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Thanksgiving 2025 is going down as my best ever.
Published Oct 17, 2025 • Last updated Oct 17, 2025 • 2 minute read
This wooden staircase is along the Mystery Falls trail near Arkona. (John DeGroot photo) HandoutArticle content
Thanksgiving 2025 is going down as my best ever.
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Not because the turkey dinner was so yummy, but because Cheryl and I took the short drive to Mystery Falls, just outside Arkona.
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The weather was warm, the sky was blue and coloured leaves littered the trails. All good ingredients for a perfect walk in the woods.
Mystery Falls is one of Lambton County’s finest forests, dominated by beeches and maples. The three-kilometre trail is a medium-difficulty loop with several muddy sections, even after a month without rain. The optional 6 km trail is more difficult.
The charm of Mystery Falls stems from its simplicity. There are no picnic areas, no trailhead signs, no fancy railings and no garbage cans. Just a lonely Johnny-on-the-spot and a small gravel parking area for about eight cars.
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The actual waterfall is a delightful open area with plenty of places to snap photos.
If Mystery Falls is my favourite, Heritage Forest Trails at nearby Port Franks are a close second.
Park at the community centre and choose from one of three connected walks: three kilometres, 2.8 km and 3.1 km. The longest option, the High Ridge Trail, is easy to moderate and will boost our heart rate if you move along.
Heritage Forest Trails, dominated by oaks, is part of the small but significant Carolinian Forest. Soil is sandy, so there’s no mud. The trail is as delightful in winter as in summer and fall.
For a shorter trail, consider visiting the Mandaumin Woods Nature Reserve, between Confederation and Churchill roads. This small Carolinian woodlot has a wide variety of trees, of which sugar maple is most plentiful. Fall colour is stunningly beautiful.
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A visit to Pinery park gives you 10 trail options, ranging from the easy, fully accessible one-kilometre Riverside Trail to the nine-kilometre Beach and Savanna trail. Pinery Park is also great for cycling families.
Closer to home, Suncor Nature Way is a popular spot for walks. Connected to the Wawanosh wetlands, this trail system has undergone recent improvements, making the paths safer and more accessible.
Not noted for its trees, the area has extensive wetlands, a variety of wildflowers and grassland, and a few viewing platforms.
Also worth a visit is the small, hidden Art Teasell Wildlife Refuge on Blackwell Road, the site of the City of Sarnia’s former tree nursery. Walnuts, poplars and Manitoba maples dominate the canopy, while the forest floor is covered in a mix of mostly non-native growth.
For a longer walk, check out the Perch Creek Habitat Management Area, on Churchill Road between Blackwell and Telfer roads. This well-maintained property has meadow and wetlands with many recently planted silver maples.
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