The Causeway, Island Loop, and Chats Falls Trails- A 5.4 km Hike West of Ottawa

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The Causeway Trail at Morris Island Conservation Area is- I’m gonna say it- my favorite one of the winter so far. I actually don’t have the ability to describe how much I enjoyed it, because I’m pretty good at hiking, but not so good at writing.

I had half a day off at the beginning of February, and we had just started getting new snow, so I knew I wanted to get outside. After checking out the Baxter Conservation Area a little earlier (and loving it), I realized that I really hadn’t been paying enough attention to the conservation areas around. So, Morris made it onto the list and I’m really glad it did!

I grabbed a coffee to make the long (ish) drive feel a little more luxurious. I took the scenic route there. The closer I got, the more the trees started to close in on the road, and the more beautiful everything became. It definitely helped that we had just gotten some snow, because the snow covered trees, in front of a bright blue sky, looked phenomenal. I wasn’t even there yet, and I already knew I was going to love it.

The Morris Island Conservation Area is open year round, although from October to May, it’s open for “trail use only.” Signs there indicate that the site is open from dawn until dusk. Dogs are allowed year round too! The Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority requests that they be leashed (because, you know, it’s a conservation area).

It is worth noting (for warmer months), that ticks have been found in this area. If you plan to visit during the spring, summer, or fall, keep this in mind and take precautions.

Getting There

The address of the Morris Island Conservation Area is 156 Morris Island Dr, Fitzroy Harbour, ON K0A 1X0. There was a big sign at the side of the road, signaling that I had arrived.

When I got there, they had just finished plowing the road leading into the parking lot, and the parking lot itself. If it wasn’t plowed, the road leading into the conservation area would probably add about 500 metres (one way) to the hike. There was a lot of room for parking. I think at least fifty cars could fit there, but it was tough to tell because I was the only one there!

The cost to park was $3.00. There was a pay machine at the very back of the parking lot, near the trailhead. It was an electronic machine that accepted cash and cards.

Also at the back of the parking lot was a building with washrooms, but it was closed for the season. There is a big trail map near the Causeway trailhead.

The Causeway Trailhead

Originally, I had planned to hike the Old Voyageur Trail. As “fate” would have it though, I really needed to use a washroom. There was a sign on the building at the trailhead that told me there was an outhouse 75 metres down the Causeway Trail. So, I changed my plan and decided to hike the Causeway Trail instead (green on the MVCA map).

The trailhead for the Causeway Trail is at the back of the parking lot, just to the left of the big map. There is a swinging gate across it.

The Causeway Trail is really wide at the trailhead, and stays that way for quite some time. I headed down the trail, and, as promised, there was an outhouse less than 100 metres away.

Past the Bay

The first part of the Causeway Trail is intended to get you over the bay, and was entirely straight. There was a really great fishing platform built over the bay. I reached it after walking for half a kilometre, and could totally imagine how nice it would be to fish there in the summer.

On the opposite side of the bay, the trail re-entered the forest, but remained quite wide. I was alone, but could have easily walked side by side with someone. Half a kilometre beyond the bay, I came across the “Trapper’s Shortcut” path. If I had wanted to take a shorter route, I could have turned to my left here.

I hadn’t been totally sure that I would love this trail, just from looking at it on the map. But already the bay had been so beautiful, and the trees surrounding me were so perfectly covered in snow, that there was no way I was taking a shorter route.

I carried on down the Causeway, passing another outhouse, before I came to the end of the road after hiking for a total of 1.7 kilometres. So far, there had been no trail markers, because the Causeway was so wide and easy to follow. At the 1.7 kilometre mark there was another sign, pointing me in the direction of the Chats Falls Trail (yellow on the MVCA trail map). The Causeway actually carried on straight for another hundred metres, but it was easy to see that it ended at a gate, so I didn’t feel compelled to explore it any further.

The Chats Falls Trail

I turned to my left to start out on the Chats Falls Trail. For the first little bit (about 100 metres), I didn’t see any trail markers. I had just started to get a little bit nervous that this trail might be difficult to follow, when I came across the first marker.

After that, I found the markers came along often enough for me to feel confident in where I was going (it helped that someone had travelled the trail ahead of me too!).

