Here (Rochester NY), the local garden center is selling 3 cubic foot
bags of Canadian cedar or hardwood mulch for about $4.00. Each bag
covers about a 5x10 foot area of my garden beds. Find a garden center
where you can actually speak to the owner or manager, and see if you
can make a deal for LOTS of bags.

I like the idea of going ahead and making a path.

Some city landfills offer low-grade mulch free for the taking. You might
check into that where you live too.