpiece of this area.
* Upper Reach & Hatchery: Explore the interpretive center at the Bell-Irving Hatchery and learn about salmonid enhancement programs.
Kanaka Creek Regional Park offers a variety of activities for visitors to enjoy, including hiking, biking, fishing, and bird watching. The park is also home to a diverse range of plant and animal life, making it a perfect place to connect with nature.

Lovely place. Awesome lake and ideal for family picnics and BBQ.

A well-maintained Park for adventure. I was interested in the Bell Irving Hatchery. Glad to see hundreds of thousand salmon fry have been reared here. Learning more from the Kanaka Creek Watershed Stewardship Center. Great work! I’ll be back again.

The trails through the regional park are beautifully maintained.

Guelph Conservation Area is one of the most affordable and enjoyable summer destinations. We typically spend the whole day there, taking advantage of the numerous activities available. You can camp, go on scenic trail walks, swim in the lake, and even go boating. For BBQ enthusiasts, you can bring your own grill or use the public charcoal BBQs by the lake.

The staff patrols frequently, ensuring the area remains safe and secure. The facilities are well-maintained, with clean showers and washrooms available for public use. Guelph Conservation Area offers a great combination of affordability, safety, and fun, making it a perfect spot for a summer outing.

Our server Praneet, was honestly the best ever please give this individual a raise or promotion. Our table was alot to handle and they served us gracefully and with such speed, handling all of our bizarre requests with ease and going as far to offer iced coffee even it wasn't on the service menu! 💜 The venue was also a great location totally recommend to anyone planning an event and loves nature!

Discover stunning trails just a quick 10-minute drive from the heart of the city.

Quiet and Serene place. It is amazing how clear the water is. Worth a visit if you are in the area

I came by with my family today under the recommendation by other Google user that this boardwalk is one of the longest within the GTA region. We started out around 3 o’clock and the weather was so nice. There was wind and clouds and the sun wasn’t too bright on us.
I read that there is no parking lot for this conservation area and people usually park at the Jack Darling Memorial Park parking lot. However, if you come over the weekends, you may find these parking lots jammed with cars and people all there for the beach front and BBQ.
If you’re only here for trail walking you can choose to park at the Green Glade Sr Public School on the other side of the path, which is much less stress and the entrance to the conservation park is right there opposite to the school.
We quickly found the boardwalk, which was very clean and well-maintained. It was such a pleasant walk because of the weather and the way the trails are nicely built with wide walkways and boardwalk built over the watery wetland. We saw lots of people walking the dogs. We saw different kinds of birds. Some of them were taking a nice bath in a river and we said hi to many squirrels and chipmunks along the way. Some reviewer said they have met deer or coyote or the kind of animals in this park but we didn’t see any perhaps because is during the daytime. If you like boardwalk you should really come and try it out at the Rattray Marsh Conservation Park!

Overall, the Guelph Conservation Area is a fantastic place for a day trip. Whether you're interested in kayaking, looking for a clean and family-friendly environment, or just wanting a lovely picnic spot, this park has something for everyone. We highly recommend it for a fun and relaxing outdoor experience. I will soon visit again here.

This Rattray Marsh Conservation area is a hidden gem. I wish I could find it earlier. A very good place to go for a short or long walk. It is a cool place to picnic and barbecue since the Jack Darling park is near by. The sceneries here are perfect. A lot of benches to sit and rest and the park is beautifully maintained. 💕

I had a lovely experience at Rattray Marsh Conservation Area, as it had all of the elements that I needed for my photography. It was local. There was bird life. There are endless trails that you can do on a warm afternoon. The pathways are scenic and did I mention all of the natural elements involved.

It was a bit chilly in March but definitely worth the go at any time of the year.

I’m very happy that places like this exist. The staff keep the grounds very clean and other members of the public seemed respectful. Front entrance staff were very friendly. Great access to facilities and overall a nice lake for a picnic or camping getaway

It is a lovely beach with a sandy shore for kids to play on. There is ample parking (small fee of $17 for day pass, if noone is at the booth, it's quick and easy to use the QR code to pay). There are boat launches, hiking trails, picnic areas and BBQ pits. Lots of seating areas and shady trees if you love taking your picnic mats with you. Great place for solitude or family time. There are washrooms 🚻 (these were locked when we visited), but there are also portable toilets around. I saw reviews about lots of geese and gulls, there weren't many today and the water and shoreline were very clean.

