Walk And Discover Cedarvale's Fall Foliage

Autumn is upon us, and with it the fall leaf colours that epitomize the season. It is said that the dry summer will dull the foliage this year, but that's no excuse to stay indoors.

Elliott Katz's book, Great Country Walks Around Toronto, is packed with hikes of varying lengths in all areas of the city. One of the walks follows the Cedarvale Ravine.

This easy 2.5 km walk over paved and packed-dirt trails runs between Eglinton West and St. Clair West subway stations, starting at Cedarvale Park. This ravine was planned as a route for the ill-fated Spadina Expressway. These days, Cedarvale Park is a large expanse of grass lined by trees.

As the trail winds through the park, it descends into the Cedarvale Ravine, following the path of Castle Frank Brook. The busy park dissolves into dense wetland, with cattails high and dense, seeds bursting from their tops. Through the browning green of the dry leaves surrounding the trail, a few bursts of red and gold can be found.

The trail finally leads up and out of the ravine and ends at the entrance to St. Clair West station, making this one of the more accessible ravine walks in the city. If you choose to take this walk, why not visit the library and borrow a pedometer? You'd be amazed at what a little stroll can do for your health.