Great Runs in Ottawa
Ottawa is Canada’s national capital. The greater Ottawa area, which includes Gatineau, Quebec, is home to about 1 million residents. It is a fantastic city for running, with hundreds of miles of off-road pathways looping around the city’s important sites and along the Ottawa River, the Rideau River, and the Rideau Canal. The heart of Ottawa running is the Capital Pathway, consisting of more than 100 miles of mostly paved trails linking sites, parks, and waterways in the ‘National Capital Region’, as it is known, from the heart of Ottawa out to the Gatineau hills in Quebec. Ottawa is a modestly sized, quiet city. There are few high-rises, and 20 minutes outside the city it is countryside.
Running highlights in Ottawa include a tour of the main National Capital sites and important museums; lovely paths on either side of the Rideau Canal; paths along the Rideau River and the Ottawa River; and trail running in Gatineau Park. Most of the running right in Ottawa is generally flat, but it becomes progressively hillier out toward Quebec and the Gatineau hills. The Ottawa River separates the Ontario and Quebec sides: eastern side is Ontario, and western side is Quebec.
Ottawa is fairly compact, so most of the iconic routes are accessible from the main downtown hotels. Public transportation consists mainly of bus routes, run by OC Transpo on the Ontario side. There is also a light rail system called the O-Train, which consists of a couple of lines and is currently being expanded.
One particular note about running in Ottawa: winter. Ottawa’s winter climate is among the harshest of any major city, with nearly 100 inches of snow annually and temps below freezing from mid-November until March. This makes for some gorgeous winter running, as well as other recreational opportunities such as skating and cross-country skiing. However, be careful about icy conditions. Some of the pathways are cleared and maintained, but not all. So bring your Yak Traks and dress warmly! Also note that some pathways, particularly in Gatineau Park, might favor X-C skiers in winter and running might be prohibited.
Ottawa’s climate has a bearing on runners. Winters are among the harshest of any major city in the world. Average high temperatures in January are about 20F, and lows are close to 5F. Temps can stay blow freezing for weeks at a time from December until March. Snowfall averages nearly 100 inches per winter. What does this mean for runners? Surfaces can be snowy and icy. Winter running in Ottawa can also be unique and beautiful, with snow-lined paths and frozen rivers. In fact, the Rideau Canal is the longest longest maintained skating path in the world. Summers are very pleasant for running, with high temps averaging around 80F and lows around 60. Fall is also gorgeous, as the maple trees turn. It can get pretty chilly by October, so bring layers.
Ottawa ‘Ceremonial’ Loop
5.25 miles. Start: Rideau Hall. MAP
3.3 mile shorter option. MAP
This is a 5-mile tour of Ottawa’s most important sites. The route starts at Rideau Hall, home of the Governor General, and goes right by 24 Sussex, home of the Prime Minister. Run by Rideau Falls, and a nice park nearby. Just after the 1-mile mark, pass the Royal Canadian Mint, National Gallery, and Notre Dame Cathedral, and the United States Embassy in front of Major’s Hill Park, which is Ottawa’s first park. Soon after, just shy of the 2-mile mark, Centennial Flame and Parliament buildings will be on the right, and the National War Memorial on the left. The route will then pass by several important government buildings: Confederation Building, home of government offices, Supreme Court of Canada, and the Library and Archives Canada. Just after the Archives, the run returns on the Trans Canada Trail, behind the Parliament buildings and along the Ottawa River. Note that at the Rideau locks, one has to climb a set of stairs to get back to Wellington St.
A nice add-on is to head over the Alexandria Bridge, which has a good sidewalk, to the fabulous Museum of Canadian History, and along the paths of Jacques Cartier Park. This adds 1.8 miles one-way.
We have also put together a shorter ‘ceremonial’ run of 3.3 miles, which starts at Parliament Hill and continues west to Portage Bridge, across the rapids to the Museum of Canadian History on the Quebec side, then back over the Alexandra Bridge to the National Art Gallery and U.S. Embassy.
One additional benefit of this particular run is that most of the streets are cleared in winter.
