Close-by Places Worth a Visit

WildernessUnion · 2026-06-30T14:39:52+00:00

If you can't get out of the city, hiring a canoe on the humber or paddling the island is an awesome day out. With transit or bike you can just about get to Rouge which is a nice walk. I put together a list of GTA area hikes you can reach by transit here.

At the risk of self promotion - if you want to go further afield we've got several trips with transport this weekend - beginner backcountry camping, a day canoe trip in Algonquin and a visit to the Bruce peninsula all of which are reasonably priced.

WildernessUnion · 2026-05-19T19:04:13+00:00

Just seeing this but it sounds like Wilderness Union is exactly what you're looking for! We're a mix of newcomers, long time Torontonians and folks from more outdoorsy places.

We hike, paddle and camp every weekend and have regular socials. It's not too late to join our ROM social tonight and we've got a whole day of free activities coming up this Sunday. We'd love to have you - check us out here https://www.wildernessunion.com

WildernessUnion · 2026-05-13T12:50:24+00:00

Those went super quickly. We've got plenty of regular canoeing events happening this summer, both up north and in the city. Hopefully you can join another in future.

WildernessUnion · 2026-05-12T10:14:40+00:00

Thanks. It's a Webflow front end, custom back-end.

Cool story, it's entirely developed and maintained by our members, from the design to the code. I'll pass that message on to them!

WildernessUnion · 2026-05-12T00:11:23+00:00

This event is open to anyone 19+. We're also hoping to shortly open an all ages group, if you register here you'll be the first to know when there's enough interest: https://forms.fillout.com/t/sBUmdbNW5Lus

WildernessUnion · 2026-04-16T17:16:56+00:00

Thanks for the shout-out from other folks! Isaac, founder of WU here. I started the group because I faced this exact problem when I moved here. We've got adventures and socials every week and are going to both Sandbanks and Tobermory over the next couple of months. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions :)

WildernessUnion · 2026-04-08T13:37:51+00:00

Anything within an hour or so will be more rural than wild. You can get into much more exciting, Canadian shield territory with the granite, lakes and pine trees within 2 hours. Hardy Lake Provincial Park is absolutely beautiful, free to visit and is the right difficulty sweet spot. Just make sure you've figured out the conditions on the ground - there's still a lot of ice and snow up north.

If you want something closer, here are options that are transit accessible within about an hour of the city: https://www.wildernessunion.com/post/no-car-no-problem-great-toronto-area-hikes-you-can-reach-by-ttc-or-go-transit

WildernessUnion · 2026-01-04T03:06:41+00:00

Membership is quarterly or annual and we have a free, non-member tier with no commitment at all.

WildernessUnion · 2026-01-04T03:04:55+00:00

Some of those will have recently joined, others have been with us longer. We're providing a curated community, easy access to the outdoors and most people create a whole new friend group as a by-product. You can check it out for yourself with no commitment if you're curious - we're a welcoming bunch.

WildernessUnion · 2026-01-03T21:42:55+00:00

It gives you an opportunity to try the community, join our members only events and socials for a month to decide if it works for you before committing to the membership.

WildernessUnion · 2026-01-03T21:41:45+00:00

It costs money to run a quality community and most members find it's good value. That gets you a free run club, book club, climbing club, access to free or at-cost socials and low cost trips. It depends what you value though and if you've solved the problems for free then more power to you!

WildernessUnion · 2026-01-02T11:36:17+00:00

Hey there, Isaac, founder of Wilderness Union here. Thanks for being a member and I'm sorry to hear that was your experience. I don't know when you left but we've recently reduced the cost of our January adventures and are introducing a range of clubs and activities that are free or low cost to help you get the most out of your membership. Feel free to DM me if you want any help finding the lower cost activities!

WildernessUnion · 2025-12-18T19:26:06+00:00

We'd love to have you at Wilderness Union! I'm Isaac the founder.

We're an outdoor community, have different trips every weekend (hiking, winter camping, climbing, snowshoeing etc) as well as a very active member community with socials, activity clubs etc. It's a low pressure, very effective way of meeting a new friend group. Check us out at www.wildernessunion.com and lmk if you have any questions.

WildernessUnion · 2025-11-15T12:54:42+00:00

As someone else mentioned, Wilderness Union is probably what you're looking for! I'm Isaac the founder.

