Gatineau Park
Nature only steps away from the city

This is a place surrounded by nature, only steps away from the National Capital. During your visit in the Outaouais region, stop in this nature park where you can do all kinds of outdoor sports and discover remnants of the region’s historic heritage. Summer and winter alike, the Gatineau Park invites you to breathe some fresh air.

In winter, you can do some cross-country skiing on the 200 kilometres of paths. You can choose to do the entire course during a long ride, or to only spend a few hours outside. If you choose to do the long ride, you can spend the night winter camping in one of the eight refuges. Cross-country skiing is for sure one of the best ways to exercise while discovering the beautiful landscapes of the region. Hiking lovers will be happy to learn that they can walk along the hiking path during winter as well. Snowshoeing is a sport that is becoming more and more popular. This is why the Gatineau Park has designed some snowshoeing paths to allow those sport’s lovers to breathe the park’s fresh air. Camp Fortune, located in the park, offers alpine skiing enthusiasts a 179-metre (590 feet) mountain. A total of 23 trails for beginners or experts await you. In addition, 12 trails are lighted at night to allow you to fully enjoy the mountain. You can rent equipment at the kiosk, which allows you to enjoy the outdoors.

In summer, the Gatineau Park is the peaceful gateway of the city’s inhabitants. If you only have a few hours to spend for a visit, you can try one of the three panoramic roads: the Gatineau road, the Champlain road and the Lac-Fortune road. At the summit of Champlain road, you can stop at the belvedere bearing the same name, from where you will have a breathtaking 360° view of the park. You can also do some hiking in the numerous paths that will lead you to the forest or to beautiful viewpoints of the park. Mountain biking lovers meet in the Gatineau Park each summer, since the mountain biking paths are well-maintained and adapted to the needs of the most demanding enthusiasts. Those who prefer cyclotourism will love riding on the panoramic roads, which offer amazing viewpoints of the surrounding nature. You can also take advantage of the lakes and beaches for a swim. A total of six beaches allow you to take up some sun during the warm summer days, or to cool down in the fresh lakes of the park. The lakes also allow you to do canoe-camping, a soft adventure sport that water sport lovers really appreciate.

Whatever the season or the sport you prefer, you will surely like your visit of the Gatineau Park. For an effective visit, stop at the visitor centre in Chelsea to get more information about the activities and to get a map that will help you find your way around. Have fun!

Tourist newsletter, Quebec's Seasons