Reviews of Heber Down Conservation Area (Tourist Attraction)

Diana Lehan-Port

Has some great spots to take selfies and large variety of of plants and trees to note.

Jennifer Walker

I love this area for hiking!! There is a $6 parking fee (which it seems a lot of people ignore) but the money goes back into the conservation so its well worth it. The hike we went on was mostly easy going and wide, well maintained paths. There was one section with a HUGE staircase so keep that in mind. Just beautiful!

Carolyn Anderson

Love walking and hiking through here. It is such a beautiful and peaceful place. A number of different trails to follow. They are doing renovations and so far it looks great.

Jessica

Beautiful trails and hidden creeks

Nav K

Great trails, perfect for bringing kids and/or dogs. One of the trails ends in an off leash dog park that our dogs loved.

Patricia Browne

Absolutely love Heber Down. Such a beautiful conservation area. Great for hikes, picnics, etc. Just be aware that parking is $6 and currently can only be paid via credit card.

karan dahda

A nice park with couple of trails(one paved), has one washroom but no drinking water facility, better to bring own, had a day parking of$6 max and $3 for an hr. Good place for dogs to socialize. Well maintained park, trails are marked but not all the intersections are marked so better to keep the map handy.

Tiffany Geronimo

My little family loves everything about this place! Besides from being close to home & ample parking, we do love the trails, very clean and kept well!

Olga Leonenko

Not very long, but nicely paved Iroquois trail, not too crowded, loved it. It goes through meadow with many native plants, and then through a forested area. Also has a station with bike tools and pair pump. Not too much parking space though, we were lucky to get one along the road near the entrance.

Paige Thompson

Great place to go for a walk but the construction has taken over the trails :(

Sabrina

Good hike for beginners or advance some great hills.

Abhinav Sood

Beautiful trails, lovely to walk on a nice evening.

Harbir Binning

It's a good, clean(most of it) trail and a good distance for runs and walks. Kids friendly and benches for all those long walks. Remember to bring water if you planning to do the whole trail, some disinfecting wipes if planning to use the benches. One issue though !! Someone is forgetting to pick after their dogs, so please be mindful of others.

Will Prentice

A nice place to hike, bike, walk, XC ski or snowshoe in the winter. Heber Down is NOT a leash-free park - there is a place off Cochrane Street from Winchester for dogs but it is not part of the accessible trail area. Keep your dog on a 6 foot maximum leash and carry your doggy bags out so everyone can enjoy the trails.

Rex Tsang

Well groomed and marked trails, pretty easy hike. Gets a bit busy especially by the dog park.

Afshin Daryaei

Very safe and so beautiful in fall and winter but mosquitos are killers in summer specially at dawn

Paulo Marques

Great place for hiking. Parking can get full really quick especially on weekends. Park on the road outside the park and walk in.

Megan Cochrane

Nice place for a quick hike. There's a parking lot off Lyndebrook Rd that is closer to the picnic areas. Trails aren't too difficult, but some areas are more sandy than others.

Tim Charran

Great Hiking, off the beaten path in the suburbs. Tranquility and serenity, connect with nature right in your backyard. Paid parking.

Lily Guan

The Spring Bank Trial is the most pretty one! Definitely check it out. Other ones are a bit plain, but overall good for a hike/exercise.

River’s Edge

Started our walk at the Gazebo (off Cochrane in Whitby) paid parking with options for 1 hour, then every half hour, $6 for the day. Parking lot is decent size and open with a good slate ground. Can probably fit around up to 75 maybe more cars. Two visible trails, however they lead to another section of the conservation to other trails and parking lots. The Gazebo entrance is the ‘Off Leash’ area and was a beautiful walk in a nice even path with trees all around in the distance. When you walk to the right of the gazebo, where the land is with the signs (some kind of testing airfield-signs in pictures) that will lead to the forest trails. The left of the gazebo is just a long circular path the leads to the airfield, then to the trails. There are, what appears to be maybe Deer Flys at the beginning of the trails as I ended up with a few fly bites on my backside area. (Through my jeans) itchy for over a week! They were relentless but, not like 15 flying around but maybe 2 or 3, so just beware. The balance of the trials were good walking, beautiful views, up and down hill, some rocky parts but balance smooth walking. Beautiful Pond areas(Beware of Poison Ivy by Pond, signs visible at the walk entrance at pond) , Small look out deck where there were Turtles, Butterflies and Dragonflies. The Bridge area was after the the Devils Den Path, and just through the secondary parking lot. Right after the bridge you can go down to the water bank and it was quite serene. As usual friendly people. (Only saw one dog in the off leash area) Oh and there is a Washroom (Toilet seat in outhouse style hole in the ground) but a washroom type feel. No Sinks, plenty of toilet paper. There was hand sanitizer in the washroom by the Off Leash area, but none available in the one by the other parking lot (I think near Ashburn) (street, Road, avenue— not sure) Also found some Raspberries by the entrance -from the trails to the parking lot. Signs posted of Possible Coyote and what to do, also Bear and a lot of info on how to handle an encounter (we didn’t see anything and felt pretty safe) Oh, I’m with Bell Mobility on an Apple X, I had NO SERVICE for almost the ENTIRE walk, —however my B/F is with same provider on a Samsung and he had service for at least 3/4’s of the walk?!? Baffles Me LoL However My Apple iWatch that tracks my steps for my Built in Health App was working and tracking my path (which is the picture I included of our walk) My step count did not update until I was about 5 minutes out of the parking lot, but on my watch the Distance Walked kept running and updated every Kilometre that was walked There is much more to see here with other trails but this was all I captured that day.

