As a cycling destination, Canada’s capital region boasts over 800 kilometres (497 miles) of beautiful recreational pathways, as well as a range of off-road biking options. Here are some of the great mountain biking spots where you can practice your skills in the Ottawa region.
Gatineau Park
Located a short 15-minute drive (or a 40-minute bike ride) north of downtown Ottawa, Gatineau Park offers an expansive 361-square-kilometres (90,000 acres) of terrain that is loved by hikers and cyclists alike. This outdoor mecca in Gatineau, Quebec is also a mountain biker’s dream!
Approximately 90 kilometres (56 miles) of shared trails are open from mid-May to the end of November. Since the trails are open to both hikers and mountain bikers, riders must be prepared to give the right-of-way to hikers. Enjoy a great workout as you ride a challenging, hilly terrain through a Canadian forest.
Camp Fortune
Located within Gatineau Park, Camp Fortune is its own outdoor activity destination: a ski resort during the winter and an extreme mountain biking facility during the warmer weather months.
More than 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) of trails are shared by mountain bikers and trail runners. The trails are recommended for intermediate to expert riders who want to practice their advanced skills. In fact, the challenging vertical drops are popular training grounds for competitive bikers from Ontario and Quebec.
National Capital Greenbelt
Ottawa is surrounded by the National Capital Greenbelt—a collection of 16 conservation and recreation areas. These sites offer easy and free access to outdoor activities in a variety of environments. Some of the places you can go off-roading include the South March Highlands Conservation Forest to the west of the city, Stony Swamp to the south, and Green’s Creek to the east. Trails range from easy to very difficult.
The Yard
For year-round indoor biking and skateboarding, head to The Yard just west of downtown Ottawa. This large facility features everything you need including a pump track, manual pads and ledges, quarter pipes, box jumps, as well as rails. Show up and practice your skills or sign up for lessons to learn new ones.
