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Best routes in Ottawa ?
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Anyone have any suggestions for some nice trails or scenic cycling routes in Ottawa, ONTARIO?

Mike B
Canadian Cyclist & Health Guru
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Re: Best routes in Ottawa ? [MikeBe] [ In reply to ]
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I've heard good things about Gatinueau Park. I've driven up the 105 quite a few times as well and it's pretty beautiful. A few rolling hills, but generally flat. Some very scenic sections along the Gatineau River.
You'll have to avoid busy times when there is traffic on the roads, but I'll be doing a 120kms ride up there to Maniwaki shortly.
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Re: Best routes in Ottawa ? [vijeet88] [ In reply to ]
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Yes, I've been hiking there but completely forgot about biking there. It's very hilly for sure! Any other places you know near the east-end?

Mike B
Canadian Cyclist & Health Guru
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Re: Best routes in Ottawa ? [MikeBe] [ In reply to ]
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In the east there's the George-Etienne Cartier Parkway, and there's a gravel path that runs from Blackburn Hamlet all the way to Quebec.

In the West there are lots of routes around the Carp hills.

There's plenty of stuff south of the city, though it's all dead straight and pancake flat. A ride out to Osgoode or Kemptville is a good session.

Gatineau park up to Champlain lookout or to Wakefield is definitely where it's at.
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Re: Best routes in Ottawa ? [MikeBe] [ In reply to ]
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So many good routes... If you're around on a Sunday, a lot of the parkways (SJAM George Etienne Cartier & colonel by dr.) are closed to cars 7am-1pm.

In terms of east, there are decent routes is you ride south from blackburn or orleans and then head east towards cumberland, rockland, etc.
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Re: Best routes in Ottawa ? [MikeBe] [ In reply to ]
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The entire place is scenic when compared to most cities in North America and Europe, but the place to ride (and ski, and trail run, and open water swim and mountain bike) is Gatineau Park
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Re: Best routes in Ottawa ? [Trauma] [ In reply to ]
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Thank you for the lovely reply, do you know where this route starts? The intersection or road name.

Mike B
Canadian Cyclist & Health Guru
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Re: Best routes in Ottawa ? [MikeBe] [ In reply to ]
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MikeBe wrote:
Thank you for the lovely reply, do you know where this route starts? The intersection or road name.

Sunday closed roads are described at http://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/sunday-bikedays

a nice longer ride is the "Perkins loop" loop is starting from Chelsea. There is parking at the NCC visitor Centre on Scott Rd.
Rte 105 to the north end of Wakefield, turn right and take Rte 366 to Perkins. Rte 366 takes a left at a T-junction and a right at the next T-junction. At Perkins (bottom of a steep hill) turn right on Montee Paiement. Turn right on ch Bellechasse, right on Montee St Amor, left on .ch Lamoureux, left on Ste Elisabeth. Ste Elisabeth becomes Montee des Erables and then ch des Erables. At the end of des Erables, turn left on ru St Louis, left across the bridge and left again to go north on Rte 105 back to Chelsea.

Several nice coffee places in Chelsea. my favourite is Les Saisons. Also, there is an ice cream store across the street from the Visitors Centre.

If you are riding in Gatineau park, many people just ride from Ottawa, but there is parking at several loactions in the park as well as the visitor centre. see the NCC website.

run well, run happy
george
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Re: Best routes in Ottawa ? [MikeBe] [ In reply to ]
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There's not a specific start or stop point to what I was talking about, it starts or stops from wherever you're at, and how far you want to go. I'd have to look at a map to remember road names in terms of the main stretches, It's been a while since I've done that ride... lately I'll ride the bike paths along the river to the George Etienne Cartier parkway, down sussex/wellington to the SJAM, to the end, and then head west to pick up something like the carp loop for flattish heading west from the east end, and variations of that depending on how far I want to ride...
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Re: Best routes in Ottawa ? [MikeBe] [ In reply to ]
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Hands down the Gatineau park if you aren't afraid of hills.

I think it'ss closed to cars until 11AM on Sunday but even when open there are few and bikes definitely outnumber them.

You can also go from Ottawa, climb to the top of the mountain in the park (Champlain lookout), down to Camp Fortune, over to Chelsea, then go North towards Wakefield. Mostly park and bike paths.
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