Great walk through the trees and trial. Quick loop through a decent elevation and of course the 99 steps which are fixed and well maintained. Only downside is the parking as there are only 8 official spots and during weekends and holidays I imagine would get quite busy.

After hearing about Thornton Bales Conservation Area, I decided to check it out. I opted for an early morning hike (8 a.m.). Parking is very limited and there is a 3 hour window for hiking. The trail wasn't too busy. The hike was a great workout even though it is a circuit. The steep grades in the trail was unexpected. I will definitely hike there again.

It's a very nice conservation area that has several trails for several kilometers. Small river and hills give a romantics mood . Kids love to slide from the hill and play with the snow. It's convenient parking near the trails. You can spend easy two hours here . No picnic area in this place and food not allowed. Around the trails you can see different animals foot prints. No washroom at the beginning of the trails, better to visit the washroom before you can come here.

Nice easy loop trail with the 99 steps up/down the hill. There is a longer side trail that connects all the way over to Jokers Hill. Parking is very limited so keep that in mind when going. I’m sure this trail would be beautiful in the fall time with the foliage

We like the length and the varieties for this trail. Even within such a short trail (we chose to take a shorter route, didn't go to Joker's Hill, but this part could connect to there), there are different elevation levels already. It's very good for toddlers and young kids too (saw many young families)! Most of the parts of the trail are covered by trees so lots of shades! We counted the steps, and it's indeed 99 steps (but if you count 1 from the flat, it could be 100 steps! 🙈). Along the trail, the signs for the main route are very clear, it's very helpful. I'd like to give 5 stars but couldn't because of the parking area. It's very limited and not too convenient, but we would come again for sure in the future!

Nothing says autumn more than the 99 steps of stairs at the golden trail. We went there on Oct 17th, and the leaves are all yellow. The sun's rays spill over the leaves on the trees and in the ground in a forest of maple and pine. It's like a dream. The trail could use more markers and maps along the way. There are a few confusing loops and entrances, so you better remember where you entered. The forest floor is easy to walk. The surrounding is clean and open.

Terrain was very rough and a ton of very steep hills. Very beautiful scenery. Very busy area. They should add some maps and improve the trail markings. Overall would visit again.

Great trail with a lot of good views and Hills to climb. Part of the trail was currently closed but there's a detour around through a marshy section. There's not a lot of parking space.

This is a beautiful place to go for a hike in most seasons. The trails are hilly so I would not rate them as beginner or "easy". I've been here in the summer, fall and winter and each time, it's a different experience as the appearance of the forest changes so much. Parking is limited in the little lot on 19th Avenue and there is another lot off of Bathurst, but I haven't parked there before. I would give this location a 5-star rating if the trails were marked more clearly. There are some maps at random locations but not very frequently and the trail that goes between Thornton Bales and Joker's Hill is not marked and also a bit challenging. It would be really useful if there were signs that pointed to the shortest route to the parking areas. There are steep hills and the trail goes through a swampy area with a river. Depending on when you go, it can be very wet. I would definitely not recommend going when conditions are icy. I recently went in the winter and it was serene and beautiful. Make sure to bring snacks and water and a charged cell phone so you can check a Google Map to see where you are and which way you are pointed. Definitely would recommend this conservation area. Beautiful and challenging! Feels like a proper forest.

Hiked this trail yesterday, and found it to be a very serene and refreshing hike, nice forest with tall mature trees. Interestingly, you notice a clear divide between pine forest and maple, birch, and oak trees, I guess, it is the soil difference as it is beachy sand on the side of pine trees. Better to park on the Bathurst end jokers peak and walk right across to the 99 steps and return back through the other loop around midway. Part of area is restricted as it falls under university of Toronto, but, there is a bypass trail marked in white to get across. Very scenic with ups and downs. In summary, a medium difficulty and scenic experience, especially during fall time.

Such a lovely trail for a calming fall walk. Tons of crunching leafs on the groud just add to the amazing experience of making every step on the path🍁🍂

It's a great trail for hiking. Nice reconstructed 99 Steps.

Went too late to see the fall colors but still it was nice to be there. Just some public parking trouble but there is limited hours parking (3hours) which is quite enough to go around.

It was a nice trail, especially walking into it, but it didn’t offer much other than that. Aside from the stairs, the trail pattern was very short up, short flat, short down. If you’re an avid hiker I would say if you go quick, it’s a good way to get your heart pumping. With all that being said, I think this is good for anyone that lives in the area and/or doesn’t hike much.

Nice morning trail with lots of woods…and the best part is 99 steps..lovely to walk down and ur fitness comes up when u walk back… not to many mosquitoes but I advise when u go with kids pls carry spray… What I liked is you can donate to park by a tap machine which didn’t work but later it did.. parking is less so watch out for it What I didn’t like is trail paths are not laid properly.. only one oak trail but u can explore within woods a lot.. request you to improve little bit on this..

Get on your hiking boots and spend an afternoon on a trail. The Thornton Bales conservation area is conveniently located an hour from the GTA. A canopy of mature trees, local plants, rolling hills, and wildlife brings tranquillity to the area. The trailhead is at the top of a hill. Be prepared to walk down a steep set of stairs to explore the area. Note there is limited parking at the trailhead. Additional parking is available on the shoulder of the road.

Mid Oct 2022 weekend. Together with 99 Steps, Joker Hill trail, it could be a 2 hours hiking with strides. Joker Hill has more parking spaces.

We had a 2 hour walk in the forest with kids and had much of fun, we came on Saturday morning been lucky to find a parking. Later that day people started to park on the side of the rd.

It was a nice walk with a little ups and downs. The view was pretty good with fall colors. Would have been better if there was a lake.