Waterloo Region Nature Trails
Welcome to Waterloo Region!
Waterloo Region is a mid-sized community located in the heart of southwestern Ontario's greenbelt. We have all the amenities of a large urban centre while still maintaining the charm and character of a smaller rural community.
Each of our three cities offers its own unique attractions.
Cambridge has a rich cultural history reflected in the picturesque limestone buildings lining the Grand and Speed Rivers. It offers live theatre, museums and Canada's longest continually operating farmers' market. Explore more than 365 hectares of parkland or venture along the Grand by canoe or on the Cambridge to Paris Rail Trail.
Kitchener, the Region's largest city, is a hub of urban activity. With a history of industry and working together, entrepreneurship is in its very roots. Small businesses and start-ups make up a large portion of the workforce helping to drive the culture of innovation. Immerse yourself in the many large outdoor festivals and special events downtown throughout the year, learn to ski at Chicopee, or take in a show or sporting event at one of several major venues.
Waterloo is home to two of the highest-ranked universities in the country and attracts some of the best and brightest talent from around the world. Think tanks like the Perimeter Institute of Theoretical Physics, Centre for International Governance Innovation and the Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum Nano Centre are helping to translate great ideas into some of the most successful and innovative businesses in the country. Uptown Waterloo is a thriving urban centre with award-winning architecture, unique shops and fantastic restaurants.
Our peaceful rural landscape, comprising the townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich, is dotted with many distinct towns and historic communities as well as farms offering homemade sausages, maple syrup, apple butter, cheese and Mennonite furniture and quilts.
With a population of more than 530,000 people, Waterloo Region is one of the fastest growing areas in Ontario. But it remains a community of communities, connected by high-quality transit, cycling and walking trails and the scenic Grand River.
You will find some of the best hiking and nature trails in Ontario right here in Waterloo Region.
For more information please visit: https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/index.aspx#section1
SCHMIDT WOODS TRAIL
Schmidt Woods Trail Completed in the fall of 2016, this trail consists of approximately 2.0 km of compacted stone dust multi-purpose trail (designed to meet accessibility standards), and approximately 1 km of natural ground hiking within the municipal forest...SHADE’S MILLS
Shade’s Mills is a day-use park offering a great place to enjoy nature just a few minutes away from the city. Favorite activities include swimming, sport fishing and canoeing. Hikers and cyclists can enjoy 12 kilometres of trails through a mature hardwood forest...SNYDER’S FLATS
Snyder’s Flats is a 100-hectare former gravel pit that has been restored as a natural area with ponds, new forests, grasslands and other features. The conservation area is on Snyder’s Flats Road, west of Sawmill Road near the village of Bloomingdale in...SPEED RIVER TRAIL
Speedvale Avenue East to Victoria Road North via Riverside Park. Speedvale Avenue to Marilyn Drive section is the Trans Canada Trail/Gus Stahlman Trail. This trail follows alongside the Speed River from Speedvale Ave to Victoria Road. Riverside Park encompasses the...Sudden Regional Forest
Sudden Regional Forest There is a well developed trail system throughout Sudden Regional Forest including a boardwalk through the wetland. There is a relatively large parking lot at the Spragues Road entrance which is the primary location for visitors. This Regional...VALEN’S LAKE CONSERVATION AREA
With its 10 kilometres of trails and 300-metre wetland boardwalk. Visitors can also climb the observation tower, offering a stunning view of the surrounding forests and lake. While beautiful any time of year, autumn has become a popular viewing season due to the...WALKER WOODS
Located in New Hamburg, Walker Woods offers over 2km of hiking trails. The trail head can be accessed by a sidewalk and stone dust trail starting at Highway 7/8 and running along the west side of Haysville Road to Stonecroft Way and then west through the residential...WALTER BEAN GRAND RIVER TRAIL
The Walter Bean Trail is a safe and wide trail that is an excellent trail for walking, jogging, and biking during warmer months. The trail is a popular spot for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and hiking in winter months. The trail runs through Waterloo, Kitchener,...WOOLWICH RESERVOIR
Woolwich Reservoir is one of seven owned by the GRCA to manage floods and maintain flows in the Grand River system. The entrance is at 7224 Reids Wood Drive, northwest of Elmira. The Elmira Lions Club built and maintains the Lions Trail, a 7-kilometre hiking and...