Pre-arrival checklist
Rouge National Urban Park
Getting ready for a visit to Rouge National Urban Park? With more than 50 kilometres of trails to explore, there are many different landscapes to enjoy from Lake Ontario to the Oak Ridges Moraine. Here are some tips to help you prepare.
Picking a location
- Is this your first time in Rouge National Urban Park? Download the park map and familiarize yourself with the trail before you leave.
- Visit the park's Trails page for details on hikes. Check out the Top 10 Virtual Hikes on Google Streetview to see previews of trails and ensure they meet your accessibility needs.
- Visit the Important bulletins page to check for closures or notices.
- Check out the Visitor safety page to prepare for your visit and avoid any surprises.
- Check Live parking information before leaving. When a parking lot is full, do not park illegally — try exploring another part of the park instead, or consider visiting outside of peak times.
Packing list
- Pack enough food and water for your trip. There are limited amenities in the park and food and water are not available on the trails or at trailheads, so you need to bring and carry everything you need for your day trip.
- Protect yourself from the elements. For example, bring sunscreen, a hat and bug spray during warmer seasons and extra layers when the weather is cooler.
- Parks Canada recommends bringing other safety items on a hike, including a flashlight, extra clothing, a first aid kit, and extra food and water. These items can easily fit into a backpack and will save the day if an incident occurs.
- Bringing your dog along? Your pooch needs to stay on a leash and under control at all times. Keeping your dog on the trail ensures they don't disturb wildlife and ecosystems and also reduces their risk of picking up ticks. Be sure to bring water for your furry friend and waste bags to keep the trails and day use areas clean.
- Take only photos and leave only footprints. Bring a bag for garbage and pack out all of your belongings when you leave. Garbage and recycling bins are available in all parking areas.
What to wear
- Check the weather forecast for the day of your trip and location in the park and dress appropriately. Be prepared for changing conditions.
- Wear closed-toe shoes with a good tread such as hiking shoes, boots or running shoes.
- Ticks live in Rouge National Urban Park, and some carry Lyme disease. Parks Canada recommends long sleeve shirts that fit tightly around the wrist and long pants tucked into your socks or boots to help prevent tick bites. It is also a good idea to wear light-coloured clothing to help you find ticks more easily. Please visit the park's Tick safety page for more information.
Getting here
- Try alternative transportation options to get to the park: bike, carpool, transit or shuttle.
- Visit during non-peak hours, like early morning. You might have a better chance of spotting wildlife and snapping the perfect sunrise photo.
- Explore different areas of the park on your next visit! The northern Rouge offers entirely different landscapes and is often less busy than the south, making for a very peaceful visit.
- Rouge Beach's lower parking lot is open from 7 am to 9 pm daily. All other parking lots in the Rouge are open from 7:30 am to 9 pm daily. Visitors are asked to remove their vehicles from parking lots well in advance of closure to avoid having them locked in the lot overnight.
- Date modified :