Looking for Bike Trails in Ottawa (or surrounding area)
 

Well hello everybody.

Just to give you some history I moved to Ottawa nine years ago (1998) when I was 14 years old from British Columbia. I didn't know Ottawa so I learned most of the Orleans area on my bike, getting lost and then finding my way home. I have always been restricted to city bike paths or the roads because that all I know that exist, I have never had the opportunity, or any friends for that matter who were into riding bikes for recreation.

My girlfriend both have pretty much your cheap bikes that you can pick up from places such as Sportsmart etc as she has no interest in riding anything more than the bike trails along the river. But I still crave for more as when I lived out west I could ride my bike to a great area full of trails and I could kill an entire day in the woods. I have yet to find anything like that out here.

What I am mainly looking for these days are trails in wooded areas that provide for great landscape and a great biking environment/ trails that give you the feel your far far far away from any city, but at the same time, trails easy enough for an inexperienced rider such as my girlfriend.

I don't mind packing up the bikes on my bike rack to go to these trails, but at the same time I don't want to have a long commute just to enjoy a few hours on the bike.

Or, even at the very least, are there any goo bike clubs out there that have regular group rides, etc?

Have you checked out the Gatineaus? I have a friend who races there on w/e's as well as a nephew who teaches m/b'ing there during the week. I understand there is a load of trails in them thar hills.

Have you heard of the Ottawa Bike club? I'm sure they'd have a load of resources for you as well.

Good luck.

Gatineau Park is fantastic, http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins...&lang=1&bhcp=1. I am a roadie, but I have been up there a few times on my old MTB with friends. It is a blast. It'll be a way for you to ride if coming from Orleans. But you can park a lot closer and ride up or in the park and pay.

Camp Fortune, http://www.campfortune.com/en/ski/home.php, is supposedly even better though you have to pay to access.

I've heard there is good stuff in Kanata Lakes as well.

Thanks for your help, I will check those places out. I think the park might be best as it seems to be best for my girlfriend's skill level while giving me some different scenery than the river.

Hey, BB. There are miles and miles of trails in the Greenbelt that might be more suitable for your GF than anything in Gatineau Park or Kanata Lakes. The Greenbelt trails tend to be flatter than the Gats and not as gnarly as Kanata Lakes. I'm sure the National Capital Commission can give you a map to get you started. Also, there's no easier ride than the Ottawa-Carleton Trailway, the old railway line from Bells Corners to Carleton Place. Its flat and straight, but it has some nice, scenic sections.

I think i saw something down near Kanata. Kanata Lakes I think it's called.

Check out the Prescott Russell trail site too!

http://www.prescott-russell.on.ca/se...inframe_en.htm

Rad

This is kind of an old thread, but here are a few maps of Gainteau Park:

(try the trails with Circles - they are the beginner runs):
http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/data...eBroInside.pdf

More detailed, topographical map (don't forget the 2nd page!!):
http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/data...erTrailMap.pdf

If you've been, let us know how it went! I am headed up this weekend for some camping and biking!! Can't wait!!

Cheers,
Derrick.

I had a great ride last week from Kemptville along the river to Merrickville (lovely old town with lots of artists, cafe's etc.) and back. It's on roads but they are very used to cyclists, and there a number of very good B&Bs.

I seem to remember the route was about 60kms, starting at the golf club in Kemptville.

Your best resource for mountain biking in Ottawa is two places: ottawamba.org and mtbkanata.com
Between those two sites you will find maps of the area called South March Highlands (just outside of Kanata lakes) as well as updates concerning trail advocacy and maintenance, group rides, and all that.

To start off just print off one of the maps, check the trail conditions and have fun!

I'm from Merrickville, and I'll second the river route -- if you follow the River Road through Burritts' Rapids, it's excellent. Also, a lot of the backroads routes are great. I used to ride a loop from Merrickville through Kilmarnock, Jasper, Eastons Corners and (sometimes) North Augusta. It's mostly farmland, and passes over the canal and through orchards and berry farms. Lovely.

Edit: Here's a map: http://www.rideauheritageroute.ca/en...lingRoutes.pdf

I was reading your post and thinking... "Is he joking?" You are describing Gatineau park to a -T! You have your choice of paved trails, gravel doubletrack, and, although much of it is off limits to bikes, singletrack. There is gnarly singletrack at Camp Fortune, the paved pathc go for miles, meandering through hilly forests, and some sections of the parkways are closed to cars SUnday mornings!

Also check out the greenbelt, kanata lakes (but be prepared for some more challenging terrain and no pavement), trails by the governeor general's mansion (a little hard to find but a fun few minutes if you can put together a loop), the little trail network in Rideau River Park just off the bike path (watch out for hobos hanging out their clothes to dry, politely wave and smile as you pass)...

Lots of riding... I could probably think of more if I thought for longer. But gatineau park is the first place you should go.