Rideau Canal Loop
Short Run: 6 miles RT. Start: National Defense Building, opposite Confederation Park. MAP.
Long Run: Includes loop around Dow’s lake. 8.8 miles. MAP
Eastern Canal Path One-Way. 4.8 miles. MAP
Western Canal Path One-Way. 4.6 miles. MAP
The Rideau Canal is a World Heritage site and the path along it is one of the signature runs in Ottawa. There are dedicated running paths along the eastern and western sides of the canal, stretching nearly five flat miles from Confederation Park/University of Ottawa (just east of Parliament Hill) to Mooney’s Bay Park. The canal is narrow and there are numerous crossings & bridges along the way. Note: Sections of Colonel By Drive are closed to cars on Sundays, which is a bonus for runners. We’ve compiled a few running options for the Canal Paths. Some sections, especially the paths closest to downtown and Parliament Hill, are maintained in the winter. Note also that in winter, the Canal itself becomes the longest maintained skating rink in the world — and there’s lots of infrastructure along the path that skaters (and runners) can avail themselves of: changing rooms, warming huts, hot drinks, and so on. Very festive!
- Short Loop. 6-mile one way loop. Take the Eastern side 3 miles and cross over to the western side at Carleton University at Bronson Ave.
- Long Loop. This adds another 2.8 miles, heading out on the eastern side and including a loop around Dow’s Lake, returning on the western side.
- East Side, One Way. This table shows the east side path one way, with key distance points and crossing options. Instead of looping around the lake, continue through Carleton University to Hogs Back Park/Falls and Mooney’s Bay Park.
- West Side, One Way. This map shows the east side path one way, with key distance points and crossing options. The western side parallels the eastern side for 3 miles. Then the path heads around Dow’s Lake and through the Dominion Arboretum and Fletcher Wildlife Garden, terminating at Carleton University, where there’s a crossing near the Library building to the eastern path.
Rideau River Eastern Pathway
7.3 miles one-way, flat and mostly paved. Start: Rideau Falls. MAP
The Rideau River Eastern Pathway is another pleasant, paved pathway, following the Rideau River 7.3 miles from Rideau Falls to the confluence with the Rideau Canal at Hogs Back Falls. There are water views and parks along the way, as well as numerous bridge and pedestrian crossings. One nice option, at the 3.2 mile mark, is to take the Hurdman Bridge crossing to the western side of the river, and a 1-mile Rideau River Nature trail.
Ottawa River Pathway
7.1 miles, one-way. Gravel. Start: Rockliffe Park. MAP
The Ottawa River Pathway is another pleasant waterside run in Ottawa. This trail is a little further removed from the city center and is a little more rugged: gravel surface and somewhat hilly. The trail runs just over 7 miles north, paralleling the Cartier Parkway from Rockliffe Park to Greens Creek. At the 2-mile mark is the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. A good turnaround point is Greens Creek, at 5.3 miles.
Two Province Spectacular
9.6 mile loop. Start: Alexandra Bridge. Mainly paved. MAP
This is a spectacular route with great views and variety, skirting the two provinces. Start at centrally located Alexandra bridge and cross the pedestrian friendly path over to Hull on the Quebec side. Take Voyageurs Trail — part of an incredible 10,000 mile Trans Canada Trail (you’ll see signs also for ‘route verte’) heading west, passing the Canadian Museum of History and the convention center. You’ll reach Parc Mousette at about 4 miles. Cross back over to Ottawa on the mile-wide Champlain Bridge (also known as the Island Park Bridge), over Bate Island and Riopelle Island, with great views of the river and rapids. After crossing the bridge, head ~4 miles back to the start along the Ottawa River Trail (also referred to as the Trans-Canada Trail). There are some cool rock sculptures just past mile 6 and then the important National Capital landmarks toward the start/end point.
