Cycling in Gatineau Park

Photo of five cyclists on a parkway in Gatineau Park
Cycling through Gatineau Park
Maps and Publications

Gatineau Park offers plenty of scenic options for cyclists. Enjoy the Park’s parkways which consist of 32.5 kilometres of panoramic winding roads. Be prepared: to bike on Gatineau Park’s hilly terrain you need to be in good shape and have some skill in cycling.

If you prefer to take to the trees, Gatineau Park has 90 kilometres of trails where you can mountain bike.

Help us protect Gatineau Park and leave no trace.

NCC Saturday Short Loops

Sections of the Gatineau Parkway will be closed to motorized traffic every Saturday from May 28 to September 24, 2011. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy 8.2 kilometres of scenic parkways in Gatineau Park that are reserved for cyclists, in-line skaters, runners and walkers. The sections are marked on the Cycling Capital Map.

Closure of the North Loop

Due to torrential downpours in April, the North Loop is closed to all motor vehicle traffic this summer. Cyclists can still cycle on the North Loop, except for in the section where the roadway passes over a collapsed culvert. This section is closed to everyone and is marked by signs.

Alcatel-Lucent Sunday Bikedays in Gatineau Park

On summer Sundays enjoy cycling on 30.5 kilometres of scenic and car-free parkways. From May 22 to September 4, 2011, the Gatineau, Champlain and Fortune parkways are closed to cars and vehicles from 6 am to 11 am. The section north of Lac-Meech Road is ideal for families with young children and is closed for two additional hours, from 6 am to 1 pm. You can also bike on some parkways in Ottawa during Alcatel-Lucent Sunday Bikedays.

Facilities
Washrooms There are dry toilets at the Gatineau Park Welcome Area (P3) and the P8, P9 and P10 parking lots.
Parking Free parking is available at the Gatineau Park Welcome Area (P3) and the P8, P9 and P10 parking lots.

See the Gatineau Park summer map for more detailed information.

Rules and Safety

Every day, many different users enjoy the roads in Gatineau Park. Courtesy and consideration on the part of all users are essential to ensure the full enjoyment of the road network. Please obey the rules of the road and be considerate of other users.

Share the road. When cycling on the parkways:

  • Ride in single file.
  • Keep groups to a maximum of 15 cyclists.
  • Obey stop signs.

For more information see Gatineau Park's visitor information.