Elmira: Trails, Nature and the Maple Syrup Festival

A loop trail around Elmira, a nature reserve on the eastern edge of town, and an annual festival rooted in maple syrup traditions give a trip to Elmira several different focal points. You can choose between time on the trails, outdoor art and the lively program of the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival. When looking for a vacation rental, you can start by considering which of these experiences you want to shape your stay.

Festival Traditions and Activities for Children

The Elmira Maple Syrup Festival has been held every year in Elmira since 1965. Its Family Fun Area includes a Kiddies Fun Trak, pony rides and face painting. The Farm Discovery Zone offers a live milking demonstration and opportunities to interact with farm animals. Families traveling with children will find specific activities here that differ from the vendor stalls and nature experiences in the surrounding area.

The festival's Outdoor Vendor Mall features more than 100 vendor stalls. Another longstanding tradition is the maple taffy demonstration near the bandstand in Gore Park. The festival brings together a range of experiences: stalls, a demonstration and designated areas for children's activities. If you plan your visit around what you would like to do together, these parts of the program can help set your focus.

Trails and Nature around Elmira

The Lions Ring Trail is an 11-kilometre loop around Elmira. At the northern edge of town, it connects to the Kissing Bridge Trailway. Hiking, cycling, cross-country skiing and birdwatching are permitted on the Lions Ring Trail. Its surfaces vary: the trail has a compacted stone-dust surface; in more sensitive woodland areas, side trails are surfaced with wood chips; and there are also sidewalk and road sections. This information can help you take trail conditions into account when choosing your day's activity; it does not mean every section is the same.

The Kissing Bridge Trailway runs west to the northern edge of Elmira. Near Elmira, it offers a flat, even path away from traffic and has a compacted stone-dust surface. Hiking, cycling and cross-country skiing are permitted there; snowmobiles are allowed only on designated sections. When planning, you can distinguish between the uses permitted on the trails described here, rather than assuming that both trails have the same rules.

The Elmira Nature Reserve lies east of Elmira, next to the Lions Ring Trail. It includes abandoned farmland and pasture, wetlands and wooded areas. Public trails allow visitors to experience the area and learn about its biodiversity. If you want to experience a range of landscapes as well as get some exercise, you can include this natural area as a distinct part of your trip.

Art and Heritage in Elmira

The Woolwich Art Tour is a self-guided outdoor art tour that includes works in Elmira. Another cultural stop is Dunke House at 2 William Street: it was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act on June 26, 1984. The Gore Park Bandstand is also a heritage property designated under the Act. It was built in 1892, moved to Gore Park in 1912 and designated on May 20, 1986. The art tour and the two named heritage properties offer different reasons to explore Elmira beyond its trails and festival.

Discover More Destinations

More destinations to explore: Cambridge, St. Jacobs, Woolwich, Waterloo and Kitchener.

Back to the regional travel overview: Waterloo Regional Municipality.