Stressed students should look to the environment for remedy. Here are some of the top-rated nature trails around Brock.
As the midterm approaches, along with the essays, reports and exams that come with it, students may find themselves feeling increased levels of pressure and anxiety. What doesn’t help is when one reflects on the weeks that have rushed past and feels guilty about relaxing when there’s still work to do.
Dealing with this pressure can be difficult, but studies show that spending time in nature can generate “calmer, more relaxed or more focused” feelings. An article by Ontario Parks highlights how being outdoors can relieve anxiety, stress and depression, as well as other benefits like increasing energy and focus, improving creative thinking and sleep quality, and positively affecting mood.
With this in mind, here are the ten highest-rated trails around St. Catharines according to AllTrails, a website and app that shows hiking trails near you that’s home to a community of nature lovers who rate and comment on various trails.
10. Twelve Trail North to Laura Secord Trail
This relatively flat, 6.1-kilometre trail is considered easy, taking only an average of one hour and 15 minutes to complete. It is an out-and-back trail, meaning it goes in a straight line until it ends – or until you decide to turn back – and it’s a popular spot for birding, hiking and mountain biking. It begins where Glendale Road meets the river, about a kilometre north of Brock. A map can be found here.
9. Brock – Glenridge Quarry Loop
Even closer to Brock than the number 10 spot, the Glenridge Quarry Loop is located right beside the Quarry View residence. This naturalization site was a landfill until 2001 when it was repurposed into the natural beauty it is today. There are several trails that move throughout the site, but this specific loop is about 7.6 kilometres, taking about two hours to complete. This map starts the trail at Brock behind South Block and continues into the Bruce Trail; however, it can be shortened by starting at the site entrance by Quarry View or by cutting through the site.
8. Merritt Trail
This 10.1-kilometre point-to-point trail stretches from northwest St. Catharines all the way to northern Thorold. The trail follows two rivers and skirts along the edge of town, taking about two hours to complete. Part of it is noisy as it goes along the 406 for a spell, but the rushing rivers make up for this. This map of the trail is only a small section of a three- to four-day hike that stretches from Port Colborne to Port Dalhousie, but it’s a lot more manageable for Brock students.
7. Rockway Conservation Nature Trail
This trail is farther away, about five kilometres west of Brock, but students with a car will find it to be more serene and private due to its distance. It’s only 3.9 kilometres long, taking about 50 minutes to complete, but it features a creek with a rocky shore and a waterfall that provides some nice views. The trail is reportedly not very well marked, and be wary of wet weather, as the trail can get muddy easily. Despite this, it’s classified as an easy, kid-friendly trail, just like many of the others on this list.
6. Laura Secord Trail to Lower Decew Falls
Decew Falls is arguably the most well-known nature site for Brock students, with its scenic rivers and waterfalls. It’s a 3.2-kilometre loop, estimated to take around 50 minutes to complete. Students can follow this map, but it is advised to avoid this trail in the winter months as it can get very slippery with ice. Another caution: it is possible to get down to the base of the waterfall, but it is very steep and rocky. Either way, the waterfalls are still beautiful from the trail.
5. Twelve Trail and Laura Secord Loop
This trail is the full extension of the number 10 spot. Instead of being an out-and-back, it is a loop that goes around the entirety of Lake Gibson, the beautiful lake just beside the Village residence. It is moderately challenging, according to AllTrails, going for 12.6 kilometres and taking about two hours and 45 minutes to complete. Students can follow this map, but reviews say the trail is well-marked.
4. The 12 Trail East and Participark Trail
This trail is yet another on this list that begins where Glendale Road meets the river, like the number five and 10 spots; however, this trail goes the opposite direction, following the river north toward St. Catharines. It is a 5.5-kilometre loop that takes about an hour to complete, good especially for runners or bikers. The entire route is beside water, so this is a trail for all the river lovers out there. It is also more urban than the other trails on this list, near roads and infrastructure, with a packed gravel road serving as most of the trail.
3. Port Weller – Waterfront Trail
This lakefront trail is somewhat out of the way, located at the northernmost point of St. Catharines. It’s the only one on this list that provides a view of Lake Ontario and it’s located on a direct bus route from the St. Catharines terminal. It’s a popular 6.6-kilometre loop that takes about one hour and 10 minutes to complete. There is little-to-no shade or cover on this trail, which can make it very hot on sunny days.
2. Welland Canal Parkway Trail
This point-to-point trail is by far the longest on this list, encompassing a vast 40.1 kilometres and taking an estimated seven hours and 30 minutes to complete. However, students may find a sense of immense achievement for completing this trail, as it follows the entire length of the Welland Canal from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie. It is incredibly popular and provides a plethora of different sights due to its immense length. The canal should give students adequate direction, but a map can also be found here.
1. Bruce Trail from Bradley Street
The Bruce Trail is “Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath,” with over 900 kilometres of main trails and 450 kilometres of side trails that connect Tobermory to St. Catharines. Students are welcome to challenge themselves to the entirety of this trail, but it may take more time than they have available. Instead, they can enjoy the number one trail on this list, a 5.3-kilometre out-and-back trail, determined by AllTrails to be an easy route that takes about an hour to complete. Jeremy Smith, a reviewer on the website, dubs this trail “stealth urban”: it is a trail mostly surrounded by infrastructure, but still passes through plenty of nature, especially near the end. A map can be found here.
This is not an exhaustive list of the trails around Brock and St. Catharines, but it can be a positive starting-off point for students looking to include more nature in their lives. The AllTrails app can also help direct students to nearby trails and guide them through. Students should consider the health benefits of walking, hiking and running outdoors, or biking if they have the resources. School is going to continue racing past and causing stress, but students should never feel guilty about taking time for themselves to recuperate during or after a busy week, and being in nature is the perfect way to unwind and refresh the mind.