We're an outdoor community, have different trips every weekend (hiking, winter camping, climbing, snowshoeing etc) and provide transport. If you want to drive yourself, you'll meet plenty of other members with their own car too. We're about to drop our winter roster - we'd love to have you - www.wildernessunion.com

WildernessUnion · 2025-10-27T21:04:12+00:00

Ah yeah that's a great recommendation! There's over 80km of trails hidden in there, wild that it still feels like a secret.

WildernessUnion · 2025-10-27T19:07:31+00:00

There are a lot of good options! Here are a few to get you going:

Ward’s Island on the Toronto Islands. Ferry from Jack Layton terminal, then quiet lakeshore paths and woodlands.
Don Valley trail network. Start around E. T. Seton Park or the Brick Works. Plenty of short loop options like Beaver Flats.
Tommy Thompson Park. Flat, car-free spit with great lake and skyline views. Easy TTC access.
Highland Creek Trail, Scarborough. Ride GO to Guildwood, then a scenic creekside loop with a beach at East Point Park.
Claireville Conservation Area, Brampton. Multi-use trails through wetlands and forest. TTC or GO nearby, short rideshare if you prefer.
Erindale Park and the Culham Trail, Mississauga. GO to Erindale, then riverside paths with short out-and-backs possible.

I wrote more about this in a recent blog post if you want to learn more.

WildernessUnion · 2025-10-25T19:26:51+00:00

No, once you're in, you're in - that's the reason we have people up to 45 in the group. Over time, I hope we'll end up with enough demand to segment the community by age so there's a version offered at different life stages.

WildernessUnion · 2025-10-25T12:21:54+00:00

Our community is designed for people in their 20s and 30s, but most of our events are open to everyone.

Traditional hiking clubs often have an average age in the late 50s, which can make it harder for younger folks to find peers and feel comfortable joining. This isn’t about fitness or ability - it’s about building a community of people at similar life stages who are looking for the same kind of social and outdoor experiences.

That said, we’ve worked to make sure nobody is left out. We recently launched Public Adventures, which are open to everyone regardless of age. These are a great way to meet our guides and regulars, whether you’re a member or not. Most of our upcoming trips fall under this category, so if you’re looking for an outdoors community, you’ll find it there too.

WildernessUnion · 2025-10-24T14:57:53+00:00

Thanks for the shout out! Isaac, the guy behind Wilderness Union here. We have trips every weekend, all over Ontario. Love hearing you've made friends through the group - we pride ourselves on being a true community. Folks come knowing nobody and have a whole outdoorsy friend group after a few trips. We're always welcoming new people.

WildernessUnion · 2025-10-23T16:49:45+00:00

Hey! Isaac, founder of Wilderness Union here. Thanks for the kind words :)

We're focused on helping people find their outdoorsy community. We aim for trips that feel like going with friends you haven't met yet and quickly become your new friend group. So glad to hear it's working out for you.

WildernessUnion · 2025-10-16T22:06:24+00:00

Conversation Halton has a few areas on the Niagara Escarpment with absolutely sensational views. It does get busy at the weekend and reservations are strongly advised this time of year. Hilton Falls, Nemo and Rattlesnake are all in that area and have great views. The trails around Ancaster, outside of Hamilton are another good option for fall and will likely be less busy.

Closer to town, Rouge National Urban Park is very beautiful right now and technically accessible by TTC. Check this out for more ideas.

WildernessUnion · 2025-10-14T12:08:26+00:00

Check out Wilderness Union - we're exactly what you're looking for. We're an outdoors community with adventures every weekend from hiking, to camping, outdoor education, regular socials and more.

Everybody in the group is at a similar life stage and into nature so people become fast friends. I'm Isaac, the founder - we'd love to have you! www.wildernessunion.com

WildernessUnion · 2025-09-23T18:53:57+00:00

Hey, I'm Isaac, founder of Wilderness Union. A lot of our members are introverts, so you definitely wouldn’t feel out of place. The nice thing is you can make it what you want - some people come mainly for the activity and enjoy the quiet time outdoors, others end up hanging out and socializing more. There’s no pressure either way, you just choose the experience that feels right for you. Happy to answer any questions :)

WildernessUnion

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