With winter upon us, the majority of Canadians are staying inside as much as possible. Hiding from the snow banks and chilly winds, places like Gatineau Park can be pretty quiet in winter. However some of the best cross country skiing and snow shoeing in the world is tucked away in the park, and with the amount of trails that the NCC grooms and maintains, it’s a great place for those in the know both local and visitors from around the world.
The National Capital Commission is in charge of Gatineau Park and they keep the majority of the trails maintained during the winter season. Their web page is full of information regarding the state of the different trails in the park and what access roads are available. A day pass to the park costs $12 which is used to support trail maintenance.
Des Loupes Wolf Trail
The Des Loupes/Wolf Trail is a fairly well known, longer trail that is used all year round. While it is a moderate 8km loop, the NCC still recommends it for snow shoeing as you can turn back whenever you like. If you’re really feeling up to it, you can always search for the geocaches that are hidden along this route as well. This route climbs about 200 meters on the loop, so it can be a bit difficult if you are just starting out snow shoeing. Make sure to check the weather conditions before you go out on a longer trek like this, as a storm could leave you stranded. Also, this route crosses a few streams and goes near some boggy areas. If the weather has gotten too warm, you may have to turn back before you intended. Play it safe and leave something like a MapSherpa topographic map with someone so they know where you are going.
Custom Maps of Gatineau Park with MapSherpa
With MapSherpa you can create your own custom map of Gatineau Park for the for the area you plan go ski. Just search for Gatineau Park, and click on the result which will take you to a topographic map of the park that you can customize.
