5 Places to See Fall Foliage Outside of Brampton

Fall is just down the street and around the corner – the first day of fall is September 22 this year! That means a lot of things, including that you can finally pull out your toque, fall boots, and a blanket scarf, sip a pumpkin spice latte, and take incredible selfies or DSLR pics with fall foliage. Or, you know, just go out and enjoy the colours and nature!

It’s an exciting time of year, for sure.

There are a bunch of places you can check out fall foliage in the city, but if you’ve already been there and done that, you might want to change it up this year. That being said, there are even more places to see the gorgeous colours outside the city, if you’re willing to make the trek.

Here are five places to see fall foliage outside of Brampton!

5) Grey County

Grey County is a great spot for a “rural” adventure. It covers communities like Owen Sound and Meaford, and alongside a ton of delicious food and fun activities, there’s a lot of gorgeous places to hike. You could spend the day there as it’s quite a chunk of land, driving along side roads and exploring the beautiful fall foliage from there, or you could get a little more specific and hike through some of their incredible waterfalls – they have a ton! Pro tip: check out Pretty River Valley Provincial Park!

4) Bruce Trail

The Bruce Trail is the oldest and longest marked footpath in Canada and it runs along the Niagara Escarpment (a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve) from Niagara to Tobermory. It boasts a seemingly endless amount of hiking trails and some of them are genuinely hardcore and worth trying if you really want to challenge yourself. For example, the annual Iroquoia End-to-End hike consists of four hikes over two weekends (this year, it’ll take place on Oct. 13-14 and Oct. 20-21). The hiking section is a whopping 121.7 km long, with each hike averaging 30 or more kilometres.

3) Rideau Canal

This treasure is a chain of lakes, rivers, and canals that span 202 kilometres from Kingston to Ottawa. We highly recommend checking out the foliage at Rideau Canal in Ottawa, it’s one of Canada’s historic canals, and you can even boat on it. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a National Historic Site of Canada, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. While you’re in Ottawa, also check out the foliage at Dows Lake – go on, get really into the fall foliage and rent a canoe for better pics.

2) Spencer Gorge/Webster and Tew Falls

Did you know that Hamilton offers some exceptional sightseeing opportunities? If you’re into waterfalls (aren’t we all?), Webster Falls and Tew Falls should impress you (especially if you never knew they were there). A hike up to Dundas Peak in this popular conservation area boasts gorgeous views of both Hamilton and Dundas and its surrounding fauna and flora. If you’re more into the idea of hiking than admiring a waterfall, note that this place doesn’t offer a full-loop trail, but rather connects you to the Bruce Trail. Regardless – it’s fall colours galore here when the season is upon us.

1) High Park

High Park is an absolute classic when it comes to fall foliage – it’s trees and trails galore and it’s extremely popular. It’s probably so popular that you were planning to go there to get your next pic for the ‘gram without us even having to tell you so! Autumn in High Park is a must-see – so grab a latte, and go exploring. The park boasts rare plant species and giant, picturesque oaks. This unexpected oasis in the middle of an urban centre spans 161 hectares (399 acres), so it might take more than a day to explore its entirety. Pro tip: check out Grenadier Pond, it’s so secluded, you might forget you’re in the middle of Toronto!