Yorkdale is not the first place most people picture when they think about walking for exercise. It is a subway station, a highway interchange, and a very large parking lot. That is also what makes it useful. The ground is flat, the sidewalks and concourses are lit, and you can finish a decent workout before your coffee goes cold. What follows are three ways to walk the area: a short loop for tight days, a longer route through the quiet streets behind the mall, and an indoor plan for when the weather refuses to cooperate.
The 20-Minute Loop: Mall Perimeter and Back
This is the one to use when you have a gap between errands or a meeting that ends early. Arrive by subway, or park near the outer edge of the lot rather than fighting for a spot by the doors.
Start at the Yorkdale subway entrance on the west side of the property. Walk the outside edge of the building, keeping to the perimeter of the parking area rather than cutting between cars. Head north toward Yorkdale Road, follow the front of the building east, then come back along the south side toward Dufferin. One full lap of the exterior runs roughly one and a half to two kilometres depending on how wide you take the corners, so two laps lands comfortably in the 20-minute range at a brisk pace.
Two things make this loop better than it sounds. First, it is almost entirely flat, which means you can hold a steady pace without thinking about hills. Second, the landmarks are obvious, so you can push harder instead of checking your phone for directions. If you would rather stay on actual sidewalks, cross at the signalized intersection and walk south on Dufferin toward Lawrence and back instead. It is louder, but the pavement is predictable in winter.
The 40-Minute Route: Side Streets and Quieter Pavement
Twenty minutes is maintenance. Forty is where walking starts to feel like training. For this one, leave the mall property and head into the residential blocks north and west of Lawrence Avenue, between Dufferin and Bathurst. The streets here are mature, shaded, and lightly trafficked on weekday mornings.
A route that works well: from the northwest corner of the mall, cross at the traffic lights and head west on a residential street. Go north a few blocks, turn east, then work your way back south and return along Lawrence, which has continuous sidewalks on both sides. The full shape runs somewhere in the three-and-a-half to four kilometre range and takes most people 40 to 45 minutes at a purposeful pace.
Two ways to extend it without getting lost
- Out and back: pick a single street, walk 20 minutes in one direction, then turn around and retrace your steps. You never have to think about the route, and the return leg is easy to pace.
- The figure eight: do the mall perimeter loop first, then add the street loop. You get a warm-up, a faster middle section, and a cooldown that ends near your car or the subway doors.
Winter note: residential sidewalks get plowed, but they can still be icy after a freeze-thaw cycle. If the ground is slick, save this route for another day and use the indoor option below.
Rainy Days, Snow Days and Heat Waves: Mall Walking
Yorkdale Shopping Centre is directly connected to the subway station, which means no dash across a wet parking lot. That single detail turns a miserable afternoon into a perfectly good workout.
The concourse forms a long, mostly straight circuit with a few corners and a central court. Two full laps of the main level generally takes 20 to 30 minutes at a steady pace; add the upper level and you have closer to 40. Start at one end of the mall, walk the length of the corridor, turn, and come back along the other side so you are not doubling back on the same stretch. The upper level tends to be quieter and has fewer people stopping abruptly in front of store windows.
A simple indoor routine
- One slow lap of the lower level to warm up.
- Two laps at a faster pace, arms swinging, no window shopping.
- Take the stairs between levels twice instead of the escalator.
- One final easy lap, then a short stretch near the entrance before you leave.
Mall walking works better if you treat it like a workout rather than a shopping trip. Wear proper walking shoes, keep to the right so you are not weaving, and avoid the food court area around lunch when the crowds peak. Leave the reusable shopping bag at home. Nothing slows a walk down like stopping to browse.
If You Have More Time and a Car
The 401 is a hard barrier, so walking to the bigger green spaces around Yorkdale is not realistic. Drive instead. Earl Bales Park, up near Bathurst and Sheppard, has paved paths and rolling terrain if you want hills. Downsview Park, a short drive northwest, offers a wide open loop that feels completely different from the mall district. Both are worth the trip when you have 90 minutes rather than 40.
A Week That Actually Fits Real Life
Consistency beats intensity, especially with walking. A workable pattern: two 20-minute loops on busy weekdays, one 40-minute street route on a weekend morning, and one indoor session saved for whichever day the weather turns. Keep one day short and easy, or take it off entirely. That is four sessions a week, which is enough to notice a difference without rearranging your schedule around it.
Before You Head Out
Check the mall's current hours the first time you go, since they shift with seasons and holidays. Dress in layers, bring water for anything over 30 minutes, and wear something visible if you are walking near dusk in winter. Sidewalks along Lawrence and Dufferin are lit, but drivers turning right at intersections are not always looking for pedestrians.
One last thing: the mall is busiest on weekend afternoons and quietest on weekday mornings before the stores fill up. If you want the concourse mostly to yourself, that early window is the one to take. And if you are new to regular exercise, or you are managing a heart, joint or lung condition, have a quick conversation with a healthcare professional before you build a new routine around it.
Photo: Horacio30 / Pixabay