I am getting married later this year at Kortright and just had the menu tasting. Kanak has been amazing throughout the entire process and answers every question we have (and super fast!) thoroughly. Roslyn and Antonio were so lovely, personable, and charming, and we hope to see them back at our wedding (please!!!). Antonio — you made our night are were hilarious! I have heard horror stories from friends getting married at other venues and this could not be further from our experience with Kortright. :)

Decent campground close to GTA. Water at the beach was murky but didn’t stop us from taking a dip. Bathrooms are average. Most sites are covered with grass which is really nice to keep things clean. Definitely doesn’t have the Ontario Parks vibe but still pretty good as a last resort camping trip.

Great experience with our 2 and 5 year told for the maple syrup festival! It was a busy weekend (Parking lot pretty full) but inside the grounds it didn’t feel crowded at all. Really well organized walk through the woods learning about the history of maple syrup. It was interactive throughout and the kids were really entertained. Very reasonably priced tickets and gift shop. Only thing is very limited lunch options (long line for pancakes) so we regretted not packing a lunch. Otherwise, great experience and would definitely recommend!

We had a great time visiting the Maple Syrup Festival this year. The staff were all friendly and knowledgeable, the facilities were clean, and the food menu looked outstanding.

Now, we went on a week-day so we didn't expect everything to be in full swing, but it was March break so we expected a bit more than we got. Around the facility, there was no sign of a Festival at all. There were no exhibits, no music, and very little signage telling you where to go to find the actual tour.

Once we asked the staff inside where to go, we found that all of the exhibits are down an enormous hill. Now, for the average person this hill is likely fine; however we had someone with a very bad back in our party and the hill was very steep for them on the way back up.

The staff at each exhibit were amazing, and we did learn a lot about Maple Syrup production, and the health of the trees through the process.

There was also a horse and buggy ride that was quite short, but very well done. The horses were beautiful, the drivers were great and the buggy (more of a covered wagon with bench seats around the perimeter) was in great shape.

Again, maybe it was due to the low amount of attendees at the time, or the fact that we went on a week day (during March break) but we were somewhat underwhelmed overall as we were expecting to go to a "Festival". We've been to other festivals around the area at other Conservation areas, and there was a bit more life to them.

Overall though, we enjoyed our experience and would recommend visiting and learning something new about the Maple Syrup process. We would just set your expectations that you're likely not going to spend the whole day there. As one activity in a planned day of activities, it's a great stop.

Short but lovely trail for 2 and 4 legged kids alike.

Great walk, short trail.

One of the many great things about living in charleswood ! We take our dog for a walk here every day and is walking distance from our home.

It's fantastic, awesome, brilliant, transparent water, a little walking to the cave. Do not forget your swimming suit.
You can have a lots of fun there. Please make a reservation before everything specially for parking.

It is a really nice spot picnic spot. They rent kayaks and canoes, so you can paddle on a calm lake. There's a simple path for hiking that's not hard, and you can see a small waterfall too. They have a lot of grassy space where you can have a picnic, and they even let you cook on a BBQ. They also have plenty of trees and benches where you can sit and rest.
I think it's a great place if you want to have a fun day outside with easy things to do and nice views.

Little Cove Beach, Tobermory is a beautiful rock beach with turquoise clear water. You can enjoy swimming and plenty of striking landscapes. You can canoe, paddle board, ski, swim etc. Parking is by reservation only with four time slots. A worth it visit if near the Grotto.

Great little park with a creak running through it! Nice old growth Trees and shade. Has pit toilets to use the washroom and free parking. The creek is easy to explore and very pretty!

This is a large park suitable both for camping and day use. The hiking trail that we used (the Red trail) was not difficult, but not too challenging either for the enthusiastic camper. The showers and toilets were well maintained, and the campgrounds ( we hired an electrical one) were well serviced with water and electrical outlets. This camp is suitable for those with camper vans and fifth wheels. We would have liked to see dishwashing stations to encourage people to reduce waste. The reservoir and dam areas have 2 beaches. The water was very suitable for swimming and looked much cleaner than Lake Ontario, where we visit often. We hired a 2-person kayak from the Grand River Rafting company, and for a very reasonable fee that included life-jackets, we were able to enjoy paddling around the reservoir for an hour. It was a very enjoyable time, and just an hour from Mississauga.

