10 Best Hiking Books About Ontario You Need to Read

Here are the 10 best hiking books about Ontario that showcase the amazing trails, nature, and wildlife that our beautiful province has to offer. Having a collection of hiking books can provide lots of inspiration and useful information. Many of these books do “deep dives” into a specific topic, like waterfalls in Ontario or specific regions, like Algonquin Park.

When you aren’t hitting the trails, you can enjoy your passion for exploring the outdoors at home through the beautiful imagery found in these Ontario hiking books. These books are great for planning your upcoming outdoorsy trips, too. I welcome you to take a look at our list of the top 100 places to go hiking in Ontario as well!

Best Hiking Books: 125 Nature Hot Spots in Ontario

125 Nature Hot Spots in Ontario is a book featuring the best parks, conservation areas and wild places across Ontario…125 of them! Many unique natural highlights of Ontario are displayed prominently in this book, including clifftop viewpoints, subterranean caves, the oldest rocks on Earth and Ontario’s tallest white pine.

There are nature spots in Ontario that are appealing to hikers, paddlers, families, naturalists, campers, photographers and more. Essentially, if you love exploring the great outdoors in Ontario, this book is perfect for you.

Best Hiking Books: Waterfalls of Ontario

Who doesn’t love a beautiful waterfall? This is the ultimate book for waterfall hunters in Ontario. Waterfalls of Ontario describes how to visit over 150 waterfalls in Ontario, covering many regions like Hamilton, the Greater Toronto Area, Cottage Country, Algoma, Lake Huron, Northeastern Ontario and more.

Every waterfall in the book features a full colour photograph of the waterfall, as well as details of their characteristics, history and geography. There are accurate driving directions and GPS coordinates that make finding each waterfall a total breeze. Use this book to plan your weekend waterfall adventures.

Nature Hikes: Near-Toronto Trails and Adventures

Want to go hiking in Toronto? This beautiful book, Nature Hikes: Near-Toronto Trails and Adventures showcases 39 places to hiking in Toronto and the GTA. You don’t need to travel far from the city to get out into nature.

There are maps, descriptions of the trails, natural features, information about the wildlife you might find there, and so much more. Nature Hikes is an excellent companion guide for the Toronto-based hiker or weekend warrior looking to explore nearby places in the great outdoors.

The Explorer’s Guide to Algonquin Park

Algonquin Provincial Park is one of the largest parks in Ontario and a place you can visit again and again. There are so many trails, campsites, and places to explore. The Explorer’s Guide to Algonquin Park makes planning your trip to Algonquin Park an easy feat. The author has spent decades visiting and photographing Algonquin and its wildlife.

This book is one part guidebook and one part celebration of Algonquin Provincial Park’s beauty. This book showcases the best hiking trails and paddling routes on colour maps. There are also many points of interest, where and when to spot wildlife, and other important details to know before you go.

A Paddler’s Guide to Algonquin Park

While this isn’t a hiking guide, it’s a must if you’re serious about paddling Algonquin Provincial Park. A Paddler’s Guide to Algonquin Park is a valuable guidebook, and the author also weaves in his own personal stories and anecdotes.

Algonquin Park is one of the most premier places to go canoeing in Canada. In this book, discover 35 canoe routes, information about route difficulty levels (from very easy to backcountry), photographs, and detailed maps showing portages and permitted campsites. The author has paddled around Algonquin Park for over three decades and is a wealth of excellent information.

Best Hiking Books: Bruce Trail Reference Guide

If you plan to hike the Bruce Trail, it’s essential to own a copy of the Bruce Trail Reference Guide. While the Bruce Trail has a helpful app, I personally feel like nothing can compare to the physical version of the Bruce Trail maps and guide.

I really love flipping through this guide for information about the trail. The app and the guide will have detailed maps for the entire trail. It’s also handy because it will show you where all of the parking lots are located. I use it as a reference on every hike that I take.

Paddling & Hiking Ontario’s Southern Shield Country

Here’s another great guide that combines hiking and paddling trips. Paddling & Hiking Ontario’s Southern Shield Country helps you plan single-day excursions through the southern part of Ontario’s rugged shield country. Every trip is designed so you return to your starting point in a loop without needing to take a car shuttle.

These day tours combine hiking and paddling, so every trip will be a memorable adventures. There are many routes across provincial parks and other impressive natural regions of Ontario. There are also alternate routes if you’re looking for something more strenuous.

Ontario Nature Guide

This isn’t exactly a hiking or adventure book, but it’s a must for wildlife lovers. Ontario Nature Guide explores the amazing and diverse amount of nature we have right at our doorstep here in Ontario. This book teaches you to identify 382 species of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, invertebrates, trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses and ferns.

There are colour illustrations of the flora and fauna. It also goes into detail regarding the behavour of animals, the native uses of plants, and similar species are cross-referenced. You’ll be truly amazed at what lives and thrives here in Ontario.

Best Hiking Books: Loops & Lattes

Loops & Lattes are a popular series of local hiking guides for Caledon, Halton, Dufferin, Hamilton and Brant County, Waterloo/Wellington/Guelph, and Collingwood/Blue Mountain. In total, the author describes 140 loop hikes as well as suggested places to follow up your hike with lunch or a coffee.

The Loops & Lattes books appeal to beginner and seasoned hikers alike. Each trail is a loop so you’ll end up back at your car by the end of your trip. The hikes range in distance from 3km to 25km and each comes with a detailed map and directions.

Hiking Trails of Ottawa, the National Capital Region and Beyond

For those living in the Ottawa area (or those looking to hike around Ottawa), this is the perfect companion guide for you. Hiking Trails of Ottawa, the National Capital Region and Beyond features the best 50 hikes of the region. From the Ottawa Greenbelt to the lakes of Eastern Ontario and beyond, the author highlights short urban trails and full day wilderness treks.

Each trail comes with a colour elevation map and beautiful photographs. It’s the perfect accompaniment to your next hiking trip in Ottawa, Gatineau Park, western Quebec, and beyond, and it’s one of the best hiking books in Ontario.

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