Walking & Strolling.
The Welland Canals Parkway Trail runs 12.5 kilometres of paved canal-side walking through the City of Thorold — flat going alongside the working ship corridor of the Welland Canal, with the Lock 7 Viewing Complex deck as the high point looking down on Locks 4 through 7. The trail is the in-city segment of the 45-kilometre St.
Catharines to Port Colborne canal corridor.
The brief.
The canal trail is paved, flat (except at the Lock 7 / escarpment climb), and open into shoulder season — the best walking is May through October when the Welland Canal is in navigation. Lock 7 sits at the high point of the climb, 174.3 metres above sea level, and the viewing deck looks down on Locks 4, 5, and 6's twinned flight locks.
Battle of Beaverdams Park is the downtown heritage walk anchor (Battle of Beaverdams Monument, Laura Secord plaque, Lock 25 of the Second Welland Canal). The Mel Swart Lake Gibson Conservation Park boardwalk offers a short flat lakefront loop on a 29-acre former Beaverdams Creek floodway, with a small lookout tower at the boardwalk's end.
4. places.
- 01
Welland Canals Parkway Trail (Thorold portion)
12.5 km of paved canal-side trail through the city, part of the 45-kilometre St. Catharines to Port Colborne canal corridor.
- 02
Lock 7 Viewing Complex deck
Short canal-side walking and viewing deck on top of the Niagara Escarpment looking down on Locks 4 through 7.
- 03
Battle of Beaverdams Park
Downtown heritage walking park.
- 04
Mel Swart Lake Gibson Conservation Park boardwalk
29-acre lakefront park with a boardwalk loop and lookout tower over Lake Gibson.
Today's read.
Cold but firm — winter-ready conditions · light winds · clean air.