Grand River Country | Trails Take Flight

Huron Natural Area Trail - Kitchener

Latitude/Longitude: 43° 23' 57" N , 80° 29' 1" W

The Huron Trail is located in an attractive park with diverse features and facilities. The park itself is a gem surrounded by residential, commercial and industrial development. The Red Trail is open all year, and begins with a large parking lot, a picnic shelter, and modern washrooms, which are open from late April to the end of October from dawn to dusk.

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One km of the trail is paved for wheelchair use and is in the form of a loop. The rest consists of a larger loop and has a hard fine gravel surface. The total length of the main trail is 1.1 km. There are many side trails, mostly looped, such as the Green Trail (Woodland) and the Yellow Trail (Grassland), slowly curving around scenic, hilly terrain. Most of the trails are easy to walk or bike.

The main trail forms a loop around a large red pine plantation. Along the other side of the trail there are mixed woods with aspen, maple, and basswood, and extensive regenerating fields. The most striking feature however is a five acre marsh, opposite the pine plantation, with lots of open water and an excellent observation deck.

The area as a whole is exceptionally diverse and attractive with kettle lakes, wide views, and wetland. Diversity of bird life is therefore a major feature the year round. They include Green Heron, Great Blue Heron, rarely Great Egret, Northern Pintail, Common Golden Eye, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Cooper’s Hawk, American Kestrel, all of the woodpeckers, many gulls, Great Horned Owl, flycatchers such as Least, Great Crested, and Eastern Kingbird, Tree Swallow and other swallows.

A large number of migrants will likely pass through. Possible migrants that may be found along the trail could be Swainson’s Thrush, Hermit Thrush, several warbler species and a few vireo species. Resident birds are also well represented by warblers such as Chestnut-sided, American Redstart, and Common Yellowthroat. Chipping, Field, Savannah, and Song Sparrows are common, as are the American Goldfinch and Red-winged Blackbird.

Grassland birds found here include Song, Chipping and Savannah Sparrows, Eastern Meadowlark, American Goldfinch, Yellow Warbler, and a few swallows. Wetland birds include Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser, Green Heron, Great Blue Heron, Swamp Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, Red-winged Blackbird and possibly Sora and Virginia Rails.

Forest birds that may be found on the woodland trails include Downy, Hairy, and possibly Pileated Woodpeckers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Northern Flicker, Indigo Bunting, Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, Black- throated Green Warbler and Brown Creeper. Raptors and owls may also be found throughout the trail system including Great Horned and Eastern Screech Owls, Cooper’s Hawk and American Kestrel. Several flycatcher species may also be found along the trails including Great-crested Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, and Eastern Wood Pewee.

Trail Owner and Manager: City of Kitchener