Categories: Lifestyle

Canada’s oldest maple tree is only an hour drive from Toronto

There’s nothing we Canadians love more than a little maple. Well, maybe hockey and being too nice to each other. But aside from those things, we really love our maple. Even when the sugary sweet syrup is not in season, we can still find ways to celebrate it. One way is visiting Comfort Maple. This massive sugar maple tree is only a short drive from Toronto and it’s said to be one of the oldest standing maple trees in the country.

Yup, there’s no sweeter day trip than visiting this cool landmark! Comfort Maple has been estimated to be somewhere between 400-500 years old. There’s no real way of knowing its exact age without cutting it open (let’s not do that) and counting it’s rings. But experts at the Ontario Forestry Association have used other clues to come to that 400-500 year conclusion.

But what’s just as impressive as its age is its height. Comfort Maple stands at a whopping 24.4 metres high, with a trunk circumference of 6 meters. Whew, it’d be hard to be a tree hugger with a trunk that big! Some people have said that it’s impressive size represents Canada’s strength and tradition as a nation.

Today you can take a peek at the impressive sugar maple with just an hour and twenty-minute drive outside of the city. There’s an entire gorgeous conservation area surrounding the tree, so feel free to do a little nature exploring while you’re there. To get the most out of your experience, wait a few weeks until autumn begins and Comfort Maple’s leaves begin changing colour. We promise the view will be worth the trip.