IllustrationSnowmobile club
Association des motoneigistes de la Vallée de la Nation
ChénévilleThe volunteers who've kept up 130 km of trail since 1975, from Montebello to north of Duhamel. Riders coming from Ontario cross the Ottawa River on…
Outdoors
Pick your town from the list, or scroll down to the map.
Illustration
IllustrationPark
Base de plein air Air-Eau-Bois
BowmanAn all-in outdoor centre on the Poisson Blanc reservoir since 1972. Go for the day or stay the week.
IllustrationLookout
Belvédère Denis-Papin
Lac-SimonA lookout above Baie Creuse, named after a former mayor. The whole lake in one view, for free.
IllustrationPark
Centre touristique du Lac-Simon (Sépaq)
DuhamelSépaq's centre at the top of Lac Simon. In winter it runs a ready-to-go ice-fishing package on Lac de la Ferme: you show up and the holes are…
Illustration
Illustration
Lookout
Chutes de Plaisance (Chutes du Moulin)
PlaisanceThe Petite-Nation River drops more than 35 metres right next to the remains of North Nation Mills, the old mill village. A 2 km return walk, some…
IllustrationGolf
Club de golf Montpellier Lac-Simon
MontpellierA par-72 18-holer along Lac Simon. The 19th-hole restaurant has been redone, and the mixed nights draw a crowd.
IllustrationGolf
Club de golf Royal Papineau
Notre-Dame-de-la-SaletteAn 18-holer along Lac de l'Argile, at the edge of the Papineau-Labelle reserve. The bistro patio looks out on the 9th.
IllustrationGolf
Club de golf Thurso
Lochaber-Partie-OuestNine holes with two sets of tees, so you get your 18. It's been around since 1963, and regulars swear the greens are some of the best around.
IllustrationSnowmobile club
Club de motoneiges Les Maraudeurs (13-760)
Duhamel150 km of mostly forest trail between Duhamel, Lac-des-Plages and La Minerve. Keep an eye out, deer cross all the time.
IllustrationSnowmobile club
Hill and Gully Riders
Mulgrave-et-Derry155 km of trail and a clubhouse north of Lac La Blanche, open weekends, where you can gas up and warm up before heading back out.
IllustrationATV club
Club Quad Petite-Nation
PlaisanceThe club behind most of the ATV network in Petite-Nation, more than 315 km of trails. You can start near the Ottawa River and ride all the way up to…
IllustrationSki & snowshoe
Club Skira, sentiers de ski et raquette
DuhamelOver 40 km of backcountry ski and snowshoe trails in the wildlife reserve, kept up by volunteers. $15 for the whole season is a steal.
IllustrationTrail
Cycl-O-Route de la rivière Outaouais, boucle ouest
ThursoAn 87 km road-cycling loop: take the Thurso ferry across to Ontario, come back on the Québec side through the national park, then Papineauville and…
IllustrationPark
Forêt ancienne du Lac-Gagnon
Duhamel58 hectares of old hemlocks near Lac Gagnon, protected since 2002.
IllustrationGolf
Golf Fairmont Le Château Montebello
MontebelloA 1929 Stanley Thompson 18-holer cut through mature forest. In October the fairways turn red and gold. The clubhouse is the old Seigniory Club chalet.
IllustrationPark
Halte routière du Canton de Lochaber (Route verte)
LochaberA rest stop on the 148 built with Route verte riders in mind: bike racks, a platform to pitch a tent, and a dry toilet made by a local artist.
IllustrationPark
Halte routière du chemin du Lac-Grosleau
RiponA riverside rest stop on the Petite-Nation, made for picnics. Stop at the public market first and stock up.
IllustrationPark
Jardin de la relève (Ma cabane au Canada)
NamurArtists' cabins set up in the village park in 2013. A good place to stretch your legs, and kids love them.
IllustrationTrail
La Route des Zingues (Sentier national)
DuhamelVolunteers built this stretch of the National Trail between lakes and summits, and there's even a cable raft to cross the Preston River. Several…
IllustrationTrail
Montebello Vélo de Montagne
Montebello30 km of trail on Papineau's old seigneury land, with Ottawa River views, a cave to ride through and century-old pines. You start at the Château…
IllustrationPark
Parc Caracole
NamurWhere Namur's kids go to burn off energy, not far from the Jardin de la relève.
IllustrationPark
Parc de l'Amitié (mini-golf de Lac-Simon)
Lac-SimonAn 18-hole mini-putt and a handful of courts. Good for after the beach, when the kids still have energy to burn.
IllustrationPark
Parc des Montagnes Noires de Ripon
Ripon800 acres of hills above Ripon. Hike up Mont Grand-Pic, 426 metres, climb the tower, and you get a full 360. On a clear day you can see Tremblant.
