The destination of choice for winter activities close to Ottawa is without a doubt the Gatineau Hills regional area, home to Chelsea and La Pêche (Wakefield), two small municipalities north of Gatineau and Ottawa. The vast Gatineau Park attracts cross-country skiing, classic or skating, snowshoeing and fat biking enthusiasts. Outdoor skating through the forest or on a historic canal, downhill skiing, snowboarding, tubing, dog sledding and ice fishing are not to be outdone as there are many places close to Ottawa to enjoy these favorite winter activities.

Near us, within a radius of 40 km from our B&B, a variety of enchanting and fascinating natural sites will satisfy all tastes in terms of winter activities. Here are the ones I have chosen for you.

Right here at the B&B is the Chelsea Community Trail, a beautiful long easy trail that runs along the Gatineau River on 22 km of flat land. You can walk, snowshoe, cross-country ski or fat bike. And it's completely free! :-) (Read our blog on this trail)

A beautiful place for winter activities close to Ottawa is Gatineau Park, which covers an area of just over 361 km². It's the ideal playground for outdoor lovers, whether it's for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking or hiking. Wood-burning stove-heated shelters welcome visitors for a well-deserved break, and some even bring their meals to feast with friends by candlelight. The park's Visitor Centre is located 5 km from the B&B. To learn more about Gatineau Park in winter, read our blog Gatineau Park in Winter, What A Playground!

Located on the Park's territory, 11 km from the B&B, Camp Fortune ski resort is another great place for snowshoeing. It is possible to rent equipment and enjoy many snowy trails.

Mont-Cascades Ski Center offers 25 km of trails accessible from sunrise to sunset for hiking, snowshoeing and trail running.

Hiking enthusiasts will love to explore the wonders of the city or the countryside in the company of an expert guide who will help them discover the fauna, flora and hidden treasures of our region on known and lesser-known tracks...

To reserve the services of the expert guide, please contact us so we can verify the availability of the guide during your visit and inform you on the rates. Please note that this service is only available in French.

Another winter activity close to Ottawa is skating through the forest. This activity is more and more popular and we can count on Lac Des Loups for lots of outdoor fun. This enchanting site offers 3 km of trails in the forest, sheltered from the wind. It is possible to rent equipment (skates, helmets, sleds), warm up by the fire and buy food at the canteen. It is also possible to snowshoe and hike. The ice trail for skating through the forest at Lac Des Loups is located 39 km from the B&B.

You can't talk about winter activities close to Ottawa without mentioning the famous Rideau Canal, which in winter bears the title of the world's longest skating rink. This 7.8-kilometer-long rink is a must for all those who love to skate straight ahead in the great outdoors. The first station, NAC, is located 21 km from the B&B, near the Rideau Centre Pay Parking lot. Other stations and parking lots line this long skating rink all the way to Dow's Lake. (Read more about skating on the Rideau Canal in our blog on Winterlude)

Closer to us, the outdoor skating rink at the Gatineau Park Visitor Centre in Chelsea entertains young and old alike, as does the Governor General's skating rink at Rideau Hall, Ottawa. Chelsea's outdoor skating rink is located 5 km from the B&B and is open at all times, while the Rideau Hall skating rink, 21 km from the B&B, is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays, depending on ice conditions.

For more information about outdoor skating destinations, read the blog Five Best Places to Ice Skate Near Ottawa.

Gatineau Hills, as its name suggests, is an area with several hills that will delight fans of downhill skiing, snowboarding and tubing. Located a few kilometers away from the B&B, ski resorts Camp Fortune (11 km), Vorlage (18 km), Edelweiss (25 km) and Mont-Cascades (28 km) offer equipment rental and illuminated slopes in the evening. It is also possible to go tubing at Edelweiss.

It is possible to practice other types of winter activities close to Ottawa, less familiar but just as much fun. For example, Ferme L'Aventure (42 km) and Timberland (59 km) invite you on their dog sleds for unique and exhilarating nature rides.

For those who fuel up on thrills and excitement, Arbraska and Laflèche Cave (32 km) will satisfy the most intrepid with their aerial trail and zip line, as well as their unique wide underground cave whose temperature remains the same throughout the year. 

You like ice fishing or would like to discover this winter activity for a day? You will be served at the Pêche Blanche Gatineau Outfitter (37 km). You will find 200 wood-heated cabins on the Ottawa River. Services include equipment rental, bait purchase and hole drilling. This day-long activity will delight fishermen of all levels of experience.

You need help to explore further on the information provided in this blog? Send me an email and I will be pleased to guide you on your next visit planning.