Keith Wilson

Beautiful park, well maintained and an off leash dog park. Two sides (one for big dogs, one for small dogs) Hard to believe you are so close to the city when walking around out here!

Piyushi

Lovely place for a nature walk. The trails are well marked. We loved discovering the little creek and pond inside. Our 4 year old was tired, but could walk it. Not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs. There is an open leash dog park near the Cochrane st parking. The only disappointment was that the washrooms were closed due to covid. The conservation area being remote, this led to an emergency departure for us when our son needed to pee!

Philip Noseworthy

I've been wondering these paths and woods for about 40 years now. I'm glad this is available and my kid loves it too!

M

$6 paid parking but I parked by the dog park which didn’t have a parking meter (maybe due to construction in that area). So to avoid $6 parking, you can consider parking by the dog park but check for signs in case things have changed since I was last there. There were lots of cars parking there but there were enough people leaving throughout the day for us to find parking easily. The trails were pretty easy, not all paved though. Some have pebbles on the floor and can get muddy at times if there was recent rainfall (at least on the devils trail, which was the one I did)x There are a few slight hills but nothing too difficult for the regular semi-fit person.

Chelsey Cunningham

One of the best places in Durham for a hike. I especially love walking through starting from the brooklin entrance. Gets lovely colours in fall too. A must visit

AN AZTEC

Amazing park ???????? Hiking here is a good experience. Nature sounds, nice forest roads. Everything is perfect ????????

Cassandra Sempson

Used to be really good, but now EVERYTHING is under construction so you have to "hike" through trails that lead you to neighbourhoods or rhe side of a road. Also their is no paid parking currently

Leonor Avila

It is a vast park with beautiful trails and an off leash area, with separate zones for bigger dogs and another for smaller dogs. Paid parking that could an annual charge if you'd like and you'd be help towards the conservation of the park.

Secret & Sassy FB Auctions Since 2011

We love this place and always have an amazing time here ❤. We love taking our dogs for a beautiful hike.

adventure ontario

A pretty easy walk filled with paths parallel to the river. The walking trails become perfect for cross country skiing and tobogganing in the winter. It’s a quiet park that is less well known to most, so that’s what makes it such a special place to me. Great place to bring dogs!

Di Black

Such a relaxing area to go explore! This place gets my adrenaline pumping & reminds me how beautiful nature can be I always love going for a hike at Heber Down! ????????

Mike Wigmore

Such a nice place to go for a hike! Lots of trails and hill climbs so you feel like you’ve accomplished something after your hike.

Jennifer Dempsey

Heber Down Conservation Area is a beautiful spot to bring the family. So many different trails to explore, you won't get bored. The forest and trails are gorgeous! ????‍♀️????‍♂️????????

Uv Rai

I finally found a place where I could hike or run. I am new to this area and I wanted to come here since I moved here but due to the circumstances, I couldn’t get chance to be here. My new running friend took me to this trail for our first run and I loved it. Next day, me and my husband went for a hike and explored more. Other day, with my same running friend, we went for a long run through the woods and I enjoyed it so much. Only wish I have is if there is drinking water available somewhere. Other than that I’m super happy and excited to come to this place each time. ????????‍♀️ ???? ???????? P. S. We went there via Cullen Park side.

Jiny Song

A variety of trails and natural habitats. Saw a mink today in the pond. Lots of families and dog walkers. Easy waking with lots of side trails.

Brux Brule

Great place to go for a hike, was quite busy today lessening the enjoyment a little, but if you venture off the beaten path you’ll find peace and quiet.

VizagRaja

Excellent place to visit. A small tributary of the pond flows within this deep forest. A big wooden staircase can also be climbed to reach another trail. We walked through Devil's pond, though.

Jennifer Mata

Great easy to moderate trails. They have a fenced in dog park it is big enough for a game of fetch and has a good size area for just small dogs.

Kim jackson

Me and my boyfriend love this place so much ! It's pretty quiet depending but the trails are great it's a nice way to get out in nature too

Lori Olsen

Beautiful trails....but when repaving the parking lot you shouldn't gate off the parking lot and leave the pay station on the other side with no access. It was a irritating to walk all the way around just to pay parking.

Amisha Gupta

Beautiful place for nature walk any time of the year!!

