Spectacular Winter Lake Views and the Skating Trail at Sam Smith Park in Winter -- The Lakeside Parks of South Etobicoke VI

Looking out at Lake Ontario from the park trail at the bottom of 23rd

We have visited the magnificent South Etobicoke waterfront Colonel Samuel Smith Park  before on The Left Chapter in posts like A Trip to Whimbrel Point -- One of Toronto's Best (and Least Known) Lake Ontario Nature Gems and The New Outlook @ Sam Smith Park -- The Lakeside Parks of South Etobicoke I. 

Today we went back to see the skating trail on a nearly picture perfect Family Day early afternoon.

The public outdoor skating trail has been open for several years now and is an enormously popular and successful park attraction. It is completely free. There is a public indoor room to put on your skates in a spectacular looking former power plant that is open daily (with shorter hours on holidays) during the season from 9 am to 930 pm though the trail can be used 24 hours a day. There is a covered wood outdoor fireplace feature which is used on weekends or holidays.

The trail is right beside many of the park's exceptional paths and spectacular views of Lake Ontario. These can be especially impressive in the winter's cold, clear air.

There is also a hill very popular for tobogganing just to the west of the trail off of 23rd St.

Be sure to visit for the first time or again before it closes for the season sometime next month.

(Click on images to enlarge. All photography by Michael Laxer.)

North of the Skating Trail with Views of Humber College

The Skating Trail w. Fire Pit & Power Plant Skate Room

Tobogganing!

The path just south of the skate trail runs west along the lake to 23rd St.

It offers some of the most spectacular Lake Ontario views in the city.

Colonel Samuel Smith Park is located south of Lake Shore Blvd. W. in the area of Kipling Ave. The park is on the 501 Queen streetcar line. The skate trail lies at the very end of the 44 Kipling South bus line.

Swan Nests and Turtle Families at Sam Smith Park -- The Lakeside Parks of South Etobicoke VI

In a previous post about the wonderful lakeside park, Sam Smith Park, that lies at the foot of Kipling Ave. in Etobicoke, we looked at the new outlook that was built in it.

Now it seems that a pair of swans have built their nest right beside this outlook and the mother is tending to her eggs there.

This is a really amazing sight and a unique opportunity to see this up close!

Please don't disturb them if you do go to check it out.

Also here we share a few other park photos...including one of a turtle family sunning themselves.

Spring at Sam Smith is pretty great!

(Click on images to enlarge)

Sam Smith Park is on the 501 Queen St. streetcar line. You get off at the Kipling stop and walk a very short walk south. From downtown you can expect an off-peak ride of about 45 minutes to an hour to get to Kipling.

Alternately you can take the subway to Kipling station and the 44 Kipling South or the new 180 Kipling Express bus to the park. Simply stay on the bus to the very end of its route. You will get off the bus right at the northern end of the park.

If you are driving you exit at the Kipling exit of the Gardiner Expressway and go south.

For more information on the park see the City of Toronto website.

You can also learn more about the history of and efforts to preserve the park at the Friends of Sam Smith Park blog.

All photos by Michael Laxer

See also: The New Outlook @ Sam Smith Park -- The Lakeside Parks of South Etobicoke I

See also: Marie Curtis Park & Beach -- The Lakeside Parks of South Etobicoke IV