The Gatineau Park is without a doubt one of the key destinations in the Outaouais region, whether you are a tourist looking to discover a beautiful waterfall or ruins, or an outdoor enthusiast with a love for hiking. With over 350km2 of federally protected land and 180km of hiking trails, this park offers tones of great trails to do, each offering something a little different and unique. Here’s my list of top 10 trails to do in the Gatineau Park this summer in 2022:
1. Yellow Box Trail via Grandview Loop
While the Luskville Falls Trail used to be number 1 on my list in previous years, the Yellow Box trail blew me away this year when I hiked it in April. What a trail! This trail not only offers tones of views of the surrounding region, but these are some of the best views you will get in the entire Outaouais region. This trail is essentially composed of two loops, both as exciting than the other. At the midpoint of the trail, you will arrive at a Yellow Box where you can find all kinds of little things such as a hikers’ log. I recommend completing the first loop counterclockwise and the second loop clockwise (change at the intersection). For a map of the journey, check out my AllTrails recording.
Trail details:
- 15km round-trip loop (6h-7h)
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Dogs are not permitted
- 432m of elevation gain
- Cellphone service is not reliable (download trail map on AllTrails)
- No facilities present on the trail
- Parking available on Chemin Eardley-Masham
2. Luskville Falls
The Luskville Falls Trail will always have a special place in my heart. This trail offers amazing views of the surrounding area and a few waterfalls. While the waterfalls may not be very active during the dry season, they are truly awesome and alive in the spring season and after a few days of rain. The difficulty level of this trail is largely due to the initial incline which can be intense. This trail should be completed counterclockwise. Some of the best views are available on the descent section of the trail. At the top of the mountain, you will find a fire tower, but the views are rather nonexistent from there.
Trail details:
- 4.2km round-trip (to the fire tower) (1h30-2h30)
- Difficulty: Difficult
- 303m of elevation gain
- Dogs are not permitted
- Trail is well indicated and easy to follow
3. Mont King
The Mont King trail is a favourite among hikers of the Gatineau Park. For such a short hike, you get breathtaking and clear views of the region, including of Gatineau and Ottawa. There is even a little lake where there is usually beaver activity. While the main parking area may be closed due to the pandemic, you can have access to the trail via parking lot P7 of the Gatineau Park, and taking the trail #30, 8, and 37. Visit AllTrails for a detailed map of the trail.
Trail details:
- 5.5km round-trip (1h-1h30)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- 178m of elevation gain
- Dogs are permitted on this trail (on a leash)
- Cellphone service is available
- Washrooms available at the P7 parking lot and on the trail
- Parking available at the P7 parking lot in the Gatineau Park (Chemin Kingsmere)
4. Luskville Tri-Peaks
The Luskville Tri-peaks is in no way a joke of a trail! You first begin by walking in a beautiful wheat field. After, an intense climb awaits you. This is truly the hard part of the trail with a steep incline, sometimes feeling like you are bouldering. After the climb, you will be able to enjoy breathtaking views from 3 different lookouts (South Window, The Gallery, and Farm Rock). This trail is not well indicated so it is highly recommended to download a map of the trail from AllTrails.
Trail details:
- 6.1km loop (3h)
- Difficulty: Difficult
- 346m of elevation gain
- Dogs are not permitted on this trail
- Cellphone service is available but not reliable
- A portative toilet is usually located near the parking area
- Free parking available near the trail head on Chemin Crégheur
5. Grandview Loop
This loop is essentially this first part of the Yellow Box Trail. For such a short hike, you get unbelievable views. Because it only takes 2 hours to complete, I love doing this hike after work or late on the weekend to get an amazing sunset view! Most of the views are situated on the first half of the trail (go counterclockwise), but there is still a beautiful view from the Blueberry Hill. Get a map of the trail by visiting AllTrails’ website.
Trail details:
- 6.3km loop (1h30-2h)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- 169m of elevation gain
- Dogs are not permitted on this trail
- Cellphone service is not reliable on this trail
- No facilities available in this section of the park
- Parking available on Chemin Eardley-Masham (see map on AllTrails)
6. Wolf Trail
The Wolf trail is a classic among hikers of the Gatineau Park. It offers amazing views not only of the interior of the Gatineau Park, but also of the Outaouais River. The last lookout point (complete the trail counterclockwise) offers a great view of the sunset. The trail itself is well indicated and as a good incline in the first half of the trail. There is also a beautiful little lake on top of the mountain. Great Trail for trail running or for just a great weekend hike. This is one of the more popular trails and the parking lot is usually very crowded (sometimes full), so I recommend arriving early or late in the day.