Very nice and peaceful place to run, walk, bike, and you can walk your dogs. Trails is 6.5km long...

A quiet and short trail. It was just looking enough to get the dog out for a walk with the kids in tow.

Not conveniently located, it's a bit out of the way. Also had paid parking.

If you're looking for a different trail to walk though, this is a quick one for you.

Beautiful spot for a bike ride or hike!

Absolutely beautiful. In the Alvar area there are numerous ancient cedars that resemble natural bonsais. Fantastic westerly views of Lake Huron.

Me and my boys love walking the trails here and you can find some cool spots if you're willing to explore a little.

The parking is also great and it has a pretty shallow boat launch from what I could see, will update if we ever launch from there.

Would highly recommend long pants some trails are tended to more frequently than others as well.

Lovely trail. Went with the wife and dog for a peaceful stroll through this quiet area. Few cyclists and other trailblazers, but car traffic on nearby streets was minimal. Trail was dry as of Spring 2022

Extremely beautiful place. It is a small area but worth exploring. Good thing is that there are not many visitors. Clear water & white stone. It does not have beach sand just small rocks.

I grew up in the area ,so bringing my son now that he’s grown up and the dogs to a favourite spot of mine for a walk is so amazing! We brought our dogs and they loved it too! Check it out! It’s very peaceful , and across the street is a beautiful trail we have walked along also and got some amazing photos!! Check out one of my go to places to get away and listen to the water and the birds.

Short, quiet trail. You could spend maybe an hour tops if you walk slowly it stop for a break. Peaceful. Paid parking, $5/day, which is rather steep considering how short the trail is.

Parking lot has been renovated so that there are about 20 parking spots. But there is still a wait if you plan to go in the afternoon. We arrived around 9:30am on a weekday and there were cars there before us. A bit of a steep paved hike down to the cove was all there was before we got to the rocky beach. Really nice secluded feeling. Didn't go into the water myself but others did and seemed to enjoy it. Not sure if I'd go again now that I've been there once. Sitting on hard rocks isn't really my thing, and the views all around Bruce Peninsula can be had elsewhere too.

Fantastic spot for a swim. The scenery is beautiful and the pebble an rock beach is great. Very busy during the day so we went in the evening to make parking easier. Also great place for the dog to swim.

This water fall is so beautiful!! there is a half an hour hike to get there but it isnt that bad. Mainly uphill and down hill walking. nothing crazy. The only parts where your going up hill or downhill is when your going into the water. It is definetely worth the hike though. ans the water s not that cold, depending on where you go. But Definetely a 10/10. I have been there twice and it is just as exciting as the first time!!

Nice trail, and good distance for those with kids. In parts the trail was really muddy (one of my kids lost a shoe that stuck in the mud) and in the spring the mosquitoes were swarming. Seems like it would be a beautiful walk in the fall as the foliage changes. The alligator was a nice touch, my kids loved it!

Grew up near the Harte trail. Very nice for running and biking. Unfortunately over the last few years it’s become quite busy due to the new developments. Lots of wildlife to see and a nice way to be in nature while still in the city

Very clean and wonderful trail. Very good trail for walking or cycling. Rest room is available in the middle of trail. So nice to see lot of deers around

Nice kept trail...but a little narrow so with all the bikes you need to really watch your little ones ahead of u and behind you...but still very peaceful....and a nice escape from everyday life...

A really peaceful walk

found it accidentally and it was great for hiking. For sure it could be more awesome in the summer with greens.

Fantastic natural area. Very close to Toronto and a great place to experience the natural beauty of Tobermory.
Perfect place to have plane a picnic.

Nice and secluded few acres of natural forest, offering visitors and natural lovers to explore the landscape. Well marked, groom and clear trails. Limited parking spaces available onsite. It is passive parking fee payment, and it is more like a voluntary payment system, the visitor is required to have internet access in order to pay the parking fee.

One of my all time favorite places to walk. Massive red pines, mature maple and hardwood forests, cute bridges and winding creeks. There's an old pump house and remnants of raised garden beds put in by the military I believe. If you walk all the trails its an hour round trip.

Went for a walk with the dog, gf and my mom here. Absolutely beautiful spot with alot of history! So many picnic tables and spots to stop and enjoy the view. The trails are well taken care of. Friendly people out there walking there dogs etc. Loads of parking. I enjoyed the bridge and the look out spots. Too cool. Looking for a good spot to check out some scenery.....this is it.