Hog's Back Park is a nice little park in the middle of the city. It's a great place for a picnic,…read moreor a bike ride or just to walk around. The falls are picturesque and since I am a romantic in my heart, I like looking at and reading all the love locks that are on the fence by the falls. I hope that all those people who placed the locks there are still happily together and still madly in love. Although I am ironically also simultaneously a cynic in my head, so I