| Membership | Price (+HST) |
|---|---|
| Single | $85/year |
| Single Plus | $120/year |
| Family | $130/year |
| Family Plus | $175/year |
| Contributing | $300/year |
| Supporting | $600/year |
| Sustaining | $1,000/year |
| Benefactor's Circle | $2,500/year |
| Director's Circle | $5,000/year |
| President's Circle | $10,000/year |
North Shore / Arboretum Trails
- 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.
Plan Your Peak Bloom Season Visit!
Parking capacity at the Arboretum is very limited; flat rate parking applies, with select weekends available to members only (shuttle available to the public from RBG Centre).
Trail Notices
- May 9 to 24: Peak bloom season parking in effect. Learn more with our Peak Bloom Season at the Arboretum Guide.
- Weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. available for RBG Members only (with reservation). Shuttle available for the public from RBG Centre (reservations required).
- Weekdays and weekend evenings: paid upon entry, first-come first-served ($25/vehicle).
Arboretum / North Shore Trail Guide
- 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 cherries, 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 back 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.
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 MapRoyal 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.
Entry and Parking
Paid parking is in effect for all trail users arriving by cars. Proceeds from the parking fees go directly toward the maintenance of these lots as well as stewardship of the natural areas.
A 12-month parking pass is issued with the purchase of an RBG Membership.
| Parking Lot | Details | Fees |
|---|---|---|
Arboretum |
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Arboretum / North Shore Trails Frequently Asked Questions
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 a paved pathway. Beyond this route, much of the Arboretum is an open grass field and acts as a trailhead to the Cootes Paradise nature trail system. Access to the lower lilac dell involves a steep hill descent.
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.
- Trail running is not permitted.
- Pets must remain leashed at all times. Please clean up after your dogs and leave waste trailhead garbage receptacle.
- Bicycles are prohibited on the trails.
- Motorized vehicles are prohibited.
- Horseback riding is prohibited.
- Picking or collecting plants or wildlife is prohibited.
- Feeding the wildlife/birds is not permitted.
- Cross-country skiing is prohibited due to the hilly topography.
- Ice skating is restricted to Cootes Paradise in the area adjacent to Princess Point.
- Use of drones is prohibited under RBG bylaw and further regulated by NavCanada.
Can I Bring My Dog?
RBG is pet‑friendly on our nature trails and at the Arboretum. Pets are welcome in these areas when kept on leash and under control.
When visiting with your pet:
- Keep them leashed and held by the handler
- Stay on designated paths
- Clean up after them
- Be mindful of other visitors and wildlife
To protect delicate horticultural displays, pets are not permitted in the RBG Main Centre, Hendrie Park or the Rock Garden at any time.
Service animals are always welcome in accordance with Ontario law.
Thank you for sharing our spaces responsibly.
