About us
đď¸ The High Park Hiking Club
Who We Are
Welcome to the sweet spot of hiking. We are an intermediate hiking group based in the Greater Toronto Area, designed for people who think a "walk in the park" is a missed opportunity to sweat, but who also arenât quite ready to scaling Mount Everest before breakfast.
If your idea of a good weekend involves escaping the concrete jungle, questioning your cardio choices halfway up a steep ridge, and rewarding yourself with a cold brew (or a massive pastry) afterwardâyouâve found your people.
Before we get into the nitty gritty of hikes, trails, and fresh air, we need you to complete our all-important waiver. Apparently, the people who charge $900 an hour and collect degrees like PokĂŠmon (J.D., LL.B⌠you know the type) insist on it. Hereâs the link: https://forms.gle/9b2VfxgTi5T8Bdu96
The Vibe & Age Bracket
Yes, young people are absolutely permitted along with some old farts. In fact, we encourage anyone with functioning knees (or at least a good attitude about joint pain) to join. Whether you're in your mid teens, 20s, 30s, or just young at heart with a solid pace, you won't be left behind. We move fast enough to keep your heart rate up, but slow enough that we can still gossip about Toronto rent prices without gasping for air.
The Trails
We regularly hit up the best intermediate spots the GTA and its surrounding areas have to offer:
- The Dundas Peak & Spencer Gorge (for the views and the inevitable staircase of doom)
- Kelso & Rattlesnake Point (where we pretend, we're rock climbers)
- The Bruce Trail (various sections, mostly the ones with rocks that try to twist your ankles)
- Seaton Trail (local, muddy, and surprisingly intense)
***
đž The Four-Legged Rule
Our four-legged furry friends are welcome sometimes! To keep things safe and fun, we operate on a "Dog-Friendly By Event" basis.
- Look for the đś icon in the event title. If itâs there, bring your pup!
- If itâs not there, itâs probably because the trail is too rocky, has steep ladders, or the conservation area explicitly bans them.
- Note: Your dog must be cool with crowds, other dogs, and the fact that they are much better at hiking than we are.
***
Ground Rules (The Serious-ish Stuff)
1.    No Flip-Flops: This isn't Woodbine Beach. Proper hiking boots or trail runners, icers in the winter months are required unless you want to slide down a ravine on your butt (not as fun as it sounds).
2.    Show Up: If you RSVP 'Yes', we expect to see your smiling face at the trailhead or at least a courteous decline if circumstances change. Ghosting is for dating apps, not hiking groups.
3.    Water & Snacks: Bring them. Sharing is caring, but hiding your premium trail mix is also respected.
Hit that join button, pack your backpack, and let's go get lost (metaphorically, hopefully) in the woods!
Upcoming events
7
Liability Waiver Required to Remain a Member
Location not specified yetHello High Park Hiking Club Members,
Consider this your thirdâand very likely finalâcall about our liability waiver. A surprising number of you still havenât submitted it. (Yes, weâve checked. Yes, we have a spreadsheet. Yes, your name is either glowing green or⌠not.)
Now, completing the waiver is entirely your choice. But letâs be honestâthere is no downside to filling out a quick form, and a very real downside to not doing it. Hereâs the link once more, lovingly delivered straight to your eyeballs: https://forms.gle/9b2VfxgTi5T8Bdu96
If you decide not to submit it, well⌠thatâs when we begin to cull the herd. And by âcull,â we mean your membership will quietly vanishâpoofâlike a sock in a dryer. Removed. Deleted. Banished to the land of âformer members who no longer hike with us.â
And that would be a shame, because we have some truly fantastic hikes and even more fantastic social events lined up. You donât want to miss out and then spend the rest of the season thinking, âI really shouldâve clicked that link.â
So do it now. Save yourself the regret. Save us the chasing. Submit the waiver. Stay in the club. Keep hiking.4 attendees
đ¸ The "Petal to the Metal" (Boots Version) RBG Hike đ¸
Royal Botanical Gardens Trail, 5 Homestead Ave., Hamilton, ON, CAHikers, mark your calendars for Sunday, July 12th, because we have a very special trek on deck. We are invading the Royal Botanical Gardensâthe absolute largest botanical garden in Canada. Itâs a whopping 2,700 acres (yes, really, believe it).
Because we like living on the edge (and keeping our wallets heavy), we will once again be entering via our super-secret, M-I6-style back entrance. Coming with me saves you the $15 parking fee, which you can instead spend on an iced coffee or bribing the hike leader.
This is no ordinary, mundane stroll through the woods. If you are an Anthophile (no, it's not illegal, look it up) or a hardcore horticulturist, you are going to be hyperventilating with excitement.***
đ The Blooming Details
- The Secret Rendezvous: The dead-end at 5 Homestead Ave., Hamilton. It is a dead-end, but we are not deadbeats.
- What3Words Location: ///pumps.montage.teachers (Have you finally installed the app yet, or are we still living in 2005?)
- Lace Up: We commence at 10:00 AM sharp. For our chronic late comers, this means your personal arrival time is 9:45 AM. We will leave you behind to be eaten by the local flora.
***
The Stats & Gear
- Distance: A breezy 6 km. However, expect the pace to slow down because there will be several mandatory stops to literally stop and smell the roses.
- Difficulty: Rated a 1.5 out of 5. Itâs pretty easy, highly scenic, and gentle on the knees.
