How to Get Here

Live close to High Park? You’re in luck! The High Park Nature Centre is conveniently located close to the public transit options and roadways surrounding the park. Walking is great way to not only get your steps in, but also take in a dose of nature before you get to the Nature Centre’s facilities. Here are some pointers if you choose to walk to our facilities:

• The Cottage
  • The Cottage is located conveniently at the intersection of Parkside Drive and Indian Valley Crescent. Head west on the pedestrian crossing at the intersection and you will see the Cottage building right up the ramp in front of you.
• The Forest School
  • The shortest and most convenient way is walk in to High Park is from the High Park North Gates. Just walk a few steps south along Colborne Lodge Drive and the Nature Centre will be on your left.
• Useful Tips
  
  • Stick to paved sidewalks and paths:
    • Want to avoid getting lost? Stick to paved sidewalks and paved paths, especially if it’s your first time visiting High Park or the Nature Centre’s facilities.
  • Tread lightly and mindfully on sandy trails:
    • Show some love for nature if you choose to use the sandy trails. The native plants along these trails are sensitive and can be easily damaged if trampled on.
    • High Park’s sandy soil can also be prone to damage and erosion from repeated rough use. Tread lightly and cautiously to avoid compacting the sandy soil.

With its bike lanes and paths, cycling is a convenient way to get to and around High Park. We have bike racks outside HPNC facilities.

Useful Tips

• Bike Share Toronto:
  • Don’t have your own bike? Check out a bike from Bike Share Toronto. There are several bike share stations in and around High Park.
• Stay on paved roads, bike lanes and bike paths
  • High Park’s paved roads, bike lanes and bike paths are built for your convenience. Please refrain from off-road biking. Moreover it will help you avoid getting lost in the park.
• DO NOT bike on sandy trails
  • High Park’s sandy trails are not suited for mountain biking.
  • Biking on sandy trails can severely compact the soil and lead to its erosion.
  • The native plants along these trails are sensitive and can be severely damaged if trampled on.
• Watch out for other park users
  • There have been accidents involving cyclists, pedestrians and vehicles in High Park due to recklessness. Please respect other park users and cycle cautiously for your own safety.

High Park and the Nature Centre’s facilities are conveniently close to two TTC subway stations on Line 2. Please visit the TTC’s website for route schedules, fares and passes, and service advisories and alerts.

• The Cottage
  
  • Keele Station (wheelchair accessible)
    The Keele Street TTC Subway Station is the closest public transit station to The Cottage. It is just an 8-minute walk from The Cottage.
    

• The Forest School
  • High Park Station (wheelchair accessible)
    The High Park TTC Subway Station is the closest public transit station to the Forest School. It is conveniently just a 5-minute walk from the Forest School.
    

High Park is also connected by the 506 Carlton Streetcar Line between Main Street Station and High Park Loop. Please visit the TTC’s website for route schedules, fares and passes, and service advisories and alerts.

• High Park Loop
  The High Park Loop TTC Streetcar Station is just a 4-minute walk from The Cottage. To get to The Cottage, walk north on Parkside Drive until you reach Indian Valley Crescent. Head west on the pedestrian crossing at the intersection and you will see the Cottage building right up the ramp in front of you.

High Park and the Nature Centre are conveniently located near several TTC bus service lines. Please visit the TTC’s website for route schedules, fares and passes, and service advisories and alerts.

• The Cottage
  The closest and most convenient major bus station to The Cottage is the Keele TTC Station. What’s more? There’s a bus stop for the 80 Queensway bus right next to The Cottage at Parkside Drive and Indian Valley Crescent. Listed here are some of the bus lines to help you get to Keele Station.
  • Keele Station (wheelchair accessible)
    • 41 Keele, 941 Keele Express and 341 Keele Night Bus
    • 80 Queensway (bus stop right next to the Cottage)
    • 89 Weston and 989 Weston Express
    • 189 Stockyards
    • 300 Bloor-Danforth Night Bus

• The Forest School
  The closest and most convenient major bus station to the Forest School is the High Park TTC Station. Listed here are some of the bus lines to help you get to the High Park TTC Station. 

• • High Park Station (wheelchair accessible)
    • 30 High Park North
    • 149 Etobicoke-Bloor 
    • 189 Stockyards
    • 203 High Park (summer seasonal bus through High Park)
    • 300 Bloor-Danforth Night Bus
      

TTC’s Wheel-Trans service provides a safe, reliable and accessible transportation option for persons with disabilities. You can book a trip by phone or online using their self-booking website.

Wheel-Trans service into High Park is available seven days a week, including weekends and holidays.

Coming from afar? No worries! High Park and the Nature Centre are not too far from the Bloor GO Station on the Kitchener GO and UP Express Lines. Please visit GO Transit’s website for route schedules, fares and passes, and service advisories and alerts.

