The Leslie Street Spit Trail is in one of North America’s most remarkable public urban wildernesses. It is a 5-kilometre long peninsula, built by lakefilling, that juts into Lake Ontario close to downtown Toronto. Started 40 years ago, it was intended to be a breakwater for harbour expansion, which was not needed due to a decrease in lake shipping.
Now, the Spit – as it is lovingly called by the people of Toronto – has been transformed by nature into an extraordinary wildlife reserve, where humans can find a car-free refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy a quiet time amid unmanicured vegetation.
Close to 400 plant species have been identified on the Spit, many of which are nationally and provincially rare. They include Prickly Pear Cactus, Ladies’ Tresses, Bog Twayblade, Asters, and numerous species of grasses. Information provided by the Friends of Leslie St. Spit website.
Link to the Friends of the Spit web site: http://friendsofthespit.ca/
Leslie Street Spit Trail is just one of the many nature trails and hiking trails you can find throughout Ontario by using the search features of OntarioNaturetrails.com
Region(s): TorontoNearby towns and cities: Toronto - Eastside
Trail feature tags: Wheel chair accessible
Leslie Street Spit Trail characteristics
Length: 10 km.Difficulty: Moderate (Trail classifications)
Trail surface: Natural and Paved
Trail use: Hiking and Snowshoeing
Wheelchair accessible
Fees: none
Flora & Fauna:
Not yet reported.
Amenities: none
Attractions: none
Contact:
Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation 416-338-5058
Find it: South end of Leslie St, Toronto
GPS Coordinates (main trailhead):
Latitude: 43.6516270
Longitude: -79.3222400