- Survival Gear: Bring bug juice (the mosquitoes will treat you like a buffet), sun hats, sunscreen, and proper trail shoes. Water, snacks and a bit of lunch at the picnic table area. We have thought of everything. A smile is also mandatory. ---
đ Carpooling Logistics: As always, carpooling is highly encouragedâunless you plan on arriving on a road racing bicycle, in which case, we salute your thighs.
Trust me, this hike is going to be petal perfect.
Are you with me, or are you a dandelion blowing in the wind? RSVP now.32 attendees
A "Secret" Beach, Mud Obstacles, and Camel Bladders: Join Us.
Glen Stewart Ravine, Toronto, ON, CAHigh Park Hikers,
We are headed to The Beaches Sunday, July 19th.
Before you say, "Weâve all lived in Toronto since the dawn of time and been there a million times," hear me out. Au contraire! Have you ever been to the secret waterfront stretch heading toward the Scarborough Bluffs? I thought not. Prepare to be thrilled, amazed, and profoundly grateful you aren't sitting at home on your... well, you know what.
Here are the gritty details:
đ The Route & Logistics- The Start: Weâll kick things off at the Glen Stewart Ravine trailhead (a hidden gem in its own right).
- The Distance: Roughly 10 km, point-to-point (Note: This is not a loop).
- The Return Plan: Because itâs a linear hike, we have options to get back to the cars:
- TTC: $3.35 adult / $2.30 senior.
- Uber: ~$16 (easily split between three people).
- The Long Way: You could walk back along the main road, but itâs blaringly loud, busy, and completely unrecommended. It turns the day into a 16.6 km trek. I did it once so you don't have to. Trust me on this one.
𼞠Gear & Trail Conditions
- Footwear: This is a hiking boots kind of day. Waterproof ones are highly recommended.
- The Obstacles: Expect mud and water. Unless you possess a freakishly long stride, you have three choices: convince your partner to give you a piggyback ride, accept wet feet, or just embrace the sand.
- Difficulty: We'll encounter some tricky rocks and Level 3 terrain in portions. It's a fun challenge, but nothing to fear. (And no, despite being a beach hike, bikinis are strictly optional).
đ˛ Amenities (or Lack Thereof)
- Washrooms: Nada. Zero. Zip.
- If "answering the call of nature" in nature poses a problem, please plan accordingly. As some of you have witnessed, I have to stop occasionally. That said, I've noticed a few people in this group possess the bladder capacity of a camel, which is genuinely impressive. Teach me your ways.
đ Rendezvous Details
- Time: 9:30 AM sharp.
- Location: 796 Kingston Rd, Toronto (Carpooling encouraged!).
- Exact Spots:
- Google Maps Coordinates
- What3Words: ///rewarded.waddled.passage
Yogis are welcome to greet the morning with a sun salutation at the waterâs edge. Donât let your summer mileage fall off the radarâbeing outside is great, and this hike will definitely peak your interest.
RSVP now and join me.
17 attendees
đď¸ The "Three Sisters" Hike: Heart Rates & Flat Pancakes
Three Sisters Hockley, 874171 5 Line E, Orangeville, ON L9W 6A7, Orangeville, ON, CAđ§ď¸ IMPORTANT UPDATE: Rescheduled to Sunday, July 26th! Turns out the "Three Sisters" decided to take a massive, uninvited shower on July 4th, and we arenât looking to add "unintentional water aerobics" to our quad-burning trek. Since nobody likes their pancakes completely soggy, weâre pushing this epic adventure back. Same brutal elevation, way less hydration from above. Adjust your calendars!
Can we make your heart race, leave you weak in the knees, and completely take your breath away?
No, weâre not talking about a magical first date. We are talking about a brutal, quad-burning encounter with The Three Sisters section of the Hockley Heights Bruce Trail.
Word on the street is that we have some "cardio queens" among us. Also, does anyone in the group actually have three sisters? Because by the end of this, you might want to disown them.
***
đ The Dirty Details
- When: Saturday, July 4th
- Launch Time: 10:15 AM sharp (Please arrive early enough to lace up!)
- The Mission: An advanced, higher-intensity ~8 km trek.
- The Terrain: Itâs not a death march, but the relentless elevation profile does not lie. This isn't fake newsâexpect serious ups and downs.
â ď¸ A Note on Anatomy: Your quadriceps and gluteus maximus (otherwise known as your butt) will likely scream at you. But hey, my wife tells me my backside is currently flatter than a pancake, so I desperately need this workout.
***
đ Logistics & Coordinates
- Trailhead Location: Find us on the map via Google Maps or use What3Words: ///hybrid.under.apprehend. (Seriously, have you installed the app yet?)
- Car-Pooling: Highly advised! Space can be tight. Please post in the group chat to either beg for a ride or offer up your passenger seat.
***
đ What to Pack
- Water: At least 1.5 liters. (Dehydration is not a good look).
- Snacks: To keep you conscious until our late lunch.
- Bug Spray: Bring your own! I am running dangerously low from handing mine out like candy.
***
đ The Après-Hike Reward: Hockley General Store
For our post-hike pleasure, weâre heading straight to the Hockley General Store (994227 Mono Adjala Townline, Orangeville) to aggressively restock every single calorie we just burned.
Itâs a quick 6.7 km (7-minute) drive from the trailhead. Here are the Directions to the Store.
They have fantastic culinary options, but feel free to bring your own lunch instead since we'll be hanging out outside.***
"People often say that motivation doesnât last. Well, neither does bathingâthatâs why we recommend it daily." See you on Saturday July 4th. Keep hiking! (And maybe start stretching those glutes now).
Are you in?8 attendees
Past events
297