Trail details:
- 7.9km long loop (2h30-3h)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- 294m of elevation gain
- Dogs are permitted on the trail during the warmer seasons (with leash)
- Facilities are situated near the parking area
- Cellphone service is reliable on this trail
- Parking available at parking lot P13 in the Gatineau Park (parking can be $ (free for now))
7. Lusk Cave Trail
This is probably the most unique trail in the entire Gatineau Park. While the trail itself is relatively ordinary, passing along the beautiful Philippe Lake and Lusk Lake, the key attraction is the Lusk Cave system. This cave system can be explored (at your own risk). It is roughly a little over 100m long and is sometimes open air, sometime closed in. A stream of water passes through the cave. To complete the cave system, you will need a headlamp, a pair of water shoes, bathing suit, and if possible, a helmet. The floor of the cave is not too slippery. At some stages, you will ne crouch down and even submerge yourself to complete the system. Access to the cave is free and is self-guided.
Trail details:
- 14km long loop (3h30-4h) (for a map of the trail, visit AllTrails)
- 302m of elevation gain
- Difficulty: easy to moderate
- Dogs are permitted on this trail (with a leash)
- Cellphone service is not reliable, but still good
- Washrooms are available only at the main parking lot
- Parking available at the parking lot P20 in the Gatineau Park (Plage Breton)
8. Pink Lake
The Pink Lake trail is probably one of the most popular trails in the Gatineau Park for first-time visitors and hiking enthusiasts alike. With its turquoise green, sometimes bleu water, the Pink Lake is absolutely beautiful, especially on a nice summer day. It actually gets its name to the Pink family that settled there back in the early 19th century. What is special about this lake is the fact it is considered a meromictic lake which means that the lower and upper layers of water don’t mix. By consequence, there is no oxygen in the lower 7m of the lake. Such a great place to visit and also discover the remanence of the old mica mine.
Trail details:
- 2.3km loop (+ additional kms to get to the trail/ 6km from Quartz street) (1h)
- 64m of elevation gain
- Difficulty: easy to moderate (some stairs to climb)
- Dogs are not permitted and swimming in the lake is not tolerated
- Cellphone service is available here
- Washrooms available at the Pink Lake Parking lot
- When the Gatineau Parkway is closed, the Pink Lake can be reached via Parking Lot P2 (397 Boulevard de la Cité-des-Jeunes) by taking trail #27, 5, and the Gatineau Parkway. You can also park your vehicle rue Marie-Burger (or any nearby street) and take trail #15 and 35.
9. Carbide Wilson Ruins and Falls
Just like Pink Lake, the Carbine Wilson Ruins is a must-visit destination in the Gatineau. While not a long hiking trail, you will be able to explore the ruins of an old fertilizer plant which dates to the beginning of the 20th century. There, they produced a chemical product named « carbide » is flammable when combined with water, which is ironic because a waterfall is situated next to the ruins. While this site is not officially accessible during the winter, it is a beautiful location to visit during the warmer season.
Trail details:
- 3.4 km round-trip (see AllTrails for a map of the trail) (1h-1h30)
- 129m of elevation gain
- Difficulty: Easy
- Dogs are permitted on this trail (with a leash)
- Cellphone service is not reliable on this trail
- Washrooms are available in the parking area
- Parking available at the P11 parking lot (O’Brien) in the Gatineau Park on Chemin du Lac Meech
10. Lauriault & Waterfall Trail
This is a great short hike to do in the Gatineau Park. Starting from the Mackenzie King Estate where you can explore the grounds and the ruins there, you will head down the trail towards a cool tunnel and waterfall. After that, you will check out an awesome lookout point where you can get fantastic views of a sunset. On your way back, you can stop by the Mulhivill Lake. A great trail with tones of things to check out and keep the kids (as well as adults) satisfied!
Trail details:
- 3.9km long loop (see map on Alltrails)
- 98m of elevation gain
- Difficulty: Easy
- Dogs are permitted on this trail (with a leash)
- Cellphone service is somewhat reliable on this trail
- Washrooms available in the parking area
- Parking available at the P6 parking lot (Mackenzie King Estate)
