Cootes Drive Trail

The Cootes Drive Trail is a multi-use asphalt trail extending between Sanders Boulevard (Hamilton) and Dundas/Thorpe Street (Dundas). The trail is 2.5 kilometres long by 3.5 kilometres wide, and can be accessed from Sanders Boulevard (where there is a signed level crossing of Cootes Drive to McMaster University), just south of the McMaster University bridge across Cootes Drive, Olympic Drive, King/East Street and Dundas/Thorpe.

The Ronald McDonald House, which provides housing to the families of children who require hospitalization outside of their hometowns, is located at the southern end of the site, at the corner of Main Street West and Cootes Drive.



The path is signed and marked. Parking is available on adjacent side streets (restricted time limits). There are no washroom facilities. Accessibility: the trail is smooth and is accessible from the access points, however, approximately 250-m of the southbound portion of the trail has a 3-4% grade.

At one time, this property would have been part of 200 acres of land purchased in 1802 by James Forsyth from Robert Hamilton, father of George Hamilton, the city's founder. The Cootes name comes from Cootes Paradise (the Dundas Marsh), which was one of the early names for the town of Dundas. Captain Coote was an English soldier who was known for hunting at the marsh.

     Know somebody who might be interested in this trail? Share it with them!

---

REVIEW

Have you traveled this trail? If you have any corrections or new information you'd like to send us, we'd love your input. Also, any photos or videos you may have taken of your adventures on this or any other trail are welcome as well. Be a part of our trail community!

    

---

COMMENT & SHARE

Use your Facebook account to comment on this trail and share your experiences below.

---

At the Ontario Trails Council, we do our best to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the information we provide on the site. Please remember however, that some of the information you'll find here has been provided by third parties; we can't take responsibility for that information or make any guarantees as to its quality or accuracy. It's also important to remember that while something you read here may have been correct at the time it was posted, Seasons change and the trails change with them! Contact the trail manager or local weather office when planning a trip to avoid surprises, like poor conditions or trail closures.

Please note that when you send us images, you give us the right to use them as we see fit, without limitation or compensation, to promote the Ontario Trails Council.

This site is supported by a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion Active 2010 Recreation Program, The Ministry of Natural Resources, The Ontario Trillium Foundation and trail users like you!