Candy Hon

Beautiful area with wonderful foliage and a great mix of sceneries. Parts of the trail offers access to the nearby stream. Trails are easy to moderate difficulties and very well-maintained. Note - there are two parking lots. Depending on which trail you wish to hike, you may want to park at one vs the other lot.

Cathi

Great place to go for a hike. Note that it is not maintained during the winter and the parking lot is closed for the winter. You are recommended to park at the Cullen park entrance. Note that it will be a good km or more (nice paved path by, then through, the woods before you get to the hiking trails. I took the blue path, 2.2km long. A very nice and hilly path with the ground relatively pretty flat so you could push a stroller but note, the first hill up will be strenuous! Update: just took the red pitchfork trail. I very much enjoyed it but got lost. That doesn't usually happen to me. It could use a few more markets. I Do Not recommend this trail for pushing a stroller as the ground is much bumper. Beautiful River views and excited that someone has decorated many trees.

Stephanie Joseph

Really cool terrain! Definitely worth hiking often, especially if you're local. The trail we tried, was both a biking trial and then became a hiking trial which is cool.

Alex Hirschfeld

Very nice trails, from beginner to intermediate. I walked the entire park yesterday and while it is very icy currently (march 7th) there were no obstacles of any difficulty. Some steepish uphill sections, some very flat very long sections, but a lot of nice scenery. Check out the Christmas trees by the pond loop!

Jessie Knowles

Love this place! There is an off leash dog park I love taking my dogs too, we have never had any issues there. After we tire the dogs out at the park we go for a nice walk through the trails and let the dogs cool off in the creek there. The paths are nice. We all really enjoy it there. Only thing I dislike is the parking. You have to pay $6. I get that it's for the whole day which is great but I never spend more than an hour or so there. I wish there was an option of only paying for 30mins or something. Also you can only pay by credit card which is not good because not everyone has a credit card.

Vic

There’s a few nice walking trails here. There’s also a nice little walkway that leads out to a little place where you can look over the water. There’s a lot of wildlife here as well if you bring peanuts. It is a little small of an area if youre looking for a long walk

Ankur Sharma

Beautiful trail. Perfect for a nice scenic walk in the woods.

Sarah B

Very nice place for a walk and to enjoy the weather. There are quite a few trails and beautiful pond, which there is a bit of a steep hill to walk down to. Lots of parking available and is $6 to park for the entire day.

S Arya

Compared to other conservation places, this is not a good place. There is a dog park beside it, if you have pets will be a nice place to take your pets. Mostly flat land with a trail. There is a flat rate parking fee as well. Attached image is the map of the conservation area.

Gustavo V

Great place to go for a walk, pet friendly. During the winter months the trails are not maintained so very icy, bring ice cleats and or a walking stick.

Courtney Mcneil

Great place to walk, jog or hike. Dog loves it here. Very peaceful. They have picnic areas and a garbage (a lot of the places don't) not a ton of parking but usually can get a spot with no issues. Stairs are insane to climb, there is a seat part way up the stairs so you can take a break. They have a lookout, cant see much from it as trees are over grown a bit. Path is clean and clear.

Jodi

There are so many TICKS!! My mother and father found 3 ticks on their dog and a tick on each of them as well! I didn't know this until we got to Heber downs, we still went for a quick walk but we ended up having g to swipe very small ticks off of my bernese mountain dog throughout the walk. Then we found a few on my huskey when we got home even after brushing them. I wouldn't recommend risking going there. The ticks are very small and are everywhere!

MONA B

We only did half the trail. None the less, a hike is always relaxing and beautiful! Leaves or no leaves. Sunshine or clouds. You don't have to look far for beauty when you're in the elements of nature. It's all in how you look and perceive things. That applies to life too!

Kj Chadwick

I have been visiting Heber Down since I was very young. We hadn't visited in a long time so We decided to take our daughter there for the first time. It's exactly how I remembered it except that now you have to pay for parking.

Flash Liu

Nice trail, not too much muddy, very nature, clear direction, clear water,clean path,lovely place worth to go

ray miller

This is a great outdoor Scenic way to spend a perfect day. You can go for a dog walk as a couple as a family a group or by yourself. There is a lot of things to see here in the wilderness. Old bridges to cross. Little Rivers to Wade in great hiking trails to explore. You can even have a picnic in designated areas. The place is neat and clean and tidy

A

Beautiful place, lots to see, lots of wildlife. Have to pay for parking, but the money goes back into the park. If you park along the road, you risk the chances of getting a ticket. That area is constantly monitored for parking violators.

Cy

Huge hiking trails! Prepare to get lost! If you like adventure, this is the place to be, so many trails make sure to go early to give yourself more time to be familiar with the area, if it’s your first time, you will get lost, as the sign gets confusing, btw the stairs on the photo is so tiny and it’s a long stairs, so if someone is going up or down you will have to wait for your turn (one way only) lol overall it’s a fun place for adventure! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Google User

Heber Down is a great place to spend a few hours. There are 3 trails that all interconnect. The Springbank, Railway and Devil's Den. There is a beaver that lives in the pond. You can usually see him at dusk.