With over 200 kilometres of walking trails, 1,420 hectares of parkland, 31 waterfront parks, and more than 200 parks with playgrounds and sports fields, Oakville is a nature lover’s paradise. It doesn’t matter which neighbourhood you live in, you are very close to an excellent walking trail. Walk a few metres along almost any trail and you are truly transported from the city into nature. The town of Oakville takes it’s green space very seriously! Here are my recommendations for a great walk in the woods right on your doorstep!
If I had to pick one, my favourite trail is probably the 16 Mile Creek Trail Loop starting at Lion’s Valley Park. It’s just over 6 km long and has a few hills to climb/descend. You’ll definitely get a great workout. Lion’s Valley Park is one of the most popular parks in town and it can be quite busy on weekends in the summer so go early if you want to find a parking spot. According to Tripadvisor, it is the number one attraction in town and AllTrails also ranks it as the number one hiking destination in the area. It is definitely worth a visit and you can enjoy a picnic lunch in the park after your hike.
My second pick for a walk in the woods is the Joshua Creek Trail in South East Oakville. It is approximately 2.6 km from start to finish and I consider it an ‘out and back’ trip for an easy 5 k roundtrip walk. The trail is well forested and follows Joshua Creek from Constance Drive (just behind Sobey’s Grocery Store) to the shores of Lake Ontario. The view at the lake is amazing! There are a number of different entry points to the trail and you will meet lots of other people out enjoying nature along the way. There’s also a Joshua Creek trail on the north east side of town and it is nice too.
Number 3 on my favourite trails list is here for sentimental reasons — The Munn’s Creek / Shannon Creek trail is located in River Oaks and runs from Riverglen Blvd (across from Our Lady of Peace Catholic Elementary School) to the intersection of Upper Middle Rd E and Neyagawa Blvd. I’ve walked this trail so many times I’ve lost count. It was our route to school (weather permitting) for many years when my children were little. The boys and I have enjoyed countless hours meandering through this trail and geocaching along the way. If you have young children, geocaching is for you. It is a giant treasure hunt in nature! You can download the app here.
Last but not least is Bronte Creek Provincial Park. There are 5 excellent hiking trails inside the park plus an amazing variety of other activities including a 1.8 acre outdoor pool. You need to see it to believe it. The park also has a number of other interpretive programs that run year round and seasonal overnight camping. Anyone up for a night in a Yurt? For more detailed information, visit their website — It’s definitely a top staycation day or overnight trip.
Looking for more info on Oakville Trails? Here are a few helpful links: Town of Oakville trails information Alltrails list of ‘Best hikes in Oakville’
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