The lake is absolutely gorgeous, there are multiple spots to oversee it, but be careful about some…read moreways being covered with water because of high water levels and dont go near the canadian goose i accidentally sat near one and dint know they were the devils mirror but i made it out safe. Don't go off the marked trails it is a conservation area and you could harm important environment.

I love Mud lake. We discovered this urban jam last year during one of our bike rides. This place is…read morejust magical all year round. In winter the lake is completely cover in ice which is perfect for ice skating, hockey or just a cool walk=. During the warmer parts of the year it is full of other type of magic. You can come here to see wildlife (birds, turtles, frogs and more). Perfect place for photography, little escape or coffee break. Not far you can find Britannia Beach, playground and ice cream shop to celebrate the end of the hike. Just one note, this is a popular spot and highly traffic.

Near the casino, this is a perfect 5 km loop. It's typically clean and not overly crowded, which…read moremakes it a great spot for a walk or a run. In the summer you can rent paddle boards and kayaks for 20$ or free with the gatineau access card! Près du casino, c'est une boucle parfaite d'environ 5 km. C'est généralement propre et pas trop achalandé, ce qui en fait un excellent endroit pour marcher ou courir. Durant l'été la location de kayaks et paddlboard est à frais de 20$ ou bien gratuit avec la carte acces gatineau!

Beautiful views, and a decent walk. Really bummed those topiaries that are all over Google aren't…read morethere anymore, but it was a good time-if a gray day.

This park is unique, very pretty and has public access to the water (the Mississippi River - the…read moreCanadian one, not the American one, lol). It has lots of different types of rocks on display and next to the rocks are QR codes that you can scan for more information on the rock. Great if you are into geology. There's an interesting art installation called "Shelter" with real people's faces in glass in a metal structure. It's cool but a bit creepy, IMO. There are also lots of dedication/memorial trees in the park. I personally love the concept of memorial trees, benches, etc. The money goes to support the municipality and the person's memory lives on in a tangible object for others to see. Lots of people in canoes and kayaks down by the river. There's a power generating station in the park, which is kind of neat. There's limited free parking in the park parking lot.

The Ottawa River Pathway is a pedestrian and bicycle path along the Ottawa River. The scenery is…read morevery beautiful year-round, but especially in the autumn. The pathway is about 30km, but you can get on and off at certain points, so you definitely don't have to do the entire length. It's fully paved and not particularly hilly. Just watch out for goose poop along certain parts of the path during certain times of the year, lol. Goose poop aside, the Ottawa River Pathway is beautiful. It's great for getting some exercise, be it cycling, rollerblading, jogging, Nordic walking, power walking, or even taking a leisurely stroll, while admiring nature. Sunsets along certain parts of the Pathway are especially breathtaking.

This is a great little escape for the government workers in Tunney's pasture, to break away from…read moretheir computers for a few minutes of fresh air and R&R while they come outside for lunch or a walk or bike ride along the river. Be careful of the goose droppings on the grass, though. The cyclists using this path would rather the pedestrians walked on the grass, and the walkers would prefer if the cyclists used the grass! All of us are avoiding the droppings left by the Canada Geese that frequent this area. Also, look for the man who builds Inukshuk (if I've spelled that right?) For many years now, a man has been building amazing statues out of the rocks at the shoreline - they rocks balance on each other at seemingly impossible angles, threatening to drop at any moment, but seem to keep their balance! There was an article about him several years ago in the Canadian Geographic. It's been a pleasure to watch him work, and he's become something of a tourist attraction. It's May now, and I haven't seen him there yet this year, but maybe the water's too cold yet. Maybe he begins this work after the Victoria Day weekend.

At the end April 2022, my husband and I went to Black Rapids Park in hopes of having a picnic…read morethere. Unfortunately, they still had the picnic tables all in a pile and chained up, so we couldn't use them. The park was covered in goose poop, so we didn't want to eat on the grass and ended up eating in the car, lol. Parking is not free at this park, you have to pay. The parking lot is owned by Indigo Parking and it's $1.25 an hour with a 4 hour maximum. The parking lot is also fairly small, so it fills up quickly. If the parking lot is full, there really isn't anywhere else you can park so you'd be out of luck. The turn to get into the parking lot and thus the park is marked, but the road is small, not even 2 full car widths, so it's easy to miss. I missed it first time around and had to double back. Also since the road in is narrow, if someone is coming in and someone else is coming out, the person coming out has to back up. I don't know who designed this place, but I'm not all that impressed with the entrance/exit layout. So as you can see, this park and I did not start off on the right foot, lol. It is pretty, if you disregard all the goose poop and the loud geese walking around. The rapids are cool and there are sections of the park that are picturesque. I personally would be reluctant to bring small kids here because I feel that it's pretty dangerous there if you are not careful. You can fall in the water. Not all sections are adequately fenced off for my comfort level. However, I am a stickler for safety. But I realize that nature is inherently dangerous, so I guess there is some risk to experience its beauty. Glad I got to see the park and the rapids, but I likely won't be back.

