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My dog is very old, and she has no fur on her belly. So I don’t take her out hiking in the winter anymore, ever.
But I keep hearing from you guys that you DO still like to take your four-legged friends out hiking in the cold, and that it can be hard to find trails that are dog-friendly in the winter.
So… Here’s a list of trails around Ottawa that are dog friendly in the winter!
This list is based solely on my “field research” over the years, and my memory. If I’ve missed something or you have updated information about a trail, don’t hesitate to get in touch and let me know!
Many of these trails don’t require snowshoes but I highly recommend using them anyways. They just make better trail conditions for others. I personally hate walking in other people’s boot holes but snowshoes make that better too.
My old dog when she was younger.
East End
The Wilsondale Trails in Cumberland– A 3.5 km Hike
Larose Forest– A 6.5 km Hike
Larose Forest from P1– A 10 km Hike
West End
Chapman Mills Conservation Area– A 3 km Hike
Monaghan Forest– A combination of trail and field.
The Crazy Horse Trail– A 6 km Hike
The Stonebridge Trail– A 5 to 10 km Hike
The Beaver Pond Trail– A 3 km Hike
The Rockhopper Loop– A 3.6 km Hike
The Dogsled Loop– A 4.5 km Hike
The Outback Loop– A 10 km Hike
Bruce Pit- A combination of trails designed specifically for dog walking, gravel paths, and unofficial dirt trails. As a bonus, dogs are allowed off leash here!
FAR West End
Griffith Uplands Trail– A 9 km Hike
Blueberry Mountain in Lanark– A 5 km Hike
High Lonesome Nature Reserve– A 4.7 km Hike
Morris Island Conservation Area– A 1.5- 5.5 km Hike
Mill of Kintail Conservation Area– A 4 km Hike
Manitou Mountain– A 3 to 9 km Hike
A young, winter-loving dog courtesy of @reachdean.
South of Ottawa
Conroy Pit- An off leash dog park surrounded by a myriad of looped trails.
The Cedar Grove Trail in Marlborough Forest– A 4 km Hike
Baxter Conservation Area– A 3.6 km Hike
Ferguson Forest Trails (bonus, they have a forested dog park too)
The Tip to Tip Trail– A 4.5 km Hike
Limerick Forest– A 3.6 km Hike
The River Oak Skating Trail– A 3 km dog friendly skating trail in Metcalfe
Gatineau/Outaouais
The Sugarbush Trail– A 3 km Hike
The Pioneers Trail– A 1.4 km Hike
The Lauriault Trail-A 5 km Hike
The Lac Leamy Pathway-A 2.4 km Walk
Des Chutes de Denholm– A 5 km Hike
Mont Morissette– A 7.6 km Hike
NCC Trails
According to the NCC’s website, The Greenbelt Pathway East, Greenbelt Pathway West, and the Watts Creek Pathway are also dog-friendly in the winter.
Happy hiking! Thanks for the photo @reachdean.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love your adventure guide and, especially, note of the dog-friendly trails. Your site has opened up the Ottawa region to me and my family.
You’re so welcome!
Re: NCC lands, trails and paths. Please, please note that it’s LEASHED dogs only. I say this after having a very large, unleashed dog sprint at me in Stony Swamp.
“Leashed dogs and other pets are welcome on most NCC lands, including urban parks, recreational pathways, parkway corridor lands, most Gatineau Park trails and most Greenbelt trails. … The length of the leash or harness cannot exceed two metres. You may not bring more than two pets at a time on NCC land.”
Love this article! Milton and I will have a fun filled winter exploring the dog friendly trails ❤️
Just a note that MacNamara is apparently a no-dog trail all year round. I read a comment on AllTrails that said there are “no dogs” signs everywhere. I’ve been wanting to go but have to pick a day to leave my dog behind… Unless someone has different information?
Thanks for sharing! I’ve removed it from the list. I think they must have improved the signage since I was there. I’ve heard from a few others that there are no dogs allowed, so I think that’s the assumption we should go with.
This is so great! Thank you for these posts. It’s my summer bucket list 🙂