3 Best Hiking Trails in Waterloo

“Laurel Creek Conservation Area features 4.5 km of trails and 114 campsites, ranging from densely wooded to easily accessible locations. The park includes boat launches, sports fields, community centers, and gardens. As a radio-free location, one campsite with 26 spots is designated for quiet enjoyment. A community campsite is also available for enrolled youth organizations. Laurel Creek Conservation Area offers swimming, windsurfing, and other recreational facilities. The trails are open year-round and wind through forested areas. The friendly staff work hard to keep common areas clean.”

Read more

“Waterloo Geo Time Trail illustrates significant geological occurrences through 18 interpretive signs. The park is located four kilometres from the city center. Every four meters represents one million years of geologic history. Waterloo Geo Time Trail is open to the public and hosts several events annually. There is a great playground for kids and excellent pathways for walking and relaxing. The trail explains when geological cycles begin and end, provides information about numerous biological species that have arisen on Earth, and details significant catastrophic events. The signs along the trail contain fascinating facts.”

Read more

“Bechtel Park features a large wooded area with numerous trails parallel to a river. This park is on 100 acres of land on the city's east side. The park has excellent wooded trails and many athletic facilities. Bechtel Park also has a great fenced area for walking dogs off-leash. Bechtel Park has picnic tables and other amenities for people to enjoy the outdoors. Users can also enjoy the well-maintained park with many amenities, including tennis and baseball diamonds. Visitors can also take the ski trail path to the marsh and follow the creek. There are plenty of well-shady spots on a hot summer day for an enjoyable, relaxing stroll. Lots of parking is available at the park.”

Read more