Shade’s Mills Conservation Area is a day-use park located in Cambridge, and is part of the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA). The park is open year round and features a number of different recreational activities. With over 12 kilometres of trails, hikers and cyclists can enjoy the hardwood forests along Mill Creek. Sport fishers will find a number of different fish species in the Shade’s Mills reservoir. The reservoir is also an ideal location for canoeing and kayaking, and there’s a long, sandy beach for swimming. Picnic tables are located throughout the park, and day-use visitors may use barbecues for cooking purposes in designated picnic areas.
In the winter, Shade’s Mills offers a number of different outdoor activities. The park has 10 kilometres of groomed and track-set cross-country ski trails and a snowshoe loop, weather permitting. Ice fishing is also available when weather conditions allow.