Self-Guided Activities
The outdoor gardens and trails of the Humber Arboretum are open to visitors during daylight hours seven days a week. Come and explore the grounds at your own pace.
Trail Maps
Trails at the Humber Arboretum vary in their difficulty and accessibility. Near the main entrance at the back of Humber Polytechnic, level and gently sloping paths are made up of interlocking stone and hard-packed gravel that can take you through the ornamental gardens. By entering the forest near the gardens, you can enjoy the level trail of the upper forest loop. Venture down wooded slopes and stairs to explore the lower forest, meadow paths, and to connect to the paved trail along the Humber River.
Birdwatching
With so many different habitats, the Humber Arboretum is a year-round home and migratory stopover to wide number of bird species. Look for woodpeckers and owls in the forest, swallows and hawks in the meadows, herons and egrets in the ponds, and ducks along the Humber River. Start with a visit to the Arboretum's Bird Garden for a close look at sparrows, finches, winter juncos, and friendly chickadees.
Citizen Science
Contributing to citizen science projects while you visit the Humber Arboretum is a fun way to both increase your own knowledge and to help us create healthy communities and thriving nature. Using free platforms to record the wild species you encounter during your visit, you can help contribute to our Humber Arboretum Atlas iNaturalist project and our eBird hotspot species lists. Or you can support native bee research, track and clean up litter, and more.
Printables and Activity Guides
At-home activities such as colouring pages and DIY scavenger hunts are a great way to enhance your visit to the Arboretum, or to explore or a natural space such as a nearby park, schoolyard, or your own backyard. Use these free resources at home or in the classroom to explore more ways to connect kids with nature.
Discovery Walks
Discovery Walks are a series of self-guided walks created by the City of Toronto. The Humber Arboretum and West Humber River Valley route runs over six kilometres with an estimated walking time of approximately two hours. Download a guide from the Discovery Walks website and look for signs along the trails.
Tree Caching
As you walk through the forest, keep your eye out for QR codes attached to 16 different trees. Scan the code with your tablet or smartphone to not only learn about the species of tree, but also the positive impact the individual tree you’re looking at has on the environment! The most recent measurements of the tree are used to estimate the amount of carbon stored in the tree. TreeCaching Trails are a project of ACER/ClimateSake.
Look for American beech, blue beech, sugar maple, hickory, ironwood, and white ash as part of the TreeCaching Trail here at the Humber Arboretum. You can also find other TreeCaching Trails through ClimateSake’s website.
Snowshoe Rentals
When the weather permits, snowshoes are available for rent from the Centre for Urban Ecology. Please note that these rentals are only available during the Centre’s regular hours, Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. The Centre is closed on the weekends.