If you live in a place where the weather changes dramatically with the seasons, then you know how amazing a fall hike is. We’re in Canada, where all of the leaves change colour every October and November – from vibrant yellow to ruby red, fiery orange and everything in between. It’s pretty damn magical, and it only lasts for a short window.
Every fall we like to get outside and enjoy the crisp fall air before it gets too crazy cold to want to be outside at all. Plus, a good hike can elevate your mood, leave you feeling refreshed and even inspired about life. It’s the power of that vitamin D baby, and we are here for it.
When we were growing up, we used to spend a lot of time in the forest, especially in grade six and seven, before our interest took a hard shift to the mall. We used to explore (the kid version of hiking), make forts, catch bugs, play in the river (shout out to the Rouge River!), you name it. In fact, we hung out in the forest so often that we have vivid memories of Alyssa and Vanessa’s grandfather telling us to be careful, because pedophiles hang out in the woods. It was suburban Markham, and we felt invincible at that age so we used to tell him to chill out (he was very serious, and probably not entirely wrong), but even now as we hike as adults, we’re eyeballing any men hiking alone.
We all enjoy hiking, but Alyssa in particular has some pretty epic hikes under her belt from living in Lake Louise for six months. She out-hikes us all, and we know she chooses easier trails when she’s with us. If you live in Toronto, there are a ton of great places to go for a hike, many of which are in or not too far outside of the city. Our favourites are Rattlesnake Point to Crawford Lake, Seaton Hiking Trail, High Park, The West Humber Trail, Bruce Trail and Cedar Trail in the Rouge River Valley.
- Hiking trail or park
- Water
- Solid footwear, like hiking boots or running shoes (depending on how challenging your hike is)
- Layers – think t-shirt, sweater, jacket (preferably something that’s wind resistant)
- Hat, scarf, gloves (optional, depending on how cold it is)
- Snacks
Pick your hiking trail, suit up, pack up your water and snacks and you’re ready to go. If you’re new to hiking, we’ve put together some overall tips to consider before heading out:
- Choose the right trail for your fitness level. Don’t get too ambitious and try something incredibly challenging or lengthy right away. Start with something small and build your way up.
- Scope out the trail map. If it’s a lengthier hike, you’ll want to make sure you’re familiar with the route beforehand, especially if it’s something off the grid where cell reception will be an issue.
- If you go alone, tell someone where you’ll be beforehand. If you’ve seen 47 Hours with James Franco then you’re aware of the worst case scenario.
- Check out the weather forecast beforehand. There’s always days that start sunny but by the afternoon it’s pouring. Don’t get caught in the rain – or any weather situation you’re not prepared for.
- Bring extra water and some snacks just in case
In addition to water, we filled a thermos with one of our favourite warm drinks to sip during our hike: chai tea. We made our own custom chai tea blend so we could get the flavour and spices just right. Grab the recipe for our DIY chai tea blend here.
This playlist is packed with tunes that match perfectly with the fall weather. Think acoustic jams and upbeat alt rock.