The most convenient way to get to High Park and the Nature Centre is to take the Westbound subway train from Dundas West TTC Subway Station on Line 2. We are conveniently close to two TTC subway stations on Line 2. Please visit the TTC’s website for route schedules, fares and passes, and service advisories and alerts.

• High Park Station
  The High Park TTC Subway Station is the closest public transit station to the Nature Centre. It is just two subway stops away from Dundas West Station followed by a 5-minute walk to the Nature Centre. Please remember that this station is not wheelchair accessible. However, the TTC is working on making this station wheelchair accessible soon.
• Keele Station (wheelchair accessible)
  The Keele Street TTC Subway Station is the closest wheelchair accessible public transit station to the Nature Centre. It is just one subway stop from Dundas West Station followed by a 10-minute walk to the Nature Centre.

Note: On August 5, 2023, a number of changes were made to the travel network within High Park as part of the High Park Movement Strategy. Here are some updated tips for you to travel to High Park and the Nature Centre easily without any confusion. We continue to recommend using the TTC or biking as the best way to get to High Park and the Nature Centre.

The Cottage

• • There is some parking available near The Cottage on Parkside Drive and nearby residential streets. However, these parking spots are limited not always guaranteed.
  • Parking spaces are most available and convenient at the Keele TTC Station’s Green P Parking Lot. Please note that on weekdays, this is a paid parking lot. Parking is free on weekends and holidays. The Cottage is just an 11-minute walk from this parking lot.

The Forest School

• On Weekdays:
  • Enter the park from the east at Parkside Drive and High Park Boulevard.
  • Drive west on Centre Road
  • Parking your vehicle:
    • • • • Parking spaces are most available and convenient at the free parking lot near Grenadier Café. If you are looking to park your vehicle, we highly recommend that you use the Grenadier Café parking lot and walk to the High Park Nature Centre. While there are parking lots near the Nature Centre, they are extremely limited and can be really inconvenient if you can’t find a parking spot.

     
    • • Dropping off at the Forest School
        • Turn right at the Grenadier Café and merge with Colborne Lodge Drive.
        • Drive north along Colborne Lodge Drive until you see the pool on the left and tennis courts on the right.
     
    • • Exiting High Park
        • You may only exit High Park at the High Park North Gates on Bloor Street West and High Park Avenue.
     
    • On Weekends:
      • High Park is currently closed to motorized vehicles on weekends, holidays and during the cherry blossom season.
      • Our weekend program participants have several other options to get to the Forest School:
        • Taking TTC transit – High Park TTC Station is the closest station to the Forest School.
        • Bicycle, scooter, mobility device, by foot, etc.
        • Parking outside High Park on side streets and walking in.
          Note: Parking can be extremely limited on side streets.
      • We will notify our program participants of any changes to the weekend vehicle access in High Park.
     

    General Driving Information:

    • The main entrance for visitor vehicles  is at Parkside Drive and High Park Boulevard. This entrance is open Monday to Friday and closed to visitor vehicles on weekends and holidays.
    • The entrance at the Queensway and Colborne Lodge Drive is open at all times, allowing pick-up and drop-off at Children’s Garden and Colborne Lodge.
    • The entrance at Parkside Drive and Spring Road is open at all times, allowing visitor vehicle access to the Spring Road Parking Lot.
    • There is no visitor vehicle entry from the Bloor Street West. This location serves as an exit only for visitor vehicles.
    • West Road and portions of Colborne Lodge Drive south of Grenadier Café are car-free routes at all times.
     

    General Parking Availability

    • There are approximately 280 free vehicle parking spaces available within High Park.
      • Available Monday to Friday (no parking on weekends and holidays):
        • Grenadier Café parking lot: 148 parking spaces
        • High Park Zoo parking lot: 81 parking spaces
        • Along Colborne Lodge Drive: 29 parallel parking spaces
          • Limited parking, pick-up and drop-off spaces
     
    • • Open at all times:
        • Spring Road parking lot: 23 parking spaces
     
    • There are over 1200 additional spaces located within 800 metres of High Park including:
      • Green P Parking is available on Bloor Street West and south of High Park along Lake Shore Boulevard West. Access High Park via a short walk up Parkside Drive. There is a small lot east of Keele Subway Station, off Indian Road.
      • Precise ParkLink is available on the north side of Bloor Street West, off Pacific Avenue.
      • Pay and display parking is available on the east side of Parkside Drive.
     

    Emergency Vehicles

    • Authorized vehicles, such as TTC, emergency services and operational vehicles are permitted on all park roads at all times.
     

    Please visit the City of Toronto’s website for more information about traveling to High Park. You can also visit their High Park Movement Strategy website to learn more about the project.