I had no idea this place existed until our photographer, Jamie from Hello Lovely Ottawa, suggested…read moreit for our maternity shoot! We were there last summer in June. We weren't the only ones there for a photoshoot either, as we saw a pregnant woman and her partner with a photographer, as well as another couple who seemed to be taking engagement photos. Great location for them! We met Jamie in the parking lot and had no idea what the park would be like, but when we walked down into the park area, it opened up to this huge green space that we didn't expect. There's lots of open green space and small hills, some picnic tables, a few paths in between the trees, and locks where a few people were fishing. It was so beautiful and peaceful at during the "golden hour" at sunset on a weekday, and no mosquitos or any other bugs really, maybe because it was a little windy. I'm not sure what it would be like on weekends during the day, when I could see a lot of families playing and picnics happening. I completely forgot about this park until now, so I can't wait to go back with our babe when the whether is nice! In the meantime, enjoy a few photos of my husband and I screwing around during our photoshoot lol (Just two weeks before our little guy decided to introduce himself to the world!)

Andrew Haydon Park is, in my humble opinion, a terrific spot! A group of likeminded crafting…read morefriends gets together here during the summer. I like the fact that there are washrooms available (essential!) There is a lot of parking available but to be honest, it gets crowded on those good days. I guess I've been lucky, always finding a spot. Good thing, too, as I'm coming from an hour away! There's a section that is covered, with picnic tables - this area always has people in it. Our group brings our own folding chairs and sits in spots under some trees, with views of the water. With a light breeze, it is quite nice here. Also, I love the waterfall area, although it's man-made (and sometimes smells like sulphur). I'm sure we will be back.

My dad used to take me here as soon as I learned how to walk. Special times…read more We used to get ice cream across the street at Dairy Queen afterwards which is now a gas station. Decades later, I met up with a friend and our dogs and walked the paths. Beautiful day to revive the memory of my dad, decades later. It's as well kept as I remembered it to be. Adored the waterfall. I'll come back here to sit and read, most likely. I remembered most, the wooden bridges to cross and all the critters on land and in the water. Geese, crayfish, minnows. I'm so glad this place is still here and thriving. Very peaceful. Heart warming.

We stopped in for a short visit while in town and would love to come back to explore more…read more Admission and parking are free! We stopped by Meech Lake which looked like a lovely spot for kayaking. Fall colors were starting to appear in mid September. There are many trails described as varying levels of difficulty and varying lengths and so would be a wonderful spot for hiking!

Gatineau park is truly a gem that we have here locally. I've been a couple of times on many of the…read moretrails and they never disappoint!!! I always pick a different trail and hike for about 4 hours. It's wonderful to see people of all ages enjoying themselves. There was a notebook where people from all around the world could write into which was amazing!!! Recommendation: read about the trail first. A few spots are quite elevated and may be difficult for some people.

Amazing park in the heart of Ottawa. The foliage was wonderful to see during our two visits in…read moreNovember (the second covering Remembrance Day) and there is so much history combined in this small square of nature.

Confederation Park is a park smack dab in the middle of downtown Ottawa. It's across the street…read morefrom City Hall and just down the stairs from the Mackenzie King Bridge. It has a lot of trees which make it very pretty in the autumn as the leaves change colours. It has a big water fountain, which is quite lovely when it's on. There are also several statues and memorials scattered throughout the park. The Winterlude ice sculptures used to be all at Confederation Park, which I thought was the perfect place for them, but they have since been moved to be all over the city (less centralized). Confederation Park is also a popular site for protests and demonstrations. I have never considered it a park to sit around in, but I suppose you could. I've always just walked through it from one place to another. The paths are well paved. Last time I was there, I saw a pop-up restaurant/food vendor that opened up in a sea container in the park.