Rouge National Urban Park

Rouge National Urban Park — Canada’s first national urban park

One of the largest urban protected areas in North America sits at Toronto’s doorstep: a vast mosaic of Carolinian forest, working farms, river valley, marsh and a Lake Ontario beach — genuine wilderness you can reach by transit.

Highlights

• Mast Trail — an early-1800s logging road through old-growth forest, home to Carolinian rarities like sassafras and tulip tree.
• Rouge Beach — a Lake Ontario beach with Rouge Marsh and Rouge Pond gathered at the river mouth.
• Glen Rouge Campground — the only national-park campground in the Greater Toronto Area.
• Bob Hunter Memorial Park — named for the Greenpeace co-founder.
• Working farms — rare Class 1 farmland including Whittamore’s Farm and Reesor’s Farm Market.
• Exceptional biodiversity — over 1,700 species, among them 260+ birds.

What you’ll find

The park sprawls along the Rouge River watershed, stitching together meadow, forest, wetland and farmland.

• The Rouge River threading through valley and marsh.
• Rouge Marsh, a wetland alive with birds near the lake.
• Named routes including the Mast Trail, the Vista Trail and the Cedar Trail.
• Whittamore’s Farm and Reesor’s Farm Market on rare fertile soils.
• Rouge Pond and Rouge Beach where the river meets Lake Ontario.

Things to do — and who it’s for

• Hikers — trails crossing meadow, forest, wetland and farmland.
• Birders and wildlife lovers — 260+ bird species and busy spring and fall migration.
• Paddlers — canoe or kayak the marsh and river.
• Families — swimming at Rouge Beach plus Parks Canada Learn-to-Camp and Learn-to-Hike programs.
• Campers and cyclists — the GTA’s only national-park campground and room to ride.

Getting there & practical

The park lies in the city’s far east end around Scarborough, reaching north and east across Markham, Pickering, Uxbridge and Whitchurch-Stouffville. It is reachable by transit from Toronto, and entry is free. On the order of 75–79 km² — many times the size of Central Park — it rewards a full day. Dogs are welcome on leash; the campground runs roughly mid-May to mid-October.

When to visit

Spring and fall bring waves of migrating birds, and autumn sets the valley alight with colour. Summer is beach season at Rouge Beach, while winter opens the trails to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

Good to know

Rouge was formally established as a national urban park on 15 May 2015 under the Rouge National Urban Park Act, building on the provincial Rouge Park created in 1995, and is operated by Parks Canada. It safeguards rare fertile soils and thousands of years of Indigenous and agricultural land-use history.

Visitor tips

• Wear proper footwear — the Mast Trail follows an old logging road through old-growth forest.
• Keep dogs leashed to protect the wildlife and rare plants.
• Pack binoculars during spring and fall migration.

Questions & answers

Is Rouge National Urban Park free? Yes, entry is free.

Can I reach it by transit? Yes, it is reachable by transit from Toronto.

Can I camp there? Glen Rouge Campground — the only national-park campground in the GTA — operates roughly mid-May to mid-October.

Is there swimming? Yes, at Rouge Beach on Lake Ontario, near Rouge Marsh and Rouge Pond.

Can I bring my dog? Yes, dogs are welcome on a leash.

How big is it? On the order of 75–79 km², making it one of the largest urban protected areas in North America.