Mill Run – Park / Rail Trail

Length – 13 km (one way)

40% park path
55% double track
5% road crossings, detours

Elevation – Mainly very flat along water’s edge, a few short climbs 

Terrain – Dirt/limestone screening base, muddy patches, some paved sections,  large bridges, boardwalks

Skill – Intermediate 

Maps – Map boards, trail markers are old and sparse 

Traffic – Typical path users, no motorized traffic

Facilities – Parking lots, toilets, benches, picnic tables, rain shelter and food at either end  – not much in the middle

Highlights – Relatively shady route, 3 dams, falls, bridges, old stone buildings

Trail Fee – Free

Phone – 519 623 1340

Website – City of Cambridge

Similar Trails – Greenway,  Speed River,  Etobicoke Creek

Local Clubs – Waterloo Cycling Club

Access – Reach Cambridge from Highway 401, which passes through the area. Park at any of these spots: 

• In Hespeler: public parking lot on Sheffield St.
• Along the way: on Beaverdale Rd. 
• In Preston: Russ St., Riverside Park, or at Hamilton St. & Bishop St. South.

Cycle 13 km of wooded Park paths north of Cambridge for a tranquil cruise into history. Following the shores of the Speed River, the 9 km Mill Run Trail goes from the old settlements of Hespeler to Preston. 

As well, to make this ride more appealing, I tacked on an extra 4 km. This is the continuation of the bike path, now being called the McMullen Linear Trail. 

In Western Ontario, you can find many short fragments of trail along the Speed and Grand rivers. The well-established Mill Run is longer and offers varied scenery and terrain the way I like it, not mundane spinning.

This bicycle route has plenty of shade as it cuts through cedar groves and hardwood stands. A flat route as it stays in sight of the water, it crosses the Speed River a few times on large pedestrian bridges and once on a narrow road bridge at Beaverdale Rd. Little traffic should make this a quick, safe bypass.

The path is mainly a dirt or crushed limestone base with a few paved sections.  Some low-lying areas probably get flooded in the spring, as the water appeared to me at times level with the path. 

Signage is old and spotty to follow, and maintenance to trim brush and fill in puddles would be nice, but I am not…

Read the rest of this review and 59 others in my NEW book, Volume 2 of Best Bicycle Park & Rail Trails in Ontario.