These are the best Burlington hiking trails that you’ll need to add to your list. Burlington has lots of fantastic hikes within its local parks, conservation areas, and along the waterfront. These hiking trails and walking paths are all within the city limits. If you don’t mind venturing a little bit outside of Burlington, you can try these hiking trails in Oakville, hikes in Halton Hills, and hiking trails in Milton.
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Some of these parks and conservation areas include several hiking trails, so this list technically does go beyond the 10 best hiking trails in Burlington. I haven’t listed every trail individually here, but rather every natural space to go hiking. I’ve listed the names of the trails beneath each heading as you’ll have the opportunity to frequent all of those paths on your trip. Without further ado, here are the 10 best Burlington hiking trails that I know you’ll love!
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Mount Nemo Conservation Area
Mount Nemo Conservation Area is a fan favourite in Burlington, Ontario. It’s a smaller park when you compare it to the other Conservation Halton parks, like Rattlesnake Point and Kelso Conservation Area. I find that it’s a little less busy and you still have the wow factor of the beautiful scenic views from the Brock Harris Lookout.
There are 5km of trails in total at Mount Nemo Conservation Area. There are two main loop trails (North Loop and South Loop) and the Escarpment Edge Trail. The Bruce Trail also comprises a section of the Escarpment Edge Trail and both the North and South Loops. Of course, it continues beyond the boundaries of the park, so you’re welcome to continue hiking on it.
There are also many intriguing crevices and small cave formations in the rock, particularly on the South Loop Trail. Mount Nemo Conservation Area is kid-friendly and dog-friendly, and I’m sure your adventurous little ones will enjoy exploring around the rocks. This hike is suitable for beginners, though you will need to watch your footing around some of the tree roots and rocks on the trails.
Best Burlington Hiking Trails: Kerncliff Park
Kerncliff Park is one of Burlington’s hidden hiking gems, and it’s probably my favourite place to go hiking in Burlington. There are numerous forest trails to explore, a short boardwalk across wetlands, and a trek to the top of the escarpment for views of Hamilton and Lake Ontario in the far distance.
You’ll hike on a section of the Bruce Trail, the Ian Reid Side Trail, and several other paths through the forest (Red Oak Trail, Woodland Trail, and others). I find that if the Bruce Trail or any Bruce Trail side trails make an appearance, you’re in for a treat! The Wetland Trail is right at the entrance to the park. Kerncliff Park is situated on a former quarry where the landowners have reestablished the natural habitats that once existed there.
Hiking at Kerncliff Park is free and there’s a limited amount of free parking spaces at the entrance to the park. If you stick to the wetlands and the lower portion of trails, it’s great for beginners. The trails get a little more intermediate as you climb some of the hills, but it’s nothing too unmanageable.
Royal Botanical Gardens Trails
There are 27km of hiking trails at the Royal Botanical Gardens throughout Burlington, Hamilton, and Dundas. In Burlington, you can walk the trails of the Hendrie Valley Sanctuary at the Grindstone Marshes. I suggest starting at the Cherry Hill Gate and walking the Bridle Trail Loop.
The Bridle Trail Loop ventures across an extensive boardwalk over Grindstone Creek. You can continue on the Bridle Trail Loop to make the full circle or take the Grindstone Marshes Trail to the RBG Laking Garden. On the Bridle Trail Loop, you’ll enjoy picturesque views over the creek, walk past marshes filled with wildlife, and walk through a peaceful forest. This is a great hike for beginners as there are only a couple of short hills.
Burlington Hiking Trails: Bronte Creek Trail
Bronte Creek Provincial Park is located in Oakville right on the Burlington/Oakville border. While the majority of these trails are in Oakville, the Bronte Creek Trail starts at Bronte Creek Provincial Park and continues into Burlington. Most of the trails in the provincial park are southeast of the creek, while the Bronte Creek Trail is north of the creek.
You’ll start at the Bronte Creek Provincial Park campground and go hiking on the edge of the ravine following the creek. It is an out-and-back trail that’s 17km in total, though you don’t need to hike the whole thing. It is a pretty flat path the entire way and you can see pretty views of the creek as you go. This map on AllTrails outlines the journey.
