10 of the Best Hiking Trails Near Ottawa
Ottawa is amazing.
Canada’s capital city offers year-round opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. From ice skating on the Rideau Canal in winter to summer sports in the many green areas that dot the concrete jungle, explorers will be entertained for days.
Once you get out of the city, the sprawling outdoors offers a variety of trails to suit every level of ambitious hiker.
Grab your boots and your backpack! Whether you’re looking for a walk in the woods or a steep climb to jaw-dropping lookout points, these 10 hikes are sure to delight.
King Mountain
Gatineau Park
National Capital Commission
Trail length: 1.9 km
Difficulty: Easy-moderate
Elevation gain: 100 m
Why it’s awesome: 10 lookouts with stunning views
Description: Travel through maple groves, mixed forest and open-rock to the Eardley Escarpment. The lookouts reward hikers with gorgeous views over the Ottawa River Valley. Stairs and some steep sections make this a moderately graded hike, but the loop shouldn’t present too much of a challenge to fit hikers.
Directions to the King Mountain trailhead: Click here
Distance from Ottawa: 27 km
Outaouais Trail
Gatineau Park
National Capital Commission
Trail length: 11 km
Difficulty: Challenging
Elevation gain: 447 m
Why it’s awesome: A gorgeous trek around Lac Philippe
Description: This difficult loop hike yields gorgeous views of the lake it passes by. The trail is moderately used in-season, from April to October.
Directions to the Outaouais Trail trailhead: Click here
Distance from Ottawa: 45 km
Luskville Falls
Gatineau Park
National Capital Commission
Trail length: 4.5 km
Difficulty: Challenging (steep climbs)
Elevation gain: 290 m
Why it’s awesome: A unique ecosystem with a variety of wildlife and plant life.
Description: Scramble up the side of the Eardley Escarpment for a difficult, but rewarding, trek. Stop at Luskville Falls, a striking vertical cascade of water that pours into a winding stream.
Directions to the Luskville Falls trailhead: Click here
Distance from Ottawa: 35 km
Manitou Mountain Trail
Calabogie Peaks
Trail length: 9 km
Difficulty: Intermediate
Why it’s awesome: Three stunning mountaintop lookouts
Description: Hike or snowshoe through the pristine pine forest that lines the Manitou Mountain Trail. If you’d rather not double-back, drop a shuttle vehicle at the end of the trail.
Directions to the Manitou Trail trailhead: Click here
Distance from Ottawa: 110 km
Eagle’s Nest
Calabogie Peaks
Flickr/Sang Trinh (CCby2.0)
Trail length: 8 km total (out and back)
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: 120 m
Why it’s awesome: Cliff-top lookout with superb views
Description: A great snowshoeing or hiking trail, Eagle’s Nest is a Sacred Site to the First Nation’s peoples of the area. The trail is considered a treasure of the Ottawa Valley and offers an “eagle’s eye view” of the surrounding landscape.
Directions to the Eagle’s Nest trailhead: Click here
Distance from Ottawa: 110 km
Pinhey Forest Trails
National Capital Commission
Trail length: 6.7 km
Difficulty: Easy
Why it’s awesome: Year-round accessibility for all hiking levels
Description: If you’re looking for a shaded trek to escape the mid-afternoon sun or an easy exploration with families, this loop trail makes the perfect meandering walk in the woods.
Directions to the Pinhey Forest trailhead: http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/trails/view/pinhey-forest-trails
Distance from Ottawa: 15 km
Rideau Trail
Kingston – Ottawa
Flickr/Gordon Bell
Trail length: 387 km (total network)
Difficulty: Varies
Elevation gain: 600 m
Why it’s awesome: Spectacular, well-maintained trail alongside the Rideau Canal
Description: Whether you’re looking for a quick out-and-back or itching for a multi-day trek, the Rideau Trail has something for everyone. Stretching from Kingston to Ottawa, avid hikers can tackle the entire trail in 9-16 days.
Directions to the Rideau Trail trailhead: rideautrail.org/discover-the-trail/maps
Distance from Ottawa: 0 km (ends in the city)
Stony Swamp Trails
Flickr/Catherine Bulinski (CCbyND2.0)
Trail length: 40 km (total)
Difficulty: Easy
Why it’s awesome: All-season area to enjoy the outdoors
Description: Cross-country skiers, snowshoers, hikers, birders and bikers flock to this trail, which is the most ecologically diverse protected area in the Ottawa Valley. There are sugar maples, boggy wetlands and over 250 unique species of birds (and 17 that are endangered).
Directions to the Stony Swamp trailhead: Click here
Distance from Ottawa: 21 km
Mary Hayden Trail
Mont O’Brien
Trail length: 4-5 km
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: 170 m
Why it’s awesome: Forests, hills, creeks, wetlands and rare diversity
Description: Mont O’Brien is a beautiful, 30 km2 biodiversity reserve, with frequent wildlife sightings. The area boasts over 80 varieties of mushrooms.
Note: you will require a Mont O’Brien membership ($25 per year), plus a $5 deposit for the key, which unlocks a padlock on the access road. Funds support the non-profit Mont O’Brien Association. Maps are provided with memberships.
Directions to the Mont O’Brien trailhead: Click here
Distance from Ottawa: 104 km
Oiseau Rock Trail
Sheenboro, QC
Trail length: 9 km round-trip
Difficulty: Intermediate
Why it’s awesome: A First Nation’s Sacred Site with ancient pictographs
Description: The red ochre paintings that draw archaeologists and history-buffs to Oiseau Rock are hundreds, and perhaps even thousands, of years old. This trail lines the Ottawa River and passes through the Algonquin forest. It is open from May to October.
Directions to the Oiseau Rock trailhead: tourisme-pontiac.com/oiseau-rock
Distance from Ottawa: 175 km
Do you live in Ottawa?
Got a favourite trail that’s not on our list?
Let us know: tweet us
or leave a comment below
P.S. Did these 10 hikes inspire you to explore more?
Explore magazine’s “Live the Adventure” Club is more than just a quarterly subscription box. Included in your membership is exclusive access to our private Facebook group where we host Live videos with experts, hold motivational challenges and give away awesome outdoorsy prize packs.
What are you waiting for? Join explore’s LTA Club today.
More hiking in Ontario:
Weekend Inspiration: Beginner-Friendly Overnight Hikes in Ontario
When you purchase something via the links in our articles, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Read more about our policy.
