Advisory
Please take note of the following before your visit.
Planning a walk in Gatineau Park with your dog? Here’s what you need to know.
Dog-friendly trails
Gatineau Park welcomes leashed dogs in some areas, but there are seasonal rules to protect wildlife and maintain trail quality.
From April 15 to November 30, leashed dogs are allowed on most marked, official trails.
However, dogs are never allowed on:
- Pink Lake Trail
- King Mountain Trail
- Luskville Falls Trail
- Equestrian Trail
These trails are in areas that have fragile ecosystems. To conserve and protect these ecosystems, dogs are not permitted.
Dogs are also not allowed:
- on beaches
- in picnic areas
- in day shelters
- at campgrounds
- on shuttle buses
These restrictions do not apply to people accompanied by service dogs.
From December 1 to April 14, leashed dogs are only allowed on the four following walking trails:
- 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)
Dogs are not allowed elsewhere because trails are used for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or snow biking.
Dog-walking rules
- Pick up after your pet, even when nobody’s watching.
- Pets must be leashed at all times while in the Park:
- a pet’s leash or harness cannot exceed two metres;
- maximum of two pets on leash.
- Ensure that your pet does not bite, attack, chase or injure any person or animal, or damage property.
Keeping your dog on-leash and staying on official, marked trails protects the plants and animals of Gatineau Park, and also protects your dog’s health.
The hazards of dogs roaming off-leash in Gatineau Park can be very serious, including:
- getting lost;
- getting hurt from an encounter with a porcupine, bear, fisher, raccoon, coyote or another dog;
- ingesting parasites or bacteria (like cyanobacteria), which can be fatal;
- attracting ticks and bringing them home.
Keep your dog safe by keeping them on-leash, sticking to the official, marked trails, and bringing water for both you and your dog.
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. Here’s why:
Conservation
Even when leashed, dogs can stress out wildlife. In winter, cold temperatures, snow and scarcity of food make survival difficult for wild animals. If they feel threatened by a dog, they may waste valuable energy fleeing. To help protect wildlife, the NCC limits the number of places where dogs are allowed from December 1 to April 14.
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.