River and Ruin Side Trail
The River and Ruin Side Trail is an offshoot of the main Bruce Trail. Much like the name suggests, there is a river and there are indeed ruins to find. The property once belonged to James Cleaver who owned a stone house and a mill in Lowville. There are ruins of the old house, though they can be a little tricky to find and there are some reports that they are fenced off to protect them.
It’s a 3.5km loop hike and you’ll find it in your Bruce Trail Reference Maps and Trail Guide or you can use this map on AllTrails. This is an intermediate level hike with inclines and declines, plus some challenging terrain (especially if it’s muddy). There are a few parking spaces on Britannia Road, but these could fill up on a nice day or a weekend. Make sure you park in one of the official parking spots and not on the side of the road, as you could get a parking ticket.
Burlington Hiking Trails: Clappison Woods
Clappison Woods are part of the Clappison-Grindstone Heritage Lands north of Highway 403 in the west end of Burlington. This forest is owned by Conservation Halton but it isn’t an official park much like the others. It’s part of the Greenbelt and left relatively natural and wild. There are tons of crisscrossing trails and some of the paths get narrow.
There isn’t an official parking lot for Clappison Woods, though some people park on the nearby side streets or at the nearby Walmart parking lot. These hiking trails are frequented by those living in the local communities. You can take a look at this AllTrails map for reference, though you don’t necessarily need to follow it. There are so many little side trails to explore, so you may as well “choose your own adventure”, but try not to get lost!
Hidden Valley Trail
Hidden Valley Park in Burlington has one of the best Burlington hiking trails right within the city itself. There’s a variety of terrain and lots of wildlife to witness. You’ll walk from Hidden Valley Park on the Hidden Valley Trail along the shores of Grindstone Creek. This trail continues west and eventually connects to the Bridle Trail Loop at the Royal Botanical Gardens.
There’s lots of parking at Hidden Valley Park. The park itself has picnic tables, a playground, a splash pad and a baseball diamond. Once you walk on the trails away from the park itself, you’ll be transported to the middle of nature, even forgetting that you’re in the city.
LaSalle Park Trail
LaSalle Park is located in Aldershot in the southern side of Burlington. It’s right on the waterfront of Lake Ontario with lots of trails and greenspace. This is a family friendly, mostly paved path with lots of trees and views of the water. You’ll be able to see lots of ducks, geese and swans here, too. While the LaSalle Park Trail is a relatively short loop trail (about 2.5km in total), it’s a nice little outing in Burlington.
Tansley Woods Park Trail
Tansley Woods Park is another beautiful park in Burlington and offers some of the top Burlington hiking trails. It’s an approximately 3.5km loop trail through a natural wooded area. One unique feature at Tansley Woods Park is Itabashi Bridge, a suspended iron bridge. It was given as a gift to Burlington from its twin city in Japan, Itabashi.
Waterfront Trail
The Waterfront Trail is one of the longest hiking trails in Ontario. It is a 3000km route along Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, and Georgian Bay. It connects 155 communities, villages, and First Nations. The Waterfront Trail runs through four UNESCO World Biosphere Reserves, six national parks, 42 provincial parks, 83 conservation areas, and 520 waterfront parks.
Much of the Waterfront Trail in Burlington runs along Lakeshore Road. The best section of the Waterfront Trail in Burlington is situated at Spencer Smith Park and then down into Hamilton along the Beach Strip. The Brant Street Pier is worth checking out, and there are always lots of great events happening at Spencer Smith Park, too. You can find a full trail map of the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail on the official website.
What to Bring on a Hike
A proper pair of hiking shoes is an absolute must. It’s also a good idea to bring sunscreen and lots of water, too. My water bottle of choice is the GRAYL Purifier because you can drink ANY water from any source, no matter what. Water from lakes, streams, rivers, public restrooms, you name it. It’s the world’s fastest portable purifier.
Don’t forget to pack some bug spray because there can be biting bugs depending on the time of year. Even if there aren’t any signs, it’s safe to assume that ticks are all over Ontario hiking trails. Protect yourself against ticks by reading our guide to avoiding ticks on the trails.
For amazing deals on hiking products like backpacks, boots, clothing, and gear, check out the Decathlon Canada shop!
More Hiking Trails in Halton Region
If you’re seeking more hiking trails beyond Burlington in Halton Region, we’ve got you covered! Here are some of the best trails in Halton:
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