A boardwalk trail through a lush ravine in The Beaches neighbourhood. Feels like a forest hike but you're 10 minutes from Queen Street cafés. Completely off the tourist radar.
Neighbourhood: The Beaches · Address: Glen Manor Dr, Toronto, ON · Hours: Open 24 hours
Why Visit
You’ll find cedar forests, trickling streams, and a shaded boardwalk that feels a world away from city noise, yet you’re basically in the heart of The Beaches. It’s peaceful even on weekends when other parks are packed.
What Makes It Unique
Unlike bigger Toronto ravines that sprawl for kilometres, Glen Stewart’s narrow path weaves through steep, forested slopes with a rare mature oak and maple canopy overhead. It stays quiet because there’s no parking lot and hardly any signage—locals use it as a shortcut, not a selfie spot.
Glen Stewart Ravine is one of the best-kept secrets in Toronto's east end — a mature beech forest carved into the land between the Beaches neighbourhood's residential streets, reached by a boardwalk trail that begins at Glen Manor Drive and ends at Kingston Road. The ravine follows Glen Stewart Creek through a second-growth forest that, in high summer, closes overhead so completely that the neighbourhood above disappears. Very few tourists know it exists.
The ecosystem in Glen Stewart Ravine is unusually intact for a forest this close to the urban core. The dominant trees are beech — large, smooth-barked trees whose root systems have stabilized the ravine walls for well over a century — supplemented by sugar maple, ironwood, and black cherry. The understorey is rich: trout lilies bloom in April before the canopy closes in, trilliums follow in May, and through the summer the forest floor has the soft, decaying-leaf quality of a proper woodland. The creek at the bottom is clear enough for crayfish, and the bird list through spring migration runs into the dozens of species.
The boardwalk trail descends from Glen Manor Drive down to the creek and up the other side, with viewing platforms at the water level and handrails for the steeper sections. The whole trail is approximately 500 metres through the ravine itself, connecting to the surface trail system in Glen Stewart Park at the top — which adds another kilometre of open-field walking. Dogs are welcome on the trail and the boardwalk is popular with dog walkers who treat it as a morning circuit.
For visitors to the Beaches neighbourhood, Glen Stewart Ravine offers the experience that the lakefront beach and the Queen Street strip don't: the sense of being completely inside the city's green infrastructure, in a space that has been slowly growing back since the ravine was protected from development in the early 20th century. The best time to visit is early morning on a weekday in May or early June, when the spring wildflowers are at their peak. In October the beech forest goes gold-bronze and the ravine in late October light is one of the east end's best seasonal experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Glen Stewart Ravine in Toronto?
Glen Stewart Ravine is in The Beaches neighbourhood in east Toronto. The main boardwalk entrance is on Glen Manor Drive, accessible from Kingston Road or from the upper streets of The Beaches. The trail runs north-south through the ravine, connecting Glen Manor Drive at the southern end to Glen Stewart Park at the northern end near Queen Street East. The nearest TTC stop is the 501 Queen streetcar at Glen Manor Drive.
What is the trail like at Glen Stewart Ravine?
The main trail through Glen Stewart Ravine is a wooden boardwalk approximately 500 metres long, with stairs, viewing platforms, and handrails on the steeper sections. The trail is accessible to most walkers but not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs due to the stairs. The full loop including the surface trail through Glen Stewart Park is approximately 2km and takes about 30-40 minutes at a comfortable pace.
Is Glen Stewart Ravine good for wildlife?
Glen Stewart Ravine has an unusually intact urban forest ecosystem. Spring migration (April-May) produces warblers, thrushes, and vireos that use the ravine as a stopover. Trout lilies and trilliums bloom in April-May on the forest floor. The ravine is also home to red foxes and the occasional coyote. Early morning visits are best for wildlife.
Can I bring my dog to Glen Stewart Ravine?
Yes — dogs are welcome on the Glen Stewart Ravine boardwalk trail and in Glen Stewart Park above. The trail is a favourite with Beaches dog walkers. Dogs must be leashed on the boardwalk trail through the ravine. The adjacent Glen Stewart Park has areas where dogs can run. The beach at the foot of Glen Manor Drive is a short walk away.