Hiking Trails of Ottawa, the National Capital Region, and Beyond

Collected here, for the first time, are the best hiking routes in the National Capital Region, including Gatineau Park, Ottawa’s Greenbelt, brand new trails at Manitou Mountain, and Eastern Ontario’s most outstanding provincial parks (Frontenac, Charleston, and Murphy’s Point), as well as gems hidden in the neighbouring Canadian Shield and Laurentian Highlands.

All fifty routes are located within a roughly 100-km radius of Ottawa, all within easy reach. Michael Haynes provides GPS coordinates to the trailheads and cell phone coverage gaps on each trail, and his “Trails at a Glance” section highlights each route’s length, suggested completion time, permitted uses, entry fee, and degree of difficulty (ranging from easy walks to demanding hikes), as well as information on the conditions under which pets may or may not be permitted.

AUTHOR

Michael Haynes

Michael Haynes is Canada’s most published author of trail guides and a leading authority on trail development and active transportation. He has authored fifteen trail guides, including Hiking Trails of Cape Breton, Trails of Halifax Regional Municipality, and the two-volume The Best of The Great Trail. Haynes’s travel writing has appeared in Ottawa Magazine, Saltscapes, and Explore. He lives in Halifax.

Reviews

Grab your hiking boots, water bottle, and some healthy snacks, and hit the trail! Collected here for the first time are the best hiking routes, new and old, in the National Capital Region — Gatineau Park, Ottawa’s Greenbelt, Frontenac, Charleston, Murphy’s Point — as well as gems hidden in the neighbouring Canadian Shield and Laurentian Highlands. Just want to get out for the day? All fifty routes are within 100 km of Ottawa, and there is something for both the novice and the experienced hiker.

Inside, you’ll find GPS coordinates to trailheads; cellphone coverage for each trail; a “Trails at a Glance” chart that provides information on each route’s length, completion time, permitted uses, and degree of difficulty; and complete trail descriptions (with maps and photos) of the best hiking trails in the National Capital Region.