Free guided walks - September schedule

Saturday, September 2

Rouge in Bloom

Rouge flowers are a remarkable sight! Join Marie and appreciate all the flowers in bloom this time of year.

• Leaders: Marie, Doug
• Time: 10 am
• Location: Orchard Trail
• Transit Accessible: Yes
• Meeting point: 1749 Meadowvale Rd., Scarborough – oTENTiks (A-frame cabin)
• Distance: 1 km – 5 km
• Difficulty: Moderate, possible hills and/or stairs
• Pace: Slow
• Duration: 2.5 hours
• Age Range: Adults
• Dog Friendly

Sunday, September 3

Monarch Migration

Join walk leader Geri on a search for monarch butterflies and learn about their amazing annual migration.

• Leaders: Geri, Gary
• Time: 10 am
• Location: Tallgrass Trek
• Transit Accessible: No
• Meeting point: 7277 14th Avenue, Markham – oTENTiks (A-frame cabin)
• Distance: 1 km – 5 km
• Difficulty: Easy, flat/paved or gently uneven
• Pace: Moderate
• Duration: 2 hours
• Age Range: Families
• Service dogs only

Welcome to the Rouge

Join walk leader Moaz to learn about Canada's first and only national urban park while exploring the park's forests, meadows, rivers, and wetlands.

• Leaders: Moaz, Brian
• Time: 1 pm
• Location: Mast Trail
• Transit Accessible: No
• Meeting point: 55 Twyn Rivers Drive, Scarborough – parking lot
• Distance: 1 km – 5 km
• Difficulty: Moderate to difficult, depending on experience, with some steep hills and stairs
• Pace: Moderate
• Duration: 2 hours
• Age Range: Adults
• Service dogs only

Saturday, September 9

Xplorers: Bug Detectives

Hey kids ages 6-12 and their families! Join walk leader Marilyn and learn about bugs in Rouge National Urban Park!

• Leaders: Marilyn, Katharina
• Time: 10 am
• Location: Woodland Trail
• Transit Accessible: No
• Meeting point: 19 Reesor Rd., Scarborough – parking lot
• Distance: 1 km – 5 km
• Difficulty: Easy, flat/paved or gently uneven
• Pace: Moderate
• Duration: 2 hours
• Age Range: Families
• Dog Friendly

Green Acres

Join Doug to enjoy the country scenes and discuss the history of farming in the Rouge and the future of local food. Please bring extra water for this long walk.

• Leaders: Doug, Stephen
• Time: 1 pm
• Location: Monarch Trail
• Transit Accessible: No
• Meeting point: 7277 14th Avenue, Markham - oTENTiks (A-frame cabin)
• Distance: 5 km – 8 km
• Difficulty: Moderate, possible hills and/or stairs
• Pace: Slow
• Duration: 3 hours
• Age Range: Adults
• Dog Friendly

Sunday, September 10

“Snap” into Photography

Are you a photography novice? Join walk leader Larry and learn to "wow" your friends with a few simple techniques.

• Leaders: Larry, Vicky
• Time: 1 pm
• Location: Vista Trail
• Transit Accessible: Yes
• Meeting point: 1749 Meadowvale Rd., Scarborough – oTENTiks (A-frame cabin)
• Distance: 1 km – 5 km
• Difficulty: Moderate, possible hills and/or stairs
• Pace: Slow
• Duration: 2 hours
• Age Range: Families
• Service dogs only

Saturday, September 16

Nature Prepares for Winter

Join Carolyn, and Emmylou in walking this trail of breathtaking views. Search for the challenges that plants and animals will have to adapt to for winter.

• Leaders: Carolyn, Emmylou
• Time: 10 am
• Location: Vista Trail
• Transit Accessible: Yes
• Meeting point: 1749 Meadowvale Rd., Scarborough – oTENTiks (A-frame cabin)
• Distance: 1 km – 5 km
• Difficulty: Moderate, possible hills and/or stairs
• Pace: Moderate
• Duration: 2 hours
• Age Range: Families
• Service dogs only

Tree Talk

Join walk leader Anne on the trail to find out what the trees are telling us.

