The best family-friendly hikes and walks in St. Lawrence County

The St. Lawrence River has the second-highest discharge of any river in North America, only surpassed by the Mississippi. It's also the primary outlet for the Great Lakes, flowing 1,197 kilometres from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean. Known as Kaniatarowanenneh (the big waterway) by the Kanienʼkehá꞉ka Nation and Magtogoek (the path to the sea) by the Mi'kmaq, the river has been a vital artery for Indigenous communities for thousands of years. Today, it's a cornerstone of continental trade and ecology, supporting everything from massive ocean-going vessels in the St. Lawrence Seaway to endangered beluga whales in its brackish estuaries. Here in Morrisburg you can take a peaceful stroll along its banks and watch the water make its way closer to the sea.

This park on the banks of the St. Lawrence River is well equipped with a boat launch & pier, picnic shelter, restrooms, sports fields, and a trail that takes you along the water. There is also a small beach for swimming and relaxing by the river.

The Jones Creek Trails on the east side of Mud Creek comprise four short hikes through the densely forested region and along the wetlands of Mud Creek and Jones Creek. The parking lot for these hikes is located off the Thousand Islands Parkway. A day parking ticket can be purchased from a vending machine and costs $8.50; it is valid for all parking areas in Thousand Islands National Park. The four short trips can be combined into a 3.5 km round trip, including the boardwalk through the beautiful Mud Creek wetlands. (Visit June 12, 2025) https://parks.canada.ca/-/media/pn-np/on/1000/WET4/visit/pdf/JonesCreekTrailMap-brochure-2017.pdf

Mud Creek is a stream in Thousand Islands National Park that drains into the St. Lawrence River via Jones Creek. The open waters are flanked by extensive wetlands, some of which can be explored via boardwalks on the Jones Creek Trails. Access to the trails near Mallorytown is via the Thousand Islands Parkway or Mallorytown Road. (Visit June 12, 2025)

Heron Loop leads along a hill above the Mud Creek wetland. Two Parks Canada Red Chairs invite you to linger and enjoy the magnificent view over the reeds in the wetland, the creek, and all the way to Jones Creek. (Visit June 12, 2025)

The boardwalk extends deep into the wetland along Mud Creek. However, the boardwalk over the creek, as shown on the Komoot map, is missing. The trails on the west side of Mud Creek, such as Wolf Trail, are accessible via Mallorytown Road. (Visit June 12, 2025) https://www.trailforks.com/trails/boardwalk-796503/

The Cranberry 50 trail takes you straight through the little town of Wanakena, which is a great spot to start/end your hike or refill supplies as needed. The route takes you along 2nd Street and Ranger School Road, past the SUNY-ESF Ranger School which offers programs in forestry and natural resource management.

This first-come, first-serve lean-to on the shore of the pond is often used by thru-hikers on the Cranberry 50, or section hikers just out for a day or two. There are a few primitive campsites farther north along the shore.