You can't explore Rouge park in one day. It is huge, with the Toronto Zoo occupying only a tenth of its area. It offers a wide variety of natural settings accessible from different points. When visiting with my 8-year-old son, we decided to access the park from the grounds of the Rouge Valley Conservation Centre (held in historic Pearson House). We found the trail in the backyard of the pretty Victorian house. It was steep and winding at the beginning but eventually led us to an easier stretch. Our first glimpse of the Little Rouge River was simply gorgeous. The stream was shining like diamonds under the sun, framed by colourful leaves, with white cliffs and dark evergreens in the background. Going upstream, we explored the river's banks. Large flat stones that popped through the shallow water allowed for a great hopping session. We reached the gravel road in 20 minutes and walked back to Pearson House in a few minutes.
