Top 5 Winter Hiking Trails in Gatineau Park (Best Hikes Near Ottawa)

Описание: In this week’s travel episode, we present the top 5 winter hiking trails in Gatineau Park. From incredible lookouts to historic locations and waterfalls, here are five trails you must try during the winter season.

We begin with Trail #72 to the Lake Carman Lookout. Starting from Parking Lot P15, this 6.4 km hike leads to one of our favorite lookouts in the park. While the trail is considered moderate in difficulty, the incline to the lookout is no joke—but it’s absolutely worth the effort. Along the way, you can take a break at a rest area that even includes a fire pit.

Second on our list is the Wolf Trail (Trail #62). Starting from Parking Lot P13, this 10 km loop is considered difficult, but it features multiple lookouts, including an excellent sunset viewpoint. We recommend hiking this trail counterclockwise so you finish at the sunset lookout. Be sure to bring crampons or snowshoes, as the trail can get quite icy. Parking Lot P13 can get very busy, so try to arrive early in the day or later toward sunset.

The third trail on our list is the Lauriault Trail, starting from Parking Lot P6 at the Mackenzie King Estate. This is the easiest trail on our list and takes you past historic ruins, a beautiful waterfall, and a scenic lookout that’s perfect for sunsets. The hike takes about 1.5 hours, making it a great sunset hike.

Number four is the Lake Philippe Loop Trail (#73) from Parking Lot P19A (using Trail #50 to reach Trail #73). This 12.5 km loop is difficult, but it’s an excellent day hike with several rest areas where you can make a fire and enjoy lunch by the lake.

Finally, the Carbide Willson Ruins Trail. This is our favorite winter hike. Start at Parking Lot P16 and follow Trails #45 and #44 to reach the incredible Carbide Willson Ruins and waterfall. At over 12 km, it’s not a short hike, but it makes for a fantastic day adventure and a great place to stop for lunch by the waterfall.

For all of these hikes, it’s important to bring the proper equipment (either crampons or snowshoes depending on trail conditions) and to have your Gatineau Park Access Pass (day pass or seasonal pass). Also note that dogs are not permitted on most of these trails.

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All songs used for this video where used under an Artlist license aggreement.

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Video Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to the Gatineau Park
00:51 Trail 72 to Lake Carman Lookout
01:50 Wolf Trail (Trail 62)
03:12 Lauriault Trail
04:57 Lake Philippe Trail (Trail 73)
06:05 Carbide Willson Ruins Trail
07:35 Final remarks on the Gatineau Park