Maidstone Conservation Area - Lakeshore, Ontario

Ron H.

Beautiful little Conservation are with a short loop trail through an old growth Essex County Forest. An opportunity to see what the county looked like hundreds of years ago before farming. The trail is wide and very well maintained. Some huge trees in the forest. Sadly the signal tree was destroyed a few years ago.

Boris G.

There is a nice forest. It is pretty good for flowers in early spring, though with few flowers after that. The trail can be muddy after recent rain, especially on the north side. The south side of the trail has some nice boardwalks. As in other forests, mosquitoes start to become a problem in mid May, so bring repellent.

The official trail only shows you Puce River at one spot. It is more like a creek in terms of width, but is a beautiful area. An unofficial trail follows the water. There is blue phlox flowering there in May. You can also walk between the rows of tall conifers at the north boundary of the conservation area.

The grassy area near the parking lot is not being cut any more. So, there's no place to play on the grass, but it could turn into a nice meadow. There are also few picnic tables, if any.

Jeremiah P.

Not bad. Short little trail. I haven’t had the chance to walk the whole thing but I definitely think it’s a spot that’s best in the summer, not so much in other seasons. But nice to have a little peaceful spot so close to Essex. Haven’t seen any wildlife to speak of yet, besides squirrels

Laura C.

Lovely park! One loop of the trail is about a 15 minute brisk walk, and there's a really nice little side trek along the creek that's very nice to listen to as well. Be careful when it's below freezing, the boardwalk portion gets slippery! Family and dog friendly for sure, get your outdoor time in here!! No picnic tables or sitting areas, you gotta move your body to enjoy this place. 🙂

Amanda A.

I come here with my dog several times a week. I love this place, especially in the fall. My dog loves it too - she wanders in the woodes areas, sniffing and chasing squirrels. My kids will come with on the weekends, and they like playing in the little creek, looking for tadpoles and frogs in spring and summer, and just getting muddy in the fall. They also love walking on falling tree logs and looking for snakes sunning themselves. It's always peaceful and quiet here, and, as a woman, I find I generally feel safe when walking alone here, which is nice. My dog also likes the grassy/weedy area next to the parking lot. She will spend an hour chasing field mice in the grass if I let her. The fern trees along the perimeter of the park have a 'tunnel' in them which is also really cool and pretty!

sen C.

The trail won’t take you more than 15 minutes I believe. Long sleeves are highly recommended in case of lots of mosquito, spiders and other insects. Very quiet little conservatory place.

Howard W.

Great spot for a short walk in the fall. Takes about 30 -45 minutes to loop the trail. Kept up well and boardwalks are in good condition. No washrooms on-site but there is a portapotty.

Martina C.

Nice short shaded trail. The main trail is about 1 km long but there is also another trail that starts on the right side of parking and goes through the tunnel of cedar trees, eventually connecting to the main trail. All in all, you can do at most 2 - 2.5 kms there.