• Leaders: Anne G., Judy
• Time: 1 pm
• Location: Orchard Trail
• Transit Accessible: Yes
• Meeting point: 1749 Meadowvale Rd., Scarborough – oTENTiks (A-frame cabin)
• Distance: 1 km – 5 km
• Difficulty: Moderate, possible hills and/or stairs
• Pace: Slow
• Duration: 2 hours
• Age Range: Adults
• Service dogs only

Sunday, September 17

Mysteries of Migration

Join Glen to learn of the efforts from Aristotle to current day scientists to understand bird migration.

• Leaders: Glen, Marilyn
• Time: 10 am
• Location: Rouge Marsh Trail
• Transit Accessible: Yes
• Meeting point: 195 Rouge Hills Dr., Scarborough – lower parking lot
• Distance: 1 km – 5 km
• Difficulty: Easy, flat/paved or gently uneven
• Pace: Moderate
• Duration: 2 hours
• Age Range: Adults
• Service dogs only

Travelling Seeds

Join walk leader Judy on the trail to observe interesting ways plants transport their seeds from place to place!

• Leaders: Judy, Larry
• Time: 1 pm
• Location: Harvest Trail
• Transit Accessible: No
• Meeting point: 7445 Elgin Mills Rd E, Markham – parking lot
• Distance: 1 km – 5 km
• Difficulty: Easy, flat/paved or gently uneven
• Pace: Moderate
• Duration: 2 hours
• Age Range: Families
• Dog Friendly

Saturday, September 23

Mindfulness in Nature Walk

Join walk leader JoAnne and access the beauty of nature by meandering with awareness.

• Leaders: JoAnne, Peter V.
• Time: 10 am
• Location: Tanglewood Trail
• Transit Accessible: No
• Meeting point: 7277 14th Avenue, Markham - oTENTiks (A-frame cabin)
• Distance: 1 km – 5 km
• Difficulty: Moderate, possible hills and/or stairs
• Pace: Moderate
• Duration: 2 hours
• Age Range: Adults
• Service dogs only

Sunday, September 24

Club Parka: Microworld

Bring out the young ones (ages 2-6) and explore the colours, shapes, and lifeforms found in small spaces.

• Leaders: Stephen, Tracy
• Time: 10 am
• Location: Cedar Trail and the Beare Wetlands Loop
• Transit Accessible: Yes
• Meeting point: 1749 Meadowvale Rd., Scarborough – oTENTiks (A-frame cabin)
• Distance: 1 km – 5 km
• Difficulty: Moderate, possible hills and/or stairs
• Pace: Slow
• Duration: 1.5 hours
• Age Range: Families
• Dog Friendly

Canada’s Forests: Supporting Biological Diversity

It’s National Forest Week! Join walk leader Gary to learn about our forests and how it supports biological diversity.

• Leaders: Gary, Geri
• Time: 1 pm
• Location: Vista Trail
• Transit Accessible: Yes
• Meeting point: 1749 Meadowvale Rd., Scarborough – oTENTiks (A-frame cabin)
• Distance: 1 km – 5 km
• Difficulty: Moderate, possible hills and/or stairs
• Pace: Moderate
• Duration: 2 hours
• Age Range: Adults
• Service dogs only

Saturday, September 30

Hidden History

Orchard trail is full of hidden signs of past human activity. We will point out some of the stories behind the evidence.

• Leaders: Peter V., Moaz
• Time: 10 am
• Location: Orchard Trail
• Transit Accessible: Yes
• Meeting point: 1749 Meadowvale Rd., Scarborough – oTENTiks (A-frame cabin)
• Distance: 1 km – 5 km
• Difficulty: Moderate, possible hills and/or stairs
• Pace: Moderate
• Duration: 2 hours
• Age Range: Adults
• Service dogs only