Hike, bike, snowshoe, ski or stroll—conservation areas, long trails and rivers abound in Perth Country. Spring brings birdsong and the scent of flowering trees. Summer means picnics, pools and lazy days at the St. Marys Quarry. Vibrant autumn colours lure you out to enjoy the leaves and crisp air. And by the time the snow falls, it’s a winter wonderland.

Trails and Strolls

The North Perth Community Trails connects the region’s 22km trail system, offering hiking and biking in the summer, and cross country skiing in the winter. The Sawyer Preservation Woodlot located southwest of Russeldale is a 28 acre forest ecosystem with 2.4km of trails. At Morningdale Park in Millbank sits the Dunbar Settler’s Cabin, where you can still find the foundation for the old mill on the bank of the Nith River. Stroll through the Shakespearian Gardens and Millennium Park in downtown Stratford, and keep an eye out for the Bronze Stars on the city’s sidewalks celebrating some of the most famous names in Canadian – and more importantly – Stratford’s theatre history.

Family Fun

There are plenty of creative and fun ideas for family day trips in Perth County. Listowel has two public swimming pools, tennis courts, a skateboard park, soccer and baseball facilities, a golf course, and numerous playgrounds. Visitors to Mitchell can enjoy picnic areas at the Lions Park by the Thames River, as well as a walking trail, an aquatic education station, an animal zoo and a free splash pad. Perth East has an outdoor pool, playgrounds, and family fishing and picnic spots at the nearby Shakespeare Conservation Area. During the heat of summer, visitors and residents alike make the most of the cool, refreshing water at the Quarry in St. Marys, Canada’s largest outdoor freshwater swimming pool. There is also outdoor swimming at Cadzow pool, and the nearby Pyramid Recreation Centre boasts an indoor saltwater pool, and a free outdoor splash pad perfect for the little ones on a hot summer’s day. Wildwood Conservation area in Perth South has a marina, a beach, and walking/hiking trails that are accessible year round. Stratford’s Lions Pool is a great place for a dip before taking a paddleboat ride along the Avon River, where you can also feed the swans and waterfowl and picnic on Tom Patterson Island.

Winter

Perth County has many opportunities for winter activities; from both outdoor and indoor skating rinks, cross-country skiing along the various hiking paths and conservation areas, sliding down the hills at a golf course that morphs into a tube slide in winter, or taking a horse-drawn wagon ride through a winter celebration of lights. Snowmobilers take advantage of this region’s snow belt location each winter, with miles of groomed trails winding through the towns and municipalities. Perth County offers plenty of restaurants, accommodations, equipment dealers, as well as club houses dotted along the trail routes.

Show Recreational Activities

The West Perth Thames Nature Trail and Wetlands offers variety for all ages and fitness levels, for many activities and interests such as cycling, walking, jogging, dog-walking, bird-watching and photography. Mitchell, ON ADD TO MY ITINERARY