Walks and Views

The Skyline loop links Trails 30, 1 and 6 into a 5.3 km hilly walk of about two hours, with roughly 100 m of climbing and several lookouts over the Outaouais. It starts from parking lot P7 and is rated most difficult by the NCC, so good shoes are a must. Access to Gatineau Park's summer trails is free, and dogs are allowed.

The Waterfall and Lauriault trails form a 4.5 km forest loop that was former prime minister Mackenzie King's favourite walk, with a lookout on the Lauriault Trail and Bridal Veil Falls, which is at its best in spring. You can start at the Mackenzie King Estate (P6), the Lauriault lot or the Waterfall Trail lot, and the Lauriault loop is also one of the park's winter walking trails. Access to the summer trails and the winter walking trails is free, according to the NCC; dogs on a leash are allowed on the trail but not at the picnic area.

A formal flower garden created in 1938 on the Plains of Abraham, with English style flower beds in a French layout, tall elms and an equestrian statue of Joan of Arc by Anna Hyatt Huntington at its centre. It is one of the prettiest spots in Québec in summer, and the National Battlefields Commission adds winter lights and decorations some years. Free to walk through, near avenue Laurier and avenue Taché.

A quieter alternative to the famous Mer Bleue Bog Trail: a 3.3 km stone dust loop that winds through forest and wetland in the Mer Bleue conservation area, listed among the NCC's inclusive trails, with accessible parking, accessible washrooms and accessible picnic tables at lot P20 on the Anderson Road side. Slopes are mostly gentle, with one steeper stretch of about 60 m and a few narrow spots. Best from spring to fall; the NCC lists one segment as closed until fall 2026, so check its page before you go. Free; leashed dogs allowed April 15 to November 30.

A short, flat 0.5 km loop through mature deciduous forest in the Mer Bleue sector of the Greenbelt, one of the NCC's inclusive trails designed for people with reduced mobility, strollers and young families. The path is gravel and soil, about 3 m wide, with gentle slopes, accessible parking and accessible washrooms at lot P23 (note a boulder at the entrance leaves 1 m and 1.7 m openings). Best from spring to fall. Free to visit; dogs are not allowed.

Two short nature loops in the Stony Swamp sector of the Greenbelt that the NCC says children love: the 1.2 km Beaver Trail and the 0.7 km Chipmunk Trail, both starting from parking lot P8. They wind through the woodlands and wetlands of the largest wooded area in the Greenbelt, where beaver ponds and abundant wildlife are part of the scenery. Free to walk year round, with free parking and an outhouse at P8; dogs are never allowed on these trails.

An easy loop through the Stony Swamp sector of the Greenbelt (1.9 or 2.7 km) with interpretation panels on the region's geological history, Nepean sandstone outcrops and an old quarry. Watch for white tailed deer, painted and snapping turtles in the wetland and tree frogs singing in spring. Hiking is free year round, and from December to March it is open for free cross country skiing and snowshoeing, conditions permitting. Dogs are not allowed; free NCC parking at lot P5.

One of the Greenbelt's most family friendly hikes, with short, medium and long loops (0.7, 1.7 and 2.3 km) past beaver ponds, wetlands where great egrets nest and interpretation panels about the more than 560 native plant species of Stony Swamp. It is a hub for other trails, and there is a picnic area and accessible outhouses at the trailhead. Open year round; note that the section between waypoints 26C and 26G is closed until further notice, and dogs are not allowed. Free to visit, with free parking at NCC lot P9.

An easy 3.5 km loop in the north end of Rouge National Urban Park, with shorter and longer walking options through forest, meadows and along the water. It starts at the Woodland Day Use Area, 19 Reesor Road, where limited free parking is available all year. The park is free to visit and this is a good gentle walk for families.

A 2 km (one way) Parks Canada trail through young forest and wetlands, passing remnants of old orchards, homes and a mill from early settlement in the Rouge Valley. Start from the south trailhead at 55 Twyn Rivers Drive; access from the north trailhead at Zoo Road is currently closed. The park is free to visit; parking at Twyn Rivers Day Use Area is very limited and has portable toilets.

A classic 2.3 km (one way) Rouge Valley hike along an old logging route over a ridge, with rare Carolinian forest and some steep hills. The south trailhead is at 7450 Kingston Road and the trail meets the Orchard and Vista trails at Twyn Rivers Drive. The park is free, and parking is free but very limited; the lot is locked at 9 p.m. and reopens around 7 a.m.

A 1.5 km (one way) Parks Canada trail in the Rouge Valley whose two level viewing platform is one of the best places in Toronto to see autumn colours and wide valley views. Start from the south trailhead at 55 Twyn Rivers Drive; access from the north trailhead at Zoo Road is currently closed. The park is free to visit, but parking at Twyn Rivers Day Use Area is very limited, so transit is recommended on weekends.