Ottawa Embassy 5-Miler
5 miles. Start: Parliament Hill- Centennial Flame. MAP
Rideau Hall Add-On. 2.5 mile loop. MAP
Ottawa is home, naturally, to many major embassies. Most of them are interesting buildings, clustered within a couple of square miles, in some of Ottawa’s nicer residential areas. We have put together a route that takes you by many of the major embassies. Start on Parliament Hill, and head out Sussex Drive toward the U.S. Embassy. At the McDonald Bridge, turn right and then onto Dalhousie St., which goes by several embassies and is also in the historic Byward Market area, home to lovely older buildings and many shops & restaurants. Head left on Rideau St. (Rt. 34), and then right on Charlotte St. (Rt. 48), site of several embassies. This will take you to Strathcona Park, location of the German embassy. Do a quick 1/2 mile loop through the park and then head west on Laurier Ave., with embassies on one side and the University of Ottawa on the other. Conclude with a jaunt by the National Defense building.
A nice 2.5 mile add-on, with even more embassies, is heading further along Sussex Dr. at the beginning of the run, to Rideau Hall (or even further to Rockliffe Park), which is the Gov. General’s residence (and current temporary home of Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, while his home at 24 Sussex is being renovated). It’s possible to run in some of the grounds of Rideau Hall. Then complete the loop along Princess Ave. and Dufferin Rd. to Stanley Ave., crossing the river on Union St. to rejoin the run.
Gatineau Park
150+ miles of roads and trails of incredible variety. PARK MAP.
Short Loop Running Map.
Gatineau Park is an 88,000 acre recreational playground only a 10 minute drive from Ottawa. It’s a great destination if you have time. There are several lakeside beaches, more than 100 miles of paved and unpaved trails for walking and running. This is also a cross-country skiing mecca in winter. The closest access to Ottawa is via the Portage Bridge. But the park continues for another nearly 50km northwest. Running in the park can be hilly, depending on the section.
There are some terrific roads and trails for casual running. Trail runners will find this place a paradise as well. In summer, sections of the park’s main roads are closed to cars on weekends, which is a special bonus for runners. Info here.
There are many options for running in Gatineau Park. A few recommendations:
- Gatineau Park Pathway. 150+ miles of roads and trails of incredible variety., fairly hilly.
- Meech Lake. Lake Starts at O’Brien Beach on Meech Lake. A good 10k loop around Meech Lake, site of the famous Meech Lake Accord involving the Canadian Constitution
Note: Some trails might be open only for X-C skiing in winter.
Stay
Most of the hotels in Ottawa are clustered downtown near Parliament to the south of Colonel By Dr, in the Queen St., Elgin St., and Laurier Ave. areas. Think of a square between Wellington to the north, Colonel By Dr., Bay, and the Trans Canada Highway. There are also some hotels right near the University of Ottawa. There is also a cluster of hotels just across the river in Hull, Quebec. All of these hotels are located within a mile or two of most of the iconic running paths in Ottawa.
Some of the more well-known and run-friendly hotels are: The Westin, Lord Elgin, the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, and the more modern Arc Hotel.
Stores and Group Runs
Running Room is the major running store outlet in Ottawa, with 6 locations. The most centrally located are on Slater St. near Parliament Hill or on Bank St. Thanks especially to Phil Marsh, Regional Manager for Running Room, for his help with this post.
Sports 4 is the other centrally located running store.
Group Runs: All Running Room stores have group runs Wednesday 6pm or 6:30 pm and Sunday 8:30 am.
Events
Ottawa running calendar, from RunGuides
Some important annual running events in Ottawa:
Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend/Scotiabank Marathon. Last weekend in May. This is a huge running weekend, attracting nearly 50,000 participants. Includes the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon, 10ks, kids races.
Army Run. Ottawa’s version of the Marine Corps Marathon. Wonderful running event, nearly 30,000 participants. Also multiple events over the weekend. A chance for the troops to extend the military esprit de corps to Canadians and to thank them for their support. And, it’s an opportunity for Canadians to say thanks to the men and women who serve them in so many ways at home and abroad.
Ottawa Triathlon. Canada’s signature triathlon event. July.
Ottawa Ultimate Triathlon. Skate and Run. A unique event. January.
New Year’s Eve Resolution Run. Running Room sponsors these runs across Canada on…wait for it…New Year’s Eve.
