Year-round dog walking

You can walk your leashed dog on the following trails at any time of year:

  • Sugarbush Trail (Chelsea - Gatineau Park Visitor Centre)
  • Lauriault Trail (Mackenzie King Estate - P6)
  • Pioneers Trail (Hull sector of Gatineau - P3)
  • Capital Pathway (Hull sector of Gatineau - P1/P3)

April 15 to November 30

You can walk your leashed pet on most marked, officially recognized trails from April 15 to November 30. The only exceptions are the four trails where dogs are not permitted at anytime.

No dogs or pets

Four Gatineau Park trails are in areas that have fragile ecosystems. In order to conserve and protect these ecosystems, dogs are not permitted on these trails:

Also, dogs are not permitted at Gatineau Park beaches, picnic areas and campgrounds.

This restriction does not apply to people accompanied by service dogs.

Why is access limited for dogs in the winter?

There is a big difference between summer and winter in terms of the number of trails where you can walk your leashed dog in Gatineau Park. And here’s the reason why.

Conservation
Even when leashed, dogs are a source of stress for wildlife. In winter, the colder temperatures, difficulty moving through snow and scarcity of food make survival difficult for wild animals. To help protect them, the NCC limits the number of places where dogs are allowed during the cold winter months.

Winter recreation
Dogs are not permitted on cross-country ski, snowshoe or snow bike trails, because they compromise trail safety and quality, and leave their waste on the trails. Their tracks in the snow also create dangerous conditions for skiing.

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