IllustrationPark
Parc Jean-Paul « Mike » Parisien (jeux d'eau)
PapineauvilleThe village splash pad, for cooling the kids down on hot days.
IllustrationPark
Parc Joseph-Roy
Saint-Émile-de-SuffolkThe village park: a bit of everything, from tennis in summer to skating in winter.
IllustrationPark
Parc municipal de Boileau
BoileauA quiet stop in Boileau, for the view of the hills around. The Maskinongé River runs close by.
IllustrationPark
Parc municipal de Lac-des-Plages (bateau de pirate et pump track)
Lac-des-PlagesKids head straight for the pirate ship. The bigger ones go lap the pump track behind town hall.
IllustrationPark
Parc national de Plaisance
PlaisanceBays, marshes and little peninsulas along the Ottawa River. Thousands of Canada geese stop here in spring, and in summer it's flat, easy cycling and…
IllustrationTrail
Parc récréatif de la Maskinongé
Lac-des-PlagesClose to 20 km of trails starting next to the cemetery, for walking or riding in summer and skiing in winter. Free, dogs welcome.
IllustrationPark
Parc régional de la Forêt Bowman
BowmanCliffs, old forest and a loop called Panorama that looks out over the Lièvre and four lakes. Climbers come for the wall. In February there's a…
IllustrationTrail
Parcours Louis-Joseph-Papineau
Saint-André-AvellinAbout ten kilometres of stone-dust trail out to Saint-Sixte, through woods and open fields, with two lookouts. In winter, extra loops bring it to 25…
IllustrationTrail
Piste cyclable familiale de Duhamel
DuhamelAn easy 10 km on the old Singer railway bed between Lac Simon and Lac Gagnon. The town even lends out bikes.
IllustrationTrail
Piste du parc national, secteur Thurso
ThursoOne of the national park's entrances is in Thurso. From there it's 21 km of riding along the Ottawa River, with turtles, groundhogs and a lot of…
IllustrationPark
Réserve écologique de la Forêt-la-Blanche
MayoOne of the last old-growth forests in southern Québec, with trees over 400 years old. Leave the dog at home: it's an ecological reserve and dogs…
IllustrationZEC & reserve
Réserve faunique de Papineau-Labelle, accueil Gagnon
DuhamelThe reserve's northern gateway, at the end of chemin du Lac-Gagnon. This is where you check in to fish Preston, Montjoie or Marie-Le Franc.
IllustrationPark
SAJO (Service d'animation jeunesse de l'Outaouais)
Saint-SixteA youth organization with 250 acres of woods, two lookouts and a lake. You can get there along the Louis-Joseph-Papineau trail, and its four cabins…
IllustrationTrail
Sentier de l'Albatros (Sentier national)
Val-des-Bois19.5 km of National Trail between the village and Lac Écho in the wildlife reserve. About a kilometre from the end you get two big views over…
IllustrationTrail
Sentier de raquette de Saint-Émile-de-Suffolk
Saint-Émile-de-SuffolkThree gentle kilometres of snowshoe trail at the edge of the village. Start across from the Dome.
IllustrationTrail
Sentier du Lièvre
Val-des-BoisAn easy walk through a pine stand along the Lièvre, made for families. There's a free all-terrain wheelchair to borrow, and an outdoor art walk…
IllustrationTrail
Sentier national Iroquois
DuhamelAlong the Iroquois River, with wooden bridges, a cave and falls where logs once came down the chute. The loop comes back to the village on the old…
IllustrationTrail
Sentiers Allons au bois (montagne Roy)
ChénévilleThree kilometres behind Robert-Latour park, up to a lookout over the village. The view is best in November once the leaves are down. In winter…
IllustrationSki & snowshoe
Sentiers de ski de fond et de raquette de Lac-Simon
Lac-Simon16 km of ski and snowshoe trail on private land that owners open up for the winter. Stay on the trails, that's what keeps them open.
IllustrationTrail
Sentiers des Pères Montfortains
PapineauvilleTrails laid out by the Montfort Fathers last century, right behind the high school. You'll pass what's left of a grotto to the Virgin Mary. In…
IllustrationSnowmobile club
Association des motoneigistes de l'Outaouais (794-13)
Hors MRC195 km of trail from Gatineau up to Val-des-Bois. This is the network that gets you from the city up to the Lièvre.
IllustrationATV club
Club Quad de l'Outaouais
Hors MRCThe ATV club for the west side of the MRC, La Salette to Bowman: 90 km and two heated shelters. Check their site for trail conditions.
IllustrationZEC & reserve
Réserve faunique de Papineau-Labelle
Hors MRCQuébec's southernmost wildlife reserve, with more than 760 lakes. Day fishing for brook trout, lake trout and walleye, and quota hunts for moose and…