Set on Lake Ontario, Toronto is the fourth largest city in North America. It is a very cosmopolitan, diverse city, affluent, with a great arts and culture scene. Many travelers to Toronto will stay downtown, where there are many large office & apartment buildings, and numerous hotels. This is our guide to running in Toronto, Ontario. Note: If you’d like to have a guided running experience in Toronto, we highly recommend our affiliate partner Go! Running Tours.
The highlights of Toronto running are several spots along the lakeshore, including the Martin Goodman Trail. There are also good linear parks and trails near downtown, such as the Beltline and Don River trails. Another running favorite is The Island — a 15 minute ferry ride from downtown.
Toronto is a geographically large and spread out city. Major ‘business traveler’ suburbs include Mississauga and Etobicoke. There is good public transportation, called the “TTC”. The subway runs within the downtown limits and to the north, and there’s an extensive bus system. One note here is that there is a TON of development in downtown Toronto, and things around the waterfront are constantly changing. There is a concerted effort to improve the trails, and transportation, along the waterfront. Note: you might see distance markers in km rather than miles.
Routes By Area
Downtown: Queens Park/downtown tour, Martin Goodman Trail.
Waterfront/South: Martin Goodman Trail and waterfront trails, The Island.
West: Martin Goodman trail west, Humber River, Sunnyside Beach, High Park.
East: Beaches, Lower Don Valley River trails, Distillery.
Midtown: Beltline Trail, Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Forest Hill and Summerhill/Yorkville/Rosedale neighborhoods.
North: Botanical Gardens, linear park around the Science Center
Northwest/Pearson Airport: Trails in Mississauga, Etobicoke.
