There are three main trail systems connected with the city of Cold Lake: Iron Horse Trail, Millennium Trail, and the Cold Lake Provincial Park trail system.

Iron Horse Trail

The Iron Horse Trail was built on a former railway easement, and is the longest continuous recreational trail in Alberta. In 1999, people from across the Lakeland came together to preserve this historic route, which originally served as a vital rail link for the growth of settler populations and rural economic growth. Along the trail, you can find historic train stations that are still standing, and take a step back in time.

This semi-wilderness, full-history trail is ready to be enjoyed any season of the year, and by a variety of travel methods. The trail is open to quads, mountain bikes, horses, horse-drawn wagons, snowmobiles, cross-country skis, and hikers.

The trail branches out into several staging areas, with Cold Lake sitting at the end of the Northeast Branch. Various rest stops can be found throughout the trail system, giving explorers plenty of opportunity to stop and take in historic sights and breathtaking wilderness. Plan to start or end your journey in the city of Cold Lake, and you will definitely come across the trestle bridge just to the south of the city. For more information, visit www.ironhorsetrail.ca 

Millennium Trail

Cold Lake’s Millennium Trial is an 11-kilometre trail running from one end of the city to the other. Completely paved and cleared year-round, the trail offers an excellent way to get some exercise and enjoy the great outdoors. It is commonly used by runners, cyclists, dog-walkers, and for community walks. Special needs vehicles like wheelchairs and scooters are the only motorized vehicles allowed on
this accessible trail, while those on off-road vehicles are asked to stay to the side of the trail and watch their speed as they travel to the closest trail head outside of city limits, or to a service station for fuel.

The Millennium Trail connects with Heritage Trail in Cold Lake North, running alongside the lakeshore between the Cold Lake Marina and Kinosoo Beach. This adds another two kilometres onto the Millennium Trail, and offers a scenic walk in and of itself. With ample parking at the Cold Lake Marina, it is a great place to start out on your own urban adventure. It also provides access to the Cold Lake skate and bike park and the Cold Lake Mountain Bike Park, located on the slopes of the Radar Hill, the site of a former Cold War radar station.

Cold Lake Provincial Park

With 11.5 kilometres of trails to choose from, Cold Lake Provincial Park is a popular destination for nature lovers, bird watchers, and campers. These trails are accessible from the Cold Lake Provincial Park, which has plenty of parking for day-use.

The trail system covers a variety of terrain, giving both beginners and advanced adventurists something to choose from. In the summer, you will find people hiking and mountain biking throughout the park, before it is transformed in the winter to an excellent course for cross-country skiers and snowshoers.

When spring arrives in Cold Lake, over 200 species of birds can be seen in a variety of habitats, including clear-water lakes, marshy wetlands, and mixed-wood boreal forest.

During the four-week period from mid-May to mid-June, bird watching enthusiasts are rewarded with breeding colours and songs. A turkey vulture, a great blue heron, or a flock of American white pelicans flying in formation are frequent sightings, so photographers should keep their cameras close at hand.