Parks & Trails Wayfinding

Three photos showing typical wayfinding signs in a park, beside a trail and in a natural area.

The City is implementing a wayfinding sign system for parks, trails and natural areas. Clear, consistent signs help people find their way, whether they’re locating a trailhead, checking accessibility information or exploring a new park.

September 2026

Wayfinding signs are being installed on portions of Black Creek Trail (Finch Avenue West to Shoreham Drive), Highland Creek Trail (within Morningside Park) and The Meadoway Trail (Ellesmere Road to Neilson Road).

The Parks and Trails Wayfinding System includes over 20 different types of signs, designed for the wide range of park and trail conditions across Toronto.

The wayfinding signs display a wide range of information to provide consistent identification, orientation and navigation in and around parks and trails.

Signs can display:

  • features and amenities
  • directions and distances
  • maps
  • rules and etiquette
  • accessibility information
  • emergency location codes
  • local history and stories
  • other information
A diagram showing two rows of wayfinding signs. The top row shows signs designed for parks, with blue, green and black graphics. The bottom row shows signs designed for multi-use trails and for natural areas, with orange and black graphics.
Typical wayfinding signs for parks, multi-use trails and natural areas.

 

A diagram with eight small images, each showing a portion of a sign, to highlight eight types of information that the wayfinding signs can display: features and amenities, directions and distances, maps, rules and etiquette, trail accessibility, emergency location codes, local stories and history and other information.
Key features of wayfinding signs.

Wayfinding Map Features

At many trails, natural areas and large parks, signs will include maps to help people to understand the location’s layout, features and connections to transit and local landmarks.

These maps are coordinated with other wayfinding systems delivered by the City of Toronto and its partners.

The maps can display a range of information, including:

  • a “you are here” marker
  • icons for park features
  • icons for accessibility issues
  • brown dashed lines for natural area trails
  • orange lines for natural area trails
  • icons for nearby transit stops

 

A portion of a park wayfinding map, with labels pointing toward the red “You are here” marker, black icons for park features, white and yellow icons for accessibility issues, brown dashed lines for natural area trails, orange lines for natural area trails and white icons for nearby transit stops.
Key features of wayfinding maps.

Accessibility

The Parks and Trails Wayfinding System includes features that help people with a wide range of abilities to access and enjoy Toronto’s parks and trails.

Accessibility features on wayfinding signs include:

  • high contrast text and graphics
  • standardized wording and symbols
  • predictable and consistent sign placements close to pathways
  • slopes and other accessibility barriers are highlighted on maps
  • multi-use trail slope, width and surface type listings
  • natural area trail difficulty ratings

Wayfinding signs will be installed at major parks, multi-use trails and natural areas. Locations are prioritized based on criteria such as the location’s size, number of users and the need to coordinate with other initiatives.

Planned Schedule
Park, Trail or Natural Area Planned Sign Installation Year
Black Creek Trail (Finch Avenue West to Chalkfarm Park) 2028
Centennial Park – Etobicoke 2027
East Don River Trail (Don Mills Road to Bermondsey Road) 2028
Finch Hydro Corridor Trail 2028
Guild Park and Gardens 2027
Gus Harris Trail 2027
High Park 2028
Highland Creek Trail 2028
Humber River Recreational Trail (Eglinton Avenue West to Finch Hydro Corridor Trail) 2028
Humber River Recreational Trail (Waterfront to Eglinton Avenue West) 2027
Lower Don River Trail 2027
Martin Goodman Trail (Stadium Road to Windermere Avenue) 2028
Taylor Creek Trail 2027
The Beltline Trail 2028
Toronto Island Park 2027
West Don River Trail 2027
Wilket Creek Trail 2027

The location and installation year is subject to change.

To-date, wayfinding signs have been installed at:

  • Beare Hill Park
  • Black Creek Trail (Finch Avenue West to Shoreham Drive)
  • Crothers Woods, Sun Valley and Cottonwood Flats
  • East Don River Trail (Lawrence Avenue East to Wigmore Park)
  • Highland Creek Trail (within Morningside Park)
  • The Meadoway Trail (Ellesmere Road to Neilson Road)
  • Unwin Avenue Trail

In 2014, the City initiated the development of a unified wayfinding strategy for Toronto’s parks and trails. The strategy recommended that a new sign system be designed, tested and implemented, in order to modernize how information (including wayfinding directions and maps) is communicated in parklands managed by the City.

The Parks and Trails Wayfinding System aims to:

  • Provide consistent identification, orientation and navigation in and around parks and trails.
  • Encourage visiting, exploring and appreciation of Toronto’s natural assets.
  • Serve all park and trail users regardless of their abilities.
  • Reduce clutter and redundant infrastructure within parks and on trails, thereby enhancing the natural environment.
  • Be economically sustainable and viable in the long term.

These objectives shaped the system’s design and implementation, informed by stakeholder and community engagement, as well as international best practices tailored to Toronto’s context.

Process Timeline

The City follows a multi-stage process to implement the Parks and Trails Wayfinding System at a park, trail or natural area:

  • Year 1: Map development (if needed) and sign location planning
  • Year 2: Sign content development and graphics production
  • Year 3: Sign manufacture and installation

Maps are currently available for the following parks and natural areas. Additional maps will be added here as they are completed.
Date modified: October 2, 2026