Hiking at Riverwood, Mississauga

What the park holds

Riverwood covers 150 acres alongside the Credit River in Mississauga. According to The Riverwood Conservancy, the park is co-owned by the City of Mississauga and Credit Valley Conservation. It takes in woodlands, meadows, ravines and slopes, wetlands, creeks, a floodplain and former farmland. The Conservancy also describes 200- to 350-year-old trees, Great Lakes deciduous forest, pockets of Carolinian forest, old-growth forest and an oak savannah.

More than 160 bird species have been identified here, according to the City. The Conservancy also mentions white-tailed deer, red fox and red-backed salamander.

The trails

The Riverwood Conservancy describes a network of four trails through 37 acres of natural space. The Conservancy's PDF map gives the length of some trail segments, from 140 m to 1.7 km, without proposing a complete route.

The City describes the park as having accessible trails. The Conservancy adds that the trails are not paved and may not be suitable for wheelchairs. The pathways in and around the MacEwan Terrace Garden, however, are paved.

The pond, known as MacEwan Pond, is wetland habitat for native plants and wildlife. A boardwalk lets visitors look at it up close.

Heritage, gardens and public art

• Chappell House, built in 1919, is now home to The Riverwood Conservancy.
• According to the City, the MacEwan Field Station and MacEwan Barn still have their original 1850s hand-hewn beams.
• The MacEwan Terrace Garden is a two-acre perennial garden opened in 2012. It is accessible and looks over wetlands, grasses, and white pine and spruce trees. It attracts birds and butterflies.
• Pine Sanctuary, a public art pavilion installed in 2017, marks the park entrance. The City of Mississauga commissioned it.
• Visual Arts Mississauga is also based in the park.

Rules that matter

• Stay on designated trails and watch wildlife from a safe distance.
• Dogs may not be off-leash (City of Mississauga Parks By-law 0197-2020).
• Barbecues and open fires are prohibited.
• Drones and other remote-controlled devices are prohibited, as is walking or skating on snow- or ice-covered water.
• Planting, pruning, removing or damaging trees, shrubs, flowers or grass is prohibited.
• Take your litter to the bins and do not put human food in bird feeders.
• Cyclists must not obstruct or endanger other park users.