Beautiful and peaceful trail system. There are lots of boardwalks overlooking amazing landscapes, with lots of wildlife to observe. The trails are well maintained with plenty of educational signs with great information about the local wildlife, habitat, and rehabilitation efforts of the area. There are also signs everywhere that clearly state to not feed the wildlife, so as not to get the wildlife habituated to human contact, as they can become dependent on them for food, and also begin to act aggressively towards them. However, nearly everyone there was ignoring the signs and had come prepared to feed the animals as they had clearly brought seeds and other food specifically for the animals. It's apparent that the animals were conditioned to be fed by humans as chipmunks were constantly running TOWARDS us as we approached on the trails, almost stepping on some as we passed by. The trails themselves are free to access, but you may need to pay for parking, depending on where you enter. The trails can also be used to travel between some of the various gardens of the Royal Botanical Gardens (Rock Garden, Laking Garden, and Hendrie Park/RBG Centre), and you can make a full day of visiting multiple gardens and hiking between them. Overall, it's a fantastic place to visit where you can enjoy nature and being outside.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Hendrie valley is a beautiful hiking spot at all times of the year and is also a great place for wildlife. I have been here twice and so far I have seen: 2 Muskrat 2 Swans Lots of Canadian geese, mallard ducks, robins, blue jays, chickadees, squirrels, raccoons, chipmunks, etc. And a great blue heron. There is enough stuff to do for about three hours and many things to photograph, the long boardwalk gives panoramic views of the surrounding marshland and the scenic trails bring you into the hills to see the marshes from above. The trails have many wild creatures and you might even see the rare trillium (Ontario's provincial flower). And you can even feed many birds and mammals from your hand if you bring seeds or nuts (when I went multiple chickadees flew right up to my hand). I definitely recommend coming here more than once and while there are no washrooms or food stands, parking is $2 an hour.

I really love this trail in every season but my favourite is midsummer when all the birds and animals are most active. I've seen beavers, frogs, swans, geese, ducks, a deer and so many interesting varieties of insects and plants. The boardwalk over the water is great and there are some stairs on the trail as well. It's a beginner difficulty trail, mostly a nice walk and no super big hills really. The one downfall is there are some very persistent, huge flies there near the end of the summer that follow people and fly into their face and hair :( The trail can also be very very busy sometimes and honestly isn't the best spot to hike during this pandemic unless you go at less popular times of day.

We went here for the first time on the Family day weekend. The place was packed! I'm not sure what it is like most days, but I can imagine that this isn't the ideal trail if you are looking for a very quiet hike. There were many people hand feeding chickadees along the trail. There are some neat boardwalk areas cutting through a wetland. There were many ducks and geese and we even saw a kingfisher. I imagine the wetland is even more full of life in the spring/summer but I haven't been there in that season yet. I"m not sure if it is intended, but at the time we went one side of the boardwalk had no guardrail so it might not be the most suitable place for curious kids who might fall off.

This place was magical! As soon as you enter the path from the parking lot, you enter a beautiful, lush green forest, with hundreds of birds and little creatures. Chipmunks, squirrels, hordes of ducks, a heron, cardinals, blue jays, sparrows, woodpeckers...I needed a bird guide to name them all!! There's a longer path past the wooden boardwalk, and another side trail I didn't have time to take. If you want a positivity meditative experience in nature, come here! We came early on a Sunday and had it pretty much to ourselves.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait

Beautiful area. We only had one hour to walk, so we definitely have to come back for a longer walk! It was amazing to see what they have managed to build up, and to see much of the Canadian nature! The only sad thing was a group of people in front of us, who have brought food to feed birds and animals, even though there are signs everywhere that tells you to not do it. It was my first visit to Canada, and I thought people would be more respectful for nature here.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait

I went to the trail. It's beautiful. Good for bird photographers. Lots of birds and squirrels. The trails can be accessed via 3 sides but would recommend to use the Cherry Hill gate as there are enough parking spots. The other gate is near Laking garden, but difficult to get a parking spot during weekends in summer. There is another route to enter the trail, but it's a long way and very few parking spots.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Had a great time here over the weekend. Thought I would just check it out but ended up walking the trails for two hours. I'll have to give myself more time to walk around and check out other trails in the area here as I only really got to see two of them. The free parking is very limited but I was able to pay to park at The Laking Gardens and walk around the trails.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

A really great public natural area that let's you escape the city for a bit. The trail is fairly easy, half of which is boardwalk over the wetlands. Good opportunity to view the local wildlife. I regularly see swans, wiid ducks, and muskrats while visiting. Please note: do not feed the wildlife while on this trail. I saw more than a couple of people feeding animals next to signs saying explicitly not to feed the wildlife. Please don't do this!

