The best walks and hikes in Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness Area

Named after the historic stagecoach routes that once crossed this area, Old Stage Coach trail offers a quieter section of the McDonald Sports Park trail network. The path winds through mature forest with a gentle grade, making it a comfortable walk for most abilities. It's part of a larger network of interconnected trails around Lake Thomas, and the surrounding woodland provides good opportunities for birdwatching and spotting local wildlife throughout the year.

Despite its name, this area offers more than just sports fields. Trails wind through open green space, small wooded sections, and wetland habitat, creating an easy and family-friendly walk. Benches and picnic areas provide plenty of places to stop along the way, while the wide paths are popular with walkers, runners, and cyclists. It's a good option when you're looking for a shorter outing close to the city without venturing far from amenities.

Lake Thomas brings a scenic stretch of shoreline to McDonald Sports Park, with several trails weaving through mature forest beside the water. Openings in the trees provide views across the lake, while benches and picnic tables offer quiet spots to stop along the way. The lake is a popular destination for paddling and wildlife watching, and the combination of wooded trails and lakeside scenery makes this one of the most picturesque sections of the park.

Myra Road Falls is a lovely little cascade where the water gently flows over smooth rocks into a small, shallow pool. The area is surrounded by trees and moss-covered stones, and is a quiet and tucked-away spot. It’s a great place to take a break, and feels more like a sense of discovery rather than a crowded tourist destination.

West Brook is a small, clear stream that flows through mixed forest as it trickles over the rocks and gravel, creating shallow pools and small riffles along the way. This quiet waterway blends peacefully into the surrounding landscape, adding to the area’s natural beauty, with plenty of places to stop along its banks for a lovely break along the trail.

Myra Road Falls Trail is a short and relatively easy route that winds through mixed forest alongside West Brook, leading to its charming namesake cascade. The path stays close to the water, with its soothing sound to accompany you as you walk. It’s a lovely and peaceful trail, perfect for a quiet stroll in nature.

Lake William is a beautiful, long, narrow lake surrounded by mixed forest, quiet coves, and pockets of wetland along its shoreline. The lake is popular for paddling, swimming, and fishing, with its calm water drawing locals throughout the warmer months. Trails and active-transportation routes run near parts of its edge, offering glimpses of the water and linking the lake to the wider outdoor network in the Shubie Park corridor.

Marshall Brook sits at the end of the trail, and is a shallow, rocky stream that threads through a mix of wetland and open woodland before feeding toward the Lake William corridor. The water moves gently around boulders and fallen branches, with birch, spruce, and low shrubs opening up the banks and letting in plenty of light. It’s a peaceful spot for a break to enjoy the moving water as it slips into the wetlands that border the lake.