🌲 Jokers Hill Hike – Saturday July 11, 2026
Explore diverse landscape of mature forests, wetlands, grasslands, and rolling hills within the Jokers Hill Koffler Scientific Reserve and Thornton Bales Conservation Area located west of Newmarket.
📅 Date: Saturday, July11, 2026
🕘 Start Time: 8:00 AM
📍 Meeting Location: Bathurst trail head lane parking, west side of Bathurst Street, 800m south of Davis Drive
📌 GPS Coordinates: 44.041408, -79.504148
🚶 Hike Distance: Approx. 7 km
⏳ Duration: About 3 hours
🥾 Difficulty: Moderate – rolling hills and some uneven terrain
🌲 Trail Conditions: Natural forest trails
Jokers Hill is a fantastic hiking destination located just west of Newmarket on the Oak Ridges Moraine. Its extensive trail network winds through a diverse landscape of mature forests, wetlands, grasslands, and rolling hills within the Koffler Scientific Reserve at Jokers Hill, a 348-hectare ecological research site managed by the University of Toronto.
Our hike will follow a scenic loop of approximately 7 km through Jokers Hill and the Thornton Bales Conservation Area. We’ll set out early to enjoy the cool morning air and to mitigate the summer heat. Widely regarded as one of the finest trail systems in the Newmarket area, Jokers Hill offers a surprisingly remote, wilderness-like experience despite its proximity to urban development.
🔁 This hike starts and finishes at the Bathurst trail head lane parking for Jokers Hill
🚻 Washrooms:
There are no washroom facilities at the trailhead or along the route
🅿️ Parking:
Free parking at the Bathurst trail head along the lane west of Bathurst Street, 800m south of Davis Drive
✅ What to Bring:
- Sturdy hiking footwear
- Water and snacks
- Cool clothing suitable for summer conditions
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellant
- Optional: hiking poles for uneven terrain
👟 This hike is suitable for hikers comfortable with hilly terrain
Hike Leader:
Andrew Welburn