Evergreen Brick Works Trails: Beautiful Walking Paths in Toronto

It's no secret that the Don Valley is one of the best places to go hiking in Toronto, and you must visit the Evergreen Brick Works trails there. It's a short and casual hike, though you can easily spend a half hour wandering around the interconnected pathways. If you're seeking a lengthier trek, the trails at Evergreen Brick Works, also known as the Don Valley Brick Works Park, connect to other nearby trail systems.

In this blog post, I'm going to show you how to plan your trip to the Evergreen Brick Works trails. You can make an afternoon of it, going for a walk on the paths and visiting the markets. Make a whole day of it by continuing your hike around Moore Park Ravine, David Balfour Park, the Beltline Trail and others.

Evergreen Brick Works Trail Map

Here is a map of the Evergreen Brick Works trails at Don Valley Brick Works Park. On AllTrails, a loop through the park is an estimated 2.4km, but you can walk for a little longer by venturing around every pathway.

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As you can see from the map, the trails all weave and connect to one another, so it's a bit of a "choose your own adventure". Make sure you take the time to walk between the tall trees, across the boardwalks, past pretty meadows and around the peaceful wetlands.

Evergreen Brick Works Trails: Don Valley River Park

The hiking trails at Evergreen Brick Works venture through a variety of different habitats. You'll witness forests, meadows and wetlands that are part of Toronto's nature ravine system. What was once a massive clay quarry for brick manufacturing is transformed into a natural habitat, returning to nature.

At the south side of the trails at the Don Valley Brick Works Park, you'll find the repurposed industrial buildings at Evergreen Brick Works. It is an environmental community centre that focuses on making Toronto a more sustainable place. This is also where you can walk to the Beltline Trail.

Head to the north beyond the heritage buildings and you'll find the trails. There are little marshes covered in lily pads. You may spot birds or butterflies on the way. There's no shortage of pretty wildflowers everywhere you go.

The path here is relatively flat, making it an ideal place for young children and beginner hikers. The park area and trails are accessible, particularly on the boardwalk areas, though the entire park is barrier-free.

More Connecting Trails

Don Valley Brick Works Park is part of the larger Don Valley River Park. It is a 200-hectare park from Pottery Road to Corktown Common. Through its trail system, you can reach the Lower Don Trail from the Don Valley Brick Works Park, and there are some interesting public art projects and sculptures there.

If you are looking for a longer hike from Evergreen Brick Works, I suggest tackling the loop trail that I've outlined in my Moore Park Ravine Trail blog post. This incorporates portions of the Beltline Trail, the Moore Park Ravine Trail, the Park Drive Reservation Lands Trail and the David Balfour Park Trail.

Things to Do at Evergreen Brick Works

Aside from the trails and the Don Valley River Park, there are many more things to do at Evergreen Brick Works. It's a premiere destination in Toronto for markets, food, and shopping within heritage buildings.

I suggest that you go for a walk or bike ride on the trails surrounding Evergreen Brick Works as a portion of your day there. Here are some other places and events to check out when you're there.

Markets and Food

The Saturday Farmers Market is Toronto's largest farmers' market, and it's open year round. The market is indoors from November to April and outdoors from May to October. You'll find local and seasonal fresh food at the market, where the goal is to connect city dwellers with local farmers.

The Ontario Artisan Market and Ontario Vintage Market makes use of the market space on select Sundays from May to October. There are local artisans with their handmade works, vintage vendors, and delicious food and drink. In total, there are over 40 artists and makers. Plus, I loved picking up some lunch from one of the food vendors. I tried the most delicious vegan Tibetan momos that I highly recommend.

Picnic Cafe and Wine Shop

The Picnic Cafe and Wine Shop is a cafe, restaurant and wine shop located next to the Evergreen Garden Market. They are open for breakfast, brunch and lunch daily, and it's also a great place to grab a cup of coffee. There's a delightful little outdoor patio that's open seasonally, and you can also dine indoors.

In addition, Picnic Cafe features 400 wine brands, craft beer, international liquors, prepared meals, and so much more. I picked up an iced Americano with oat milk after exploring the Evergreen Brick Works trails and the Ontario Artisan Market. So refreshing!

Evergreen Garden Market

The Evergreen Garden Market is a wonderful place for plant lovers. This shop is a classic general store, contemporary gift shop and sustainable garden market all in one. They highlight native Ontario plants for your home and garden, which have a positive impact on the ecosystem.

Evergreen Garden Market carries products from local craftspeople and artisans in Canada. They try to support local growers as much as possible. At Evergreen Garden Market, 100% of the proceeds go back to Evergreen, a Canadian non-profit dedicated to sustainability and contributing to flourishing cities.

Plan Your Visit

I recommend visiting Evergreen Brick Works on the weekend, especially when the markets are operating. The Saturday Farmers Market takes place on Saturdays from 8:00am-1:00pm. The Ontario Artisan Market and Ontario Vintage Market happens on select Sundays from May to October.

There are washrooms in the west building (with the Evergreen Garden Market and Picnic cafe) that are open during the regular hours of operation (9:00am-4:00pm from Monday to Thursday, 9:00am-5:00pm on Friday, and 8:00am-5:00pm on weekends).

There is an on-site parking lot with paid parking. Want to access Evergreen Brick Works trails via the TTC? You can also take the free Evergreen Brick Works shuttle bus. It departs every 30–45 minutes from the parkette just north of Broadview subway station. Pets are not allowed on the shuttle bus. The shuttle bus is wheelchair accessible.

If you'd rather park somewhere for free and walk down to Evergreen Brick Works, I outline a few suggestions in my blog post about the Moore Park Ravine Trail. There is some free street parking on some nearby residential streets that I describe in that article.

More Places to Hike in Toronto

Toronto has a surprising amount of hiking trails and preserved natural spaces. You just need to know where to look! Here are some suggestions for where to go hiking in Toronto:

• Moore Park Ravine Trail
• Warden Woods and the Gus Harris Trail
• Glen Stewart Ravine
• Scarborough Bluffs Trails
• Best Hikes Near Toronto
• The Best Places to See Fall Colours Near Toronto
• The Best Snowshoeing Trails in Toronto

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