Explore our trails

Waterloo's has more than 150 km of trails that you can use year-round. Find trail maps, learn about popular routes, and follow the rules to keep trails safe for everyone.


On this page:

  1. Find a trail map
  2. Learn about our trails
  3. Share the trail safely

Find a trail map

Use these maps to plan your route:

We use trail counters at several points along the network.


Learn about our trails

Some popular trails are not maintained by the city, such as the Hydrocut Trail or those in Laurel Creek Conservation Area.

Coyotes live in natural areas across the city, including along trails. Keep dogs on a leash at all times and do not feed wildlife.

  • 3.2 km of trails in Bechtel Park
  • free parking near entrance
  • groomed for cross-country skiing in winter
  • close to the leash-free dog park

Keep your dog on leash at all times when using any trails.

Get directions to Bechtel Park.

  • 3.4 km trail
  • runs from Research and Technology Ion Station to St. Jacobs Farmers Market Road
  • multi-use trail
  • fully paved
  • part of the Trans Canada Trail

Get directions to the Farmers Market Trail.

  • 1 km trail
  • runs from King Street North to Lexington Road
  • connects to the Hillside Trail
  • multi-use trail
  • fully paved

Get directions to the Forwell Trail.

  • 3 km trail
  • runs from Lexington Road to Hillside Park
  • multi-use trail
  • partially paved

Get directions to the Hillside Trail.

  • 4 km of trails with 18 interpretive signs
  • discover when life first appeared and when major catastrophic events took place
  • learn about Earth’s history from the Archean and Proterozoic eons through the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras
  • track geological time: each metre equals one million years, each centimetre 10,000 years, and each millimetre 100 years
  • visit the sundial and learn how to tell time by the sun

Coyotes live in this area. Keep dogs on a leash at all times and do not feed wildlife.

Get directions to the GeoTime Trail.

  • 5.5 km of trails
  • runs between Erb Street West in Waterloo and Ottawa Street in Kitchener
  • connects Waterloo Park to Victoria Park
  • multi-use trail
  • fully paved
  • part of the Trans Canada Trail
  • historic route linking Waterloo and Kitchener on former railway corridor

Get directions to the Iron Horse Trail.

  • 8 km of trail along the Laurel Creek
  • runs from uptown Waterloo through University of Waterloo to Columbia Lake
  • multi-use trail
  • partially paved

Get directions to the Laurel Trail.

  • 7 km of looping trails
  • run through RIM Park Manulife Sportsplex
  • access to the Walter Bean Trail
  • multi-use trail
  • fully paved
  • free parking nearby

Get directions to RIM Park Trails.

  • 2.5 km of trails
  • connects uptown Waterloo to north end of downtown Kitchener
  • access to Trans Canada Trail and Iron Horse Trail
  • multi-use trail
  • fully paved
  • lit trail

Get directions to the Spurline Trail.

  • 7.5 km of trail
  • runs along the Iron Horse Trail and part of the Laurel Trail to St. Jacobs Farmer Market
  • connects Kitchener, Waterloo and Township of Woolwich
  • multi-use trail
  • fully paved
  • parking points along trail

Get directions to the Trans-Canada Trail.

  • over 8 km of trail
  • runs through the cities of Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge and Township of Woolwich
  • multiple access points including the Marsland Landing, the Claude Dubrick trailway and the Musagetes trailway at RIM Park Manulife Sportsplex 
  • multi-use trail

Get directions to the Walter Bean Trail.

  • 12 km of trails
  • runs through the Forest Hills Woodlot
  • access the trail through Laurelwood Drive
  • woodlot contains rare plants, migratory breeding birds and a variety of wildlife

Get directions to Westside Trails.


Share the trail

Follow these rules to keep trails safe and enjoyable:

  • slow down and give space to people walking or using mobility devices
  • leash your pet and pick up after your dog
  • warn others when passing — ring a bell or call out
  • pass on the left; slower users keep right
  • stay on trails and respect the privacy of nearby homes
  • stop for traffic at crossings
  • don't litter — use waste bins or take it home

Help protect Waterloo’s trails for everyone.