Hiking clubs in Toronto aim to unite like-minded hiking fans. Given the abundance of hiking trails and parks in and around Toronto, it should come as no surprise that the city also boasts quite a few hiking clubs. Whether you wish to explore the wilderness that surrounds Toronto or are looking for a good hike close to home, there are organizations to guide you through the city's magnificent green spaces.

Here's a list of hiking clubs in Toronto.

The Outing Club of East York
Since 1976, this club has been bringing people together to enjoy the wilderness of Southern Ontario, through hiking, walking, cycling, birding, canoeing, snowshoeing, and other outdoor activities. The non-profit, volunteer-operated club charges a modest $30 annual membership, and arranges year-round events all over the city and its surrounding areas.

Toronto Outdoor Club
The TOC is a free-to-join group catering to those 18 and over. Although a relatively new club, it has a wide membership and a long and varied list of events. They organize hikes and bike rides, as well as runs and sporting events, both in and outside of Toronto.

Toronto Hiking and Conservation Club
Formed out of the Don Valley Conservation Association in the '50s and '60s, the Toronto Hiking and Conservation Club organizes treks mostly outside of the city, where members meet in the TTC parking lot on the northeast corner of Yonge and York Mills. They may take you hiking in York, Durham or Halton Regions, or perhaps as close as the Humber and Rouge Valleys.

High Park Hiking Club
Yonge and York Mills is also the meet-up intersection for anyone wanting to carpool to one of the High Park Hiking Club's regular Sunday events or other scheduled treks. Don't let the name fool you, these trips are certainly not limited to their eponymous park.

A Stroll in the Park Walking and Adventure Club
This group, formed in 1990, offers both local walks around Rosedale, Highland Creek, the Scarborough Bluffs, and so on, as well as longer trips to Algonquin and other parks. They also organize walks based on theme and season. Though it delivers all the walking and adventure that the name implies, this club does not limit itself to parks, but includes scenic neighbourhoods as well.

Toronto Field Naturalists
While certain clubs use the outdoors as a fitness facility, the Toronto Field Naturalists emphasize an understanding and appreciation of local ecology, often focusing their walks on the birds, butterflies, and flora seen in that part of the city. The annual membership fee is $40, which also includes monthly lectures on wildlife and their habitat.

Toronto Bruce Trail Club
For 50 years this club has been taking Torontonians and others on trips to the Bruce Trail, which runs from Tobermory to Queenston, following the Niagara Escarpment. They organize chartered bus trips, car and car pool events (also from Yonge and York Mills). Aside from the trips out of the city, the Toronto Bruce Trail organizes urban hikes, which are generally TTC accessible.

Writing by Jeff Dupuis. Photo by The Cach in the blogTO Flickr pool