The east don river is my little toronto secret. whenever i'm there i rent a bike and get off at finch station (last stop on the yellow line). then head east (on your bike) towards bayview ave. not far past bayview you'll find the entrance to the east don river parkland. this is the entrance for the ambitious. i suggest you take a bottle of water, some food and a cycling map of toronto, available at most subway stations. once you enter the park, the route you choose is up to you, just stay on a trail and head south. the goal is to end your trip downtown, and the east don river will lead you all the way to eglinton ave, a short distance to downtown relaxation after a long bike ride. the one spot you can't afford to miss is the botanical gardens on lawrence and leslie. the gardens are simply marvelous. the whole ride will take you about 2 hours if you start at bayview and finch. if you're not in the mood for a long one, another good place to start would be york mills. the york mills park will lead you to edwards gardens & sunnybrook park. plus, the york mills route offers some great views of the lake and the city. the toronto skyline is simply breathtaking from up high.

whichever route you choose, let your guts guide you, but stick to the map, because you can actually get lost quite easily in this huge city park (the largerst i've ever seen inside surrounded by urban development)

Springtime or fall are perfect for my little toronto secret, but if you've gut guts feel free to try it during wintertime, you'll see some outstanding sights, wildlife and vegetation in extreme conditions.

have fun and keep on biking!