Natural marsh sanctuary with very well maintained and marked trails. Lots of wild life - chipmunks, doves, finches, ducks and swans. Perhaps too many chipmunks; obviously people feed them as they are far too numerous and tame, despite the numerous signs not to feed the wildlife. Great place for kids, families and bird watchers. Large paid parking lot.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

The Hendrie Valley and Grindstone Creek contain a great trail system managed by the Royal Botanical Gardens and connected to the main garden areas. The boardwalk along the creek allows for many wildlife sightings in and around the creek bed and is popular with hikers and nature photographers. The trail is largely flat for the most part but to access it you will descend a hill (its a valley). Otherwise it's suitable for most hikers.

This is a very nice trail burlington, although don't be disappointed in the beginning of the trail as the 1st 400 meter is not too pretty but after thats the scenic trail starts. There are small cute wooden bridges all over going all the way to marshes and small ponds where you could fish. Just to let you know bikes aren't allowed on this trail. Parking is limited so you might have to wait especially on weekends.

A beautiful slice of nature other located in the city. The hike is manageable and safe for most hikers. Keeping a slow pace and walking quietly will allow you to see lots of animals, with quite a variety to see (especially in late spring to early fall). Only issue with this place is that it is often over crowded, and some people insist on feeding the wildlife despite numerous signs indicating not to.

What an amazing place this is!!! Fantastic for nature photographers, birding and long hikes. The only downfall was there are no washrooms on site, that we found anyway. Even portapotties would be helpful. Still wouldn't deter us from coming here. It's beautiful. Can't wait to go in the fall!!!
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Was a beautiful walk. So much nature and interesting changes of scenery. Bridges and a few options for trails along the path. The birds eat sunflowers right out of your hand. I saw turtles, crayfish, frog, ducks, harren, woodpeckers, cardinal, blue J, yellow birds, tiny spearrow like birds, rabbits, squirrels, chipmonks, minos, bigger fish. Very nice walk. Definatly recommend.

Great trail to see an abundance of nature. On our walk we saw many chipmunks, several different types of birds, turtles, ducks and dragonflies. The boardwalk in the marsh is a great place to stand and watch these creatures in a very natural habitat. Note: the hourly rate to park is $3
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Good for a quiet stroll (unless the day camp students are there). It's obvious that people have been feeding the birds, unfortunately. You can park for free at the RBG headquarters and walk to the trailhead,vor you can pay to park at the trailhead. Excellent boardwalk.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Long boardwalk. Lots of things to see. Birds, ducks, chipmunks, squirrels and marsh. Beautiful and serene. Paid parking. When we were there the machine was only accepting cash. We paid on the app. Easy hike but when you enter there is a little inclination so when coming back be ready for that
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait

A mini wildlife sanctuary. In about an hour we saw turtles, a beaver, a couple of snakes, a family of white geese and a variety of birds and some very friendly chipmunks. We saw some blackbirds and chipmunks taking seeds from proferred hands but be aware that this is not allowed. The long boardwalk over the marsh is a picturesque feature.

2023 mid October - salmon are running. Sunsets in the fall can bring out rich warms colours. Saw the muskrat this evening near the bridge. Update: spring 2022. Hendrie Valley waking up from winter slumber. Loads of birds doing their thing.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Absolutely beautiful walk in the forest. Very easy and accessible path, plenty of places to sit and hang out. And the best part, take some bird seed and some peanuts. Birds will land in your hand to eat them and Chipmunks will take them directly out of your hands. Definitely my favorite place to go for a nice hike.

Amazing place to explore. Only downfall is no bathroom, would really benefit having an outhouse at the start of the trail. Its so neat to be able to hand feed the birds. Definitely recommend checking it out and stop at the dollar store along the way to grab a bag of black sunflower seeds. They love those the best.