I quickly realized that I was going to love this trail. I had already thought that the Causeway was beautiful, but there was something that felt really special about being in amongst the trees on this trail. It was absolutely still and completely quiet while I was on the trail, and I felt very lucky to have the whole place to myself.

Near the beginning of the Chats Falls Trail, it felt like there was a lookout every ten feet! When I had hiked for two kilometres, I came to the split for the first lookout over the Ottawa River. The lookouts were marked by little red tree trail markers, and I followed all three (which came one after another, within a 300 metre stretch). Each of these lookouts was beautiful, and had a little bench to sit at and take in the view.

The Island Loop Trail

I had been hiking for 2.6 kilometres when I came to a split in the trail that would either allow me to carry on along the Chats Falls Trail, or turn to my right to add on the Island Loop Trail (orange on the MVCA trail map).

I had been loving every inch of this trail so far, and decided immediately to add on the loop.

I travelled over a little bridge not long after taking the split, and soon had to decide how I wanted to complete the loop. I decided to turn to my right and complete the loop counter clockwise. The Island Loop Trail was stunning, and the absolute peace and quiet continued as I walked amongst the trees.

There were two lookouts off of the Island Loop Trail, and I came across them after hiking for 3 kilometres in total (the second was 100 metres further down the trail than the first). There was a bench at each of these lookouts as well, and they would make a fantastic spot to stop and rest, or have lunch.

Heading Back

The entire Island Loop Trail was only about a kilometre, and then I was back where I had started it. I came across yet another split in the trail for a lookout just 100 metres past where I had rejoined the Chats Falls Trail. You already know I checked it out.

That was the last lookout for a while. The trail continued to wind through the woods and I happily followed it for another half a kilometre without interruption, before arriving at the sign for the final lookout. This lookout had a name (the Bay Lookout), and a fancy sign, and it was beautiful. But, I don’t think it was any more or less beautiful than the lookouts that had come before it, so I’m not sure what all the fanfare was about.

I hiked for 100 metres, and then rejoined the Causeway to head back to where I started the trail. The Chats Falls Trail, and the Island Loop trail, felt as though they had been woven through the forest. There were gentle, rolling hills along the length of the trails, and so coming back to the Causeway felt like exceptionally easy hiking.

I travelled the 800 metres back over the bay and returned to the trailhead.

Altogether, the Causeway Trail, Chats Falls Trails, and the Island Loop had me out hiking for 5.4 kilometres. I covered the distance in an hour and forty minutes, even though I spent a lot of time taking pictures and just soaking in the views.

Alternate Routes

The many trails at the Morris Island Conservation Area offer a variety of combinations. There are lots of  options for making a trip shorter or longer.

If you wanted to do a short loop along the Causeway, you could turn left onto Trapper’s Shortcut, instead of carrying on straight like I did. This would allow you to see the end of the Chats Falls Trail, as well as the Bay Lookout. But, you would only be hiking for about 2.7 kilometres in total.

You could also choose to do the entirety of the Causeway Trail and the Chats Falls Trail, but not add on the Island Loop. Doing so would still get you a great hike through a beautiful space. The length of the hike would be reduced by a kilometre and you would only be hiking for 4.4 kilometres.

Truly, this area was so beautiful that if you are physically able to, I would recommend travelling the entire trail system. I will definitely be back in the summer, to hike the other trails, and paddle around the bay!

I hope this trip report has enough info to get you there too. Let me know in the comments, or share and tag a friend to start planning your next adventure!

Map and Elevation Gain

Whenever I’m hiking somewhere new, I tend to wonder about who was on, and who took care of that land before me. Did you know that Ottawa is on unsurrendered Algonquin territory?

Gear I Brought

• Hiking boots
• MSR Evo Snowshoes
• Base layers
• Fleece sweater
• Winter jacket
• Snow pants
• Mittens
• Buff
• Wool hat
• Sunglasses
• Cell phone
• Small backpack
• Nalgene 32-Ounce Bottle
• Lunch (in thermos)
• Extra snacks
• SOL 2-Person Emergency Bivvy
• First aid kit
• Compass
• Hand and foot warmers