Markham is located 30 km northeast of downtown Toronto, and is the largest city in the York Region. The best places to run in Markham are several linear park type trails.
Waterway Path. Not a long run, but centrally located 1 km from the Civic Centre area. A paved, 2.3 km multi-use path alongside a creek, passing through several small parks. A nice oasis of green near the centre. ROUTE MAP
Toogood Pond Park
Toogood Park Area. Too good of a run? We couldn’t resist… There’s some nice running on paths around several parks in Markham and Unionville. Toogood Pond Park is a nicely landscaped park with mature trees and a ~3 km perimeter trail. For a longer run, continue at the southern end of the park for 2.5 km through Denby Valley and Midred Temple Park to the Markham Pan Am Centre sports complex, where there’s a running track. A nice ribbon of green between Main St. & busy Kennedy Rd. At Denby Valley, you can also connect to the Austin Drive Park trail (below).
Austin Drive Park & Rouge Valley Trail. Just east of Kennedy Rd., a longer, green run is possible on a wide, gravel, mainly wooded trail through several parks. Take the trail through Austin Drive Park headed east, along the Rouge River, for up to 7.5 km east to Fairway Vista Park. You’ll pass through passing through Campbell Park and Milne Dam Conservation Park. Cross the Markham Dam/Markham Rd. where the Rouge Valley Trail continues through Rouge Valley Park for another 2.5 km into Fairway Vista Park. ROUTE MAP
Markham is located 30 km northeast of downtown Toronto, and is the largest city in the York Region. The best places to run in Markham are several linear park type trails.
Waterway Path. Not a long run, but centrally located 1 km from the Civic Centre area. A paved, 2.3 km multi-use path alongside a creek, passing through several small parks. A nice oasis of green near the centre. ROUTE MAP
Toogood Pond Park
Toogood Park Area. Too good of a run? We couldn’t resist… There’s some nice running on paths around several parks in Markham and Unionville. Toogood Pond Park is a nicely landscaped park with mature trees and a ~3 km perimeter trail. For a longer run, continue at the southern end of the park for 2.5 km through Denby Valley and Midred Temple Park to the Markham Pan Am Centre sports complex, where there’s a running track. A nice ribbon of green between Main St. & busy Kennedy Rd. At Denby Valley, you can also connect to the Austin Drive Park trail (below).
Austin Drive Park & Rouge Valley Trail. Just east of Kennedy Rd., a longer, green run is possible on a wide, gravel, mainly wooded trail through several parks. Take the trail through Austin Drive Park headed east, along the Rouge River, for up to 7.5 km east to Fairway Vista Park. You’ll pass through passing through Campbell Park and Milne Dam Conservation Park. Cross the Markham Dam/Markham Rd. where the Rouge Valley Trail continues through Rouge Valley Park for another 2.5 km into Fairway Vista Park. ROUTE MAP
Choose a section of the 12.6 km Tom Taylor/Nokiidaa bike trail, a scenic, paved multi-use path that connects several parks in Aurora and Newmarket. Additional paths in the parks and in Optimist Park in central Aurora.
There are some good running options in Richmond Hill, in the south-central York Region. Run up to 8.6 km on trails in the Oak Ridges Corridor area. More central is the Saigeon Trail, which can be combined with the Trans Richmond Trail.
Vaughan is a fast-growing city in the York Municipality. The best place for a run is a path headed south from Routley Park, following a creek and passing several small parks. Can run up to 10 km between Vaughan and North York, where there are additional trails.
Great running options in this city that's the eastern anchor of the GTA. Highlights include the 15 km Waterfront Trail, Oshawa Creek Bike Path, Darlington Provincial Park, and three multi-use paths near downtown.
Some of the nicest waterfront running in the GTA is 11.5 km along Lake Ontario between Pickering and Ajax. Paved multi-use path with some great water views. There's also some nice running on the Trans Canada Trail along Duffins Creek
Some good running in this Toronto bedroom community. Two distinct lakeshore paths centered around Lakefront Promenade Park and Port Credit, a greenbelt starting in Erindale Park, and some pleasant residential neighborhoods for running.
In this GTA city just northwest of Pearson Airport, there's excellent running in three major linear park areas, connected by multi-use paths: Etobicoke Creek Trail, Esker Lake Trail, & Chinguacousy Trail. Plus, good trail running in Heart Lake Conservation Area.
Some nice waterfront running in Oakville, part of GTA's Halton region between Toronto and Oakville. We've mapped three sections of waterfront park paths. Lakeshore Rd. is runnable and can be used as a connector. Lovely parks and water views!
Oakville has a rich collection of parks that are terrific for running. There are several groups of linear park paths that run north-south, through woods and along creeks. The east-west Crosstown Trail and Indian Ridge Trail are good connectors.
The running highlight in this city at the western end of the GTA is the 16 km Waterfront Trail, a paved multi-use path along Burlington Beach and Hamilton Beach, with great water views. The 5.2 km Centennial Trail connects parks & neighborhoods.
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