Starkey Hill Conservation Area — Attraction in Puslinch

Not a super simple hike, some good hills, very up and up and down, rocky. But quite enjoyable and not hard to take at a leisurely pace if needed. Lots of places you can take a seat. Trails are well marked and traveled. You'll probably pass a lot of people on a nice day, sometimes parking can get tight. Dog friendly.

Can be extremely muddy if there's been any wet weather recently. Waterproof footwear recommended. Don't do this in sandals or without decent tread on your shoes or be prepared to slip slide on the steep areas.

There's ponds, small swampy areas, heavy trees and a few meadows. The loop wanders nicely too and from these areas. There's QR codes and information plaques here and there which are fun for kids.

If you're there in late fall, winter or early spring, bring birdseed. Several different types of birds will eat from your hand, just be still and stand near branches. There are feeding stations set up early in the loops that the birds like to hang out at, also sometimes at the treeline at the entrance to the loop. They prefer to eat sunflower seeds (shelled) and will also try to eat peanuts if they're shelled (not successfully, but...

Hike in winter was not too strenuous but it was slippery with lots of foot traffic treading down snow into slush. I recommend bringing hiking//ski poles. Lots of dog walkers but not all are on leash even though they are supposed to be on leash. The whole loop is doable within a couple hours when walking at a leisurely pace and stopping every once in a while. The highest point of view (in all of Puslinch Township) is mostly surrounded by trees with one small glimpse towards Church of Our Lady in the far distance. The highest view would not be super entertaining for kids with short attention spans, but of course this is nature not an arcade. It can be quiet calmingly quiet in different areas, but with the proximity to the highways it is a constant distant buzz in the background. Not absolute silence. Overall a nice trail with good accessibility within Guelph area. Parking lot was full when we came, but it was a specially warm day in the winter with blue skies, so it was obvious we were not the only ones who thought of a nice hike. I estimate the parking lot has room for...

Great location for a nature hike just outside of Guelph. Trails are easily accessible and well-travelled, with a sizeable parking lot just off Arkell Road (which tends to get busy on weekends). It’s a great place to take dogs but they must stay leashed, and mountain biking is not allowed. There is no fee to use the trails at Starkey Hill.

There are also a large number of trails on the north side of Arkell Road which are great for mountain biking and longer, more secluded hikes. These trails are maintained by GORBA and the Guelph Hiking Club and users are asked to purchase a membership to one of these organizations (at minimal cost) to help support ongoing trail maintenance. It is also important to stay off closed trails (even if they look recently travelled) to preserve the privilege of using the remaining trails, as this area is not part of the official...