Parc de la Gatineau

I absolutely love this spot in the large and gorgeous Gatineau Park!
My first real trip to this particular site was in elementary school for a camping trip we went on. It was such a good memory I know for sure I’ll remember it for the rest of my life! We pitched our tents up on the campsite and were ready for the fun adventures to be done that day! Some of the fun adventures we had on this trip were a wonderful hike up the beautiful hills to a special spot (I am sorry I couldn’t really tell you where as it was such a long time ago, but hey if you know what I’m talking about id love to hear from you!) we went into a big cave! But also getting to this cave we had to go into the water filled caves! This experience was phenomenal as it has everlastingly left an impact on me. Another experience I loved was when we went kayaking on Taylor lake. It was dusk, very beautiful scenery of the sun setting! I was able to kayak almost to paddles distance away from a dear in the water! I remember our camp leader telling me just be quiet and sit there and look at it! We stayed there in peace for a good 15 mins. I also remember when setting up our tents I saw a little chipmunk nearby so I decided to cover my hand with pine needles and leafs off the ground and put a couple of pieces of trailmix, I waited a couple minutes and then this cute little chipmunk hopped right onto my hand! That feeling was marvellous ! To feel the other animal on your hand is something as a kid you feel special (especially since when you tell your class mates they look at you and say I wish I could’ve done that!)
Very very lovely site I highly suggest you check out taylor lake !

Went down Mackenzie king trails and waterfall, very nice wooded area and waterfall was small but majestic. Very nice to brig family or have a little hiking stroll with your partner

I’ve been coming here since I was 7. It’s a great park with lots of different trails for hikers. You can also canoe or kayak. It is quite beautiful during the fall, but it is also great year round. There are a lot of parking spaces throughout the park, but they are often full. There are quite a lot of cyclists in the park, so drivers should be very careful. Streets are often closed for various reasons, so before planning a trip, it’s a good idea to check if your route is still open. It’s also a great idea to bring a lunch, since there are no restaurants near the park.

Super duper busy on thanksgiving weekend !
We arrived at 9 am and there was plenty of parking.
We left at 10 am and it was a zoo.
They’ve erected no parking signs on the grass now and people were still parking on the grass because the lots were full. Lots of tickets were being handed out. So if you want to come see the fall colours, come early.
I found the drivers were being respectful to the hikers and bikers.
The only thing I’ll say to the drivers is, please use your head, don’t pass a biker on a blind curve. Make sure you can see there’s no cars approaching before you pass.
For cars in a line, just because the car ahead of you is passing, it doesn’t mean you can pass without looking.
Lets all be safe and enjoy the fall colours !

One of the most beautiful place in Canada to visit. This park is on the doorstep of Ottawa and a short drive from the city. The scenery is amazing, the trails are great of hikers and walkers and some great historical site are in this park.

Update: I’ve returned many times since my initial visits, especially the wonderful hike around Pink Lake, and have grown fond of Gatineau Park, giving it another start. As winter approaches, I hope to use my snoeshoes here.
Original review: Perhaps my expectations were too high, but despite knowing the park is relatively flat and heavily used, my first experience here was disappointing. Gatineau Park is more of an urban park (like Central Park or Golden Gate Park) than a national park (like Yosemite). There were many bikers in the area close to the Ottawa River, and many picnic areas along the roads, but the park seems mostly undeveloped. Yet I was surprised to find that 90+% of the west side of Meech Lake (a beautiful lake) is private property. Parking fees vary from $ 8 – 11. Pink Lake has a nice hiking trail, but with what appears to be the only free parking lot in the entire park (no swimming allowed), it was completely overrun with cars and people. To be fair, I went on a spectacular summer day which was also a national holiday.
Today won’t be my last visit here, so hopefully the next time will be better.

We are very fortunate to live in a city that is so close to a fantastic park and all that surrounds it.
If you just want to get outdoors for a gentle walk or you want to train for competition, you can probably manage to do it here. Main activities include running, hiking, biking, swimming and canoeing — in summer — and in winter — snowshoeing, cross country skiing and Alpine skiing.
All levels of fitness can find a space to work on their goals.
Stop by the main office to get maps and guidance on where to go. It gets busy on nice days — go early to avoid the crowds. Sunday morning before 10a is great!
Afterwards, you can stop for ice cream in the areas surrounding the park — the best part of the day in my mind. ;-) (The worst part of the day is when a runner passes me, a biker, on the up-​hill climb. Depressing.)
Hints:
1) Lots of water, sunscreen and bug spray are musts — as are the right clothing for your chosen activity.
2) Check the website before you go to find out if your access point and activity is free — it varies from entrance to entrance and activity to activity.
3) During parts of the year (summer!) some of the park is closed to traffic on specific days, so it’s an ideal time for biking, roller blading, ski-​skating etc.
Would I recommend: If you love outdoor activities, yes!
Would I return: Yes!

This place is HUMONGOUS, and despite having been at least four times, I don’t think I know about/​have seen even 0.1% of the park. The Champlain Lookout is probably the most popularly photographed place within the park, and with good reason — it’s a breathtaking view of the surrounding greenery. I also enjoyed the Pink Lake trail (short and pretty flat, but sweet) and some of the smaller picnic areas. I enjoyed a (leave no trace) picnic here with my family and guinea pig :)

This is my favorite park in Quebec by far! There are plenty of hiking trails and they are all very scenic. I would come her every weekend if I live in the Ottawa region.