Time-Ticketed during Bloomland in Oz: Entry to RBG Centre / Hendrie Park requires Bloomland in Oz timed-tickets for entry. Pre-purchase required to guarantee access.
Open Today: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. All Hours

North Shore / Arboretum Trails

Home Gardens & Trails Gardens and Trails: by Attraction North Shore / Arboretum Trails
Tall trees at the Arboretum with rich leaf colour
  • 17km of trails
  • 13 Lookouts, 6 boardwalks
  • Primary Access Point: Arboretum (16 Old Guelph Rd. Hamilton)

RBG’s Arboretum is the place where you can see a wide variety of trees and other woody plants up close, and is the primary trailhead for the North Shore of Cootes Paradise.

The Arboretum is also home to many horticultural collections including lilacs, magnolias, flowering dogwoods and the Avenue of Trees. It is also home to RBG’s Nature Interpretive Centre, and many educational programs.

Trail Map PDF

Trail Notices

  • Winter Hours: Arboretum gates close at 6 p.m.
  • The York Blvd stairs at the McQuesten High Level Bridge are closed due to structural concerns with the retaining wall. The City of Hamilton closure is expected to be long-term. Please use the Princess Point entrance to access the Waterfront Trail.

Arboretum / North Shore Trail Guide

Map of Cootes Paradise North Shore trail system
  • Anishinaabe waadiziwin: 1.1 km, 2 m wide, hilly
  • North Shore Landing: 0.6 km, 2 m wide, hilly
  • Captain Cootes: 0.4 km, 2 m wide, hilly
  • Bull’s Point: 1.5 km, 2 m wide, flat
  • Homestead: 2.0 km, 2 m wide, flat
  • Hickory Valley: 0.7 km, 2 m wide, hilly
  • Grey Doe: 1.0 km, 1 m wide, hilly
  • Hopkins Loop: 1.3 km, 2 m wide, flat
  • Marsh Walk: 0.7 km, 1 m wide, hilly
  • Native Trees: 1.0 km, 1 m wide, hilly

Trail Features

Arboretum

The Arboretum is also home to many horticultural collections including lilacs, magnolias, flowering dogwoods and the Avenue of Trees. It is also home to RBG’s Nature Interpretive Centre, and many educational programs.

NOTE: alternative visiting requirements during peak bloom season (May). Check bay prior to your visit for updated information.

Anishinaabe waadiziwin

Native plants provide Indigenous peoples with almost all of life’s essentials. Starting in the Arboretum near the Nature Interpretive Centre, this new trail explores plants used by the Anishinaabe peoples, and their connections to culture, language, ecology and history.

Learn More

Pine Point Lookout

Below the Lilac Dell and looking out towards Hickory Island, this is one of the few locations where White Pine dominates, evoking images of the forests that once covered the area.

Marsh Boardwalk/Spencer Creek Delta

The boardwalk provides an up-close look at one of the largest creek deltas on Lake Ontario. This area is favoured by migratory waterfowl and is the best place to view our Bald Eagles. Rat Island is directly across the creek to the south of the platform.

Property Map

View Map

Royal Botanical Gardens is Canada’s largest botanical garden, with gardens and nature sanctuary that span Hamilton and Burlington Ontario. Use the button below for an overview of RBG’s properties.

Load Interactive Map

Click the button above to open the interactive map in a new tab.

Arboretum FAQ

Directions / Parking

The Arboretum is located at 16 Old Guelph Road, Hamilton ON.

Metered parking is in effect beyond staffed hours, $5/hr to a maximum of $15. Parking is FREE to RBG members with an RBG member parking card.

Learn more about getting to RBG at rbg.ca/directions

Parking is available in 3 lots: Parking Circle (central) and Entry Gate (east), and Rasberry House (north). Accessible parking spaces are available in the Parking Circle.

Are there Washroom Facilities Available?

Portable washrooms are available at the Arboretum.

Are water bottle filling stations available?

Water Fountains / bottle filling stations are available at all RBG garden areas.

At the Arboretum, outdoor bottle refill available at the Nature Interpretive Centre.

Food and Drink / Picnics

Pack a picnic! Outside food is permitted at the Arboretum (excluding special events). Please pack-out or properly dispose of any waste. Outdoor cooking is not permitted in any of RBG’s garden areas.

Outside food is not permitted at RBG Centre, Hendrie Park, or Rock Garden. Outside food is only permitted at Laking Garden and the Arboretum (excluding special events).

Is the Arboretum Accessible?

The lilac walk at the arboretum is paved / packed gravel, though most of the Arboretum is grassy field, or rough trail pathways. Descending into the lower lilac dell includes a steep slope, not recommended for those with mobility issues.

Accessible parking spaces are available in the Parking Circle.

Trail User Code

Upon entering the nature trails you are making a pledge to respect the environment and fellow visitors. These lands are Canada’s biodiversity hotspot, set aside at the head of Lake Ontario for environmental protection, open for environmental education and passive recreation only. While walking our trails, it is important to remember that you are a visitor in someone else’s home, and that your impact will be multiplied over by 200,000 other visitors. Environmental protection bylaws are posted at each trailhead. Please follow them and play a role in protecting and restoring the area for future generations.

Trail Use Bylaw Restrictions

The properties and activities are regulated by the Royal Botanical Gardens Act and supporting bylaws.

  1. Trail running is not permitted.
  2. Pets must remain leashed at all times. Please clean up after your dogs and leave waste trailhead garbage receptacle.
  3. Bicycles are prohibited on the trails.
  4. Motorized vehicles are prohibited.
  5. Horseback riding is prohibited.
  6. Picking or collecting plants or wildlife is prohibited.
  7. Feeding the wildlife/birds is not permitted.
  8. Cross-country skiing is prohibited due to the hilly topography.
  9. Ice skating is restricted to Cootes Paradise in the area adjacent to Princess Point.
  10. Use of drones is prohibited under RBG bylaw and further regulated by NavCanada.

Can I Bring My Dog?

Leashed dogs are permitted in the gardens for a visit during regular operating hours. Please be responsible and clean up after your dog. Dogs must remain on-leash and on-trail at all times.

Some special events at this location may not accommodate dogs. These are noted in the individual event FAQ’s available on the event pages.