The chipmunks here are ravenous! They follow you and sometimes you hear leaves rustling behind you and it gets closer and closer and a tiny chipmunk hops out! I'd wager it is quite scary in the dark. The bridge walkways make the walk quite cozy. Also I got photobombed by a chickadee! They're not shy at all.

An amazing park and Trail with lots of animals to watch and play with. The best part i liked is feeding birds, chipmunks and animals the trail is so easy for all the family and easy to navigate. If the weather is raining be prepared for the mud except that it's really nice place and interesting adventure.

I love nature and going for trail walks and hikes. This one was by far one of my favorite just because of the boardwalk. Made it so much more unique. We always take the kids for walks and they loved it as well. If you love nature, I suggest going there. There's so many animals and wildlife. It's awesome !

Although it is a normal and beautiful park, I go there to feed the birds and chipmunks. They come to eat at your hand and the experience is simply amazing! A great place to go with friends, family, partner or even alone. Great trails, the landscaping is gorgeous! Also you have to pay for parking there.

very beautiful trail, not long and easy. with many species of animals and birds that are not afraid of humans. be careful not to step on them. I advise you to visit it, it is interesting even for children .
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Nice and easy walk, with lots birds around.Saw a few swans, one blue heron, woodpeckers, finches, and many other types. The trail is not a loop, but from cherry blossom gate to laking garden is only 1.5 km, and the road is well maintained. Some spots could be muddy during the rainy season.

Although we went in winter (Feb), it was a great place to see wildlife and countryside. I am sure its even better in the spring and summer. The frozen water in Feb gave great textures. There are several different well kept trails with boardwalks in places so it's a very enjoyable walk.

Very far from us but we go at least once a week because this park is so fun for our pomskys. The trails are great. Need the whole day to trek the trails. There's small creeks for dogs to cool down.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
1 hr+
Reservation recommended
No

Spring- go there for the cherry trees and flowers, You can have a picnic and don't have to walk far. Rest of the year- beautiful walks with gorgeous views and enough distance for longer walks that are well worth it. There is plenty of parking and its beautiful throughout.

Very quiet, many different species of birds. A lot of cute chipmunks. The signs say dont feed the wildlife" many people were. Innocently enough I'm sure but those signs are for a reason. Nice place for picture taking.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait

Beautiful and extensive boardwalks overlooking amazing scenery. Even though there were plenty of people enjoying nature it didn't feel crowded. We took the creek walk trail which had a few areas of moderate elevation which kept it interesting. I'll definitely return!

There were so many animals and it was full of wildlife. There were birds I don't get to see often on trails and it was truly quite fun. I definitely enjoyed my visit and plan to go again sometime soon. I also wonder how beautiful this place is during the spring.

Went for a winters day hike in January, lovely place for a walk. Will definitely revisit during the spring or summer! Most of the trail was open, except for a section closed off in the east due to flooring. Ended up walking all the way to the RBG laking garden.

Beautiful for a walk with your family and friends on a beautiful day. This is an easy trail with boardwalks, some stairs and natural walkways. There are sights and views, flowers, nature, streams, ducks, chipmunks and birds. Worth the visit!! Wear good shoes.

The walk in nature is a hidden gem that I wish I had discovered earlier. You forget that there is a busy city just outside the park. Make sure you visit without headphones or music so you can enjoy the sounds of the forest. The natural flowers are gorgeous.

Short to medium length walk through Trees, with chipmunks,squirrels and birds everywhere! That are just so friendly easy to feed. Turns into a nice bridge through a marsh area with beavers, swans and larger birds. Gorgeous walk great for Toddlers to Elders.

Lovely place. Thoroughly enjoyed the hike. Well groomed trails, excellently maintained boardwalks. Only negative is one of the trail maps shows a trail that doesn't exist any more. (Brakenbrae Trail... either that or I couldn't read the trail map correctly)

An amazing preservation trail with lots of animals to be seen. You're also able to feed the birds with bird seeds and can interact with them as well as find yourself a few more uncommon species. The trails are easy to navigate and are not difficult either.

One of my favourite places on the planet!!! Perfect place to take the kids or kids at heart to hand feed chipmunks and chickadees! Easy walking, wide, well maintained and well marked trails. Close to nature and close to home. What more could you ask for?

The trails of RBG Hendrie Valley are awesome. I walked along the Creek Side Walk, it is relax and full of joy. Big fishes swimming in the creek, various birds singing on branches, and squirrels are busy for nuts.... you will enjoy a peaceful time here.

Amazing experiences not far from home. Lots of birds, chipmunks, and squirrels, but also a few uncommon animals like beavers and swans can be found here. Bring some black bird seed and the chickadees and chipmunks will be eating right out of your hand!

Great area to go for a walk, lots of wild life around. Swans, Trumpet Swans, snapping turtles, carp and lots more. Definitely a great spot for the family to go walk.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Another great place to spend an afternoon inside GTA with lovely and relaxing boardwalk trails. The view from the boardwalks covers the landscapes. Great place to observe wildlife. It's a fantastic place to visit alone, with your partner and family.

A great place to see a large variety of wildlife, get away from traffic noise and be surrounded by beautiful natural habitats. It's beautiful any time of year.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Great trail! If you go, please do not feed the wildlife. It's very cute when a bird eats from your hand, however you put it's life at risk if it does not learn to feed itself. Unless you plan to feed it 365 days a year, please resist the urge!

You see lots of wildlife here. Chipmunks and birds will eat out of your hands. No bathrooms unfortunately. Closest one is gas station across the street.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

A really wonderful place to go for a walk. The boardwalk runs through a wetland area and there's plenty of wildlife to check out along the way.
Visited on
Public holiday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Pretty moderate trail. The path is clear and safe for a light jog, a little bit of incline along the way but besides that it’s a refreshing spot. I usually go around midday, pretty shaded trail so a nice breeze is always present.

Nice place for a walk when it's quiet but, weekends and sunny days are for double-wide strollers and mom squads... and the occasional skid toting tall cans and fishing gear. Stay on the path and stop feeding / killing the swans!

Kids love it here. The chipmunks and birds are very tame and will eat bird seed and other nuts out of your hand. Plus, the trails lead to many different parts of the rbg. Definitely a must if you have kids who love nature hikes.

Love all the critters! Those that will eat right out of your hand and all those other amazing ones. One walk saw frogs, huge fish, turtles, birds and geese and swans. Squirrels and chipmunks and a snake too. Trails are great.

Beautiful landscape. Lots of different paths. Unreal Disney princess experience. Animals will eat seeds/nuts right from your hand. Not a great idea to feed wild animals but here the damage is done, so it's nice to enjoy.

The Grindstone Marsh trail is always beautiful. I love how the birds and chipmunks will eat from your hand, if you bring bird seed.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Walked the Cherry Hill Gate trails. Nice easy hike with lots of wildlife. Signs say don't feed the animals but everyone we saw around brought food for the chipmunks and birds. They will eat out of your hand.

Beautiful nature trail. Lots to see. Spent 3 hours on this trail but only walled about 30 minutes from the gate. Snakes, turtles, ducks, swans, frogs, fish, birds, and some very interesting trees and plants.

Really enjoy going for walks there, there are so many animals! Last time we saw the swan defend his mate from the goose it was really cool. Blue jays, chipmunks, cardinals, chickadees come right up to you.

These marsh lands are very important to our Eco system. Let's keep it so our children's children can enjoy them.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure

Always amazing to see what nature has in store for the day. Saw a snapping turtle in the wild for the first time there
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Gorgeous walk with a lot of birds to see. In one walk I saw a blue heron, several downy woodpeckers, many chickadees, cardinals and bluejays...... I think I saw a bald eagle as well. lovely boardwalk.

A lovely nature preserve with well kept paths through wooded areas, and boardwalks across creeks and wetlands. Lots of wild life and opportunities for birdwatching. Access is free, parking is $3/hr.

Beautiful area with chipmunks, squirrels and birds everywhere. Lots of nice bridges too. Some trails are wide and well maintained (grindstone) others are narrow and have uneven ground (creek walk).

I love coming here to hike the trails and see all the wildlife. Great place to take a walk and clear your mind!!
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

This is a lovely park to visit. Parking is currently $3 an hour. Beautiful trails and wildlife to enjoy. The boardwalk is a must see. A great place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

One of the best places to spend some time around Burlington or Hamilton. An easy trail that kids can handle too. You are bound to see different kinds of birds, squirrels, beavers, turtles etc.

Natural beauty is all that can be said when you walk the multiple trails. The wildlife is a photographers paradise. The family will enjoy the sounds and the great work out, while having fun.

I LOVE this place!! It makes you feel like Snow White! The birds will come and eat seeds right out of your hands! Beautiful trails all around. Awesome place to visit, especially with kids!

This is a beautiful trail. I love going on nature walks and this is one of the more better ones. This trail has a mix of forests and marshes. There are lots of different animals to see.

Very beautiful. Nice boardwalk trails and off the path trails to see the salmon swimming. Good signage to keep everyone going one way in the loop for covid safety. Limited paid parking.

Love this place. It is so beautiful with lots of wildlife. Bluejays here are so friendly . Will come to the area with ppl around looking for peanuts. So bring some peanuts if u there

What a great hiking spot. The nature is so beautiful, with lots of birds and tiny animals. I've seen a blue heron and a pretty yellow bird. It's a very well maintained trail

This is a good trail, we saw some people with a dog. The trail is kind of narrow to walk on and there might be insects to watch out for. The area was overall nice though.

Beautiful park. Had an enjoyable walk and spotted some deer and lots of birds.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure

Lovely place! Absolutely love the trails and it is one of my favorite photography spots! People are extremely friendly and there are so many photo opportunities there!

Really nice, quiet conversation area. Largest boardwalk that I have seen in a park
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Love it! Especially for my daughter. The animals are used to people so they come out and let us watch them. It's a great place to teach your little ones about nature.

Had chance to visit there before Halloween. Saw pumpkin trail, pumpkin house.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes

Rather than this park itself, take a walk to the Cherry Hill Gate trail. A delightful walk.... Birds and Chipmunks will take food right from your palm....

Hidden gem. Great place for bird enthusiasts. Saw bluejays, blackbirds, chikadees, chipmunks, mallard ducks. Nice boardwalk too! No reservation needed.

Amazing trail for nature lovers. Spoted atleast 12 different birds on my run. Recommend to visit on evening . Sunset adds to the beauty to this place

A beautiful find. Saw lots of wildlife and wasn't too busy despite being a nice saturday. Make sure to bring seeds and feed the birds from your hand!

Nice walk. Wish I could go every day but it's a bit far, for me.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Beautiful birdsong; saw swans, jays, junco's, red winged blackbirds, chickadees, chipmunks and much more. Nice bridge and boardwalk over the marsh

Great hiking area with tons of wildlife. Highly recommend
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Immaculately kept trails and boardwalks. Please follow the instructions on the signs and don't feed the animals. A lovely space for Birders.

So much to see and so much wildlife. Swans, ducks, frogs, a million chipmunks. Pathways not too treacherous, nice easy walk for the family.

enjoy the paths and explore! You're bound to find chickadees and woodpeckers along the way. Great spot for a hike and be one with nature.

Very nice place. Would recommend visit at evening! Big parking lot is available!
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait

Great paths, interesting birds along the way.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

If your looking for a beautiful trail to adventure and see loads of wild life this is the place to be! love it here …

Very interactive with nature lots to look at an adore. Kids love it RBG is right across street definitely a great day trip

Love this hike and so do our kids
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Love this place so much. Had an amazing time walking around and chill. Such a perfect spot to get away from the city.

Nice spot to take a stroll. Lots of birds to watch for.
Visited on
Weekday
Reservation recommended
No

Beautiful location although the staff lady was very strict about staying on the paths and not feeding the animals.

Wonderful place to enjoy nature!! Hiking through the forest, photographing birds and animals and so much more!!!

Very beautiful relaxing experience. You can watch and feed the birds, chipmunks, squirrels, and turtles.

Love coming here! All the wildlife and nature is so peaceful and a great opportunity to get outdoors

We snowshoed in a Winter paradise at RBG Hendrie Valley Sanctuary, on Valentine's Day 2021 to boot.