An Adventure Guide to Gatineau

Gatineau Park is one of Ontario and Quebec’s shared regional treasures. A long mountain range in an otherwise flat area, it’s no comparison to the Canadian Rockies or the mountainous regions of Vermont and New Hampshire to the South, but it’s still regarded as a regional haven for swaths of cyclists, joggers, mountain bikers, and avid hikers. Achieving a modest elevation of just over a thousand feet, its forested mesh of trails and lakes offer a vast array of many different kinds of experiences — everything from leisurely strolls to leg-defeating inclines, caves and fresh pine lakes, snowshoeing and cross country skiing. Below are a few of the trails I’ve encountered — each provides it’s own specific reward.

Best Running Trails

King Mountain Trail
Distance: 1.8 km | Traffic: High | Difficulty: Moderate or Easy
You can choose to do the loop trail one way or another as you quickly encounter a fork in the forad; for a better workout, head left at the split and you’ll have to run up the numerous sets of stairs rather than down. The lookout is one of the best in all of Gatineau, as it’s the highest peak. You’ll get a lot of runners on the trail there for an evening jog — it’s treated as more of a high-paced workout route rather than a calm stroll but either works.

Mulhiville Trail
Distance: 3.9 km | Traffic: High | Difficulty: Easy
Another loop trail, you can start from the lookout or the lake. It’s an easy trail that sees many visitors, good for kids and…