Top Walking Trails in Mississauga to Make The Most of Summer and Your Health
So many people underestimate the benefits of going for walks as a form of exercise. There was a time when I was one of these people. I believed that for something to be considered exercise, you had to be sweating and out of breath. Not true!!! Walking is great for cardiac health and mobility. During the lockdowns, going for walks became my salvation – it helped me both mentally and physically. Lucky for me as a Mississauga resident, I had lots of options to keep my walks interesting and I’m happy to share some of my favourites with you!
Erindale Park: Culham Trail
My all-time favourite trail in Mississauga to go walking is the Culham Trail, accessible from Erindale Park. It’s a 13.5km trail that runs along the gorgeous Credit River. This trail looks beautiful all year round, however it’s safest in the spring, summer and fall as they don’t maintain it during the winter. It’s a surprise to me that many people who live in Misssissauga are still unaware of Erindale Park! Located at the intersection of Mississauga Rd. and Dundas St. W, this park has many picnic areas, a small hill that’s great for tobogganing in the winter and multiple points of access to the Culham Trail. My favourite time to go is during the day, when it’s relatively quiet and not busy.
Riverwood Conservancy: Riverwood Trail
Another beautiful trail that’s not as long but still has serene views is the Riverwood Trail at the Riverwood Conservancy. This trail is a 3.1km loop and is fairly simple, taking about 40 minutes to complete. Be prepared to get a variety of views of the surrounding forest, meadows and ofcourse the Credit River.
Meadowvale Conservation Area: Culham Trail
An absolute favourite of mine when I’m seeing patients in the Meadowvale area and have some downtime in between appointments is the Meadowvale Conservation trail. This conservation also features the Culham Trail in addition to lots of forestry. You’ll also find groups having picnics and people fishing for salmon and trout. The only downside to this trail is there is limited parking, but you do get to drive through the quaint and charming Old Derry village to get here. Once you arrive, you’ll be shocked that just a minute ago, you were in the suburbs!
Lake Aquitaine Park: Lake Aquitaine Trail
This is a much smaller trail surrounding Lake Aquitane at the intersection of Aquitane Avenue and Glen Erin Drive. I’ll admit, I really only walk this trail if I’m seeing a patient nearby and have some time to kill. It doesn’t feature any spectacular views but one interesting feature is the outdoor gym equipment placed at various points along the loop.
Port Credit: Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens
This is another favourite of mine, located in charming Port Credit. I used to work at a physiotherapy clinic on Lakeshore Rd in Port Credit and this lovely park was about a 5 minute walk away. It was perfect for a nice lunchtime stroll and I’ve since introduced family and friends to this cute spot. Apparently, it’s one of Canada’s largest public rhododendron gardens. If you don’t know (because I didn’t), rhododendrons are flowers that bloom between May and June, but the garden stays beautiful year round. The trail here isn’t long, but you can walk along the lake and get some nice waterfront views. You can also walk over to Port Credit afterwards for a nice lunch or some ice cream at my favourite – Eva’s Chimney!
Streetsville: Hewick Meadows
If you’ve ever driven down Mississauga road to Streetsville, you may have seen this quaint little log house. And if you happen to park by it, you’ll walk down to Hewick Meadows, a hidden gem with picturesque waterfront views and some wonderful paths for walking and biking. You’ll also spot people fishing as this is a great spot to catch some seasonal trout. You can also pop into the Leslie Log House museum, which is a log home from the 19th century with some historic artifacts inside. My favourite part about this particular trail is it’s not frequented by many. So if you want to escape from the hustle bustle of daily life and don’t want to run into large groups, this is the ideal spot.
