If you’re interested in checking out the quintessential Southwestern Ontario hiking trail, The Avon Trail is the best place for you to start your exploration. It is a very rural trail located near Stratford, Ontario, so the hiker can expect to see plenty of scenic farmland, gurgling streams, and peaceful back country roads on their travels. The Avon Trail stretches from St. Mary’s to Conestogo and is purely a footpath (i.e. motorized vehicles, cyclists, and campers are not permitted uses).

The trail is maintained by volunteers, and the group regularly hosts hikes that anyone can join (see the full list here). Additionally, the Avon Trail provides a link between the Thames Valley Trail in London and the Grand Valley Trail in Waterloo Region. I love the slightly more challenging terrain of this trail, as it left me with a feeling of being both refreshed and challenged. The pastoral nature of the landscape also gave me a lot to enjoy en route.

There being no specific map that I can provide for this trail (I would encourage you to purchase the reasonably-priced Avon Trail guide to get a better sense of locations), I will leave you with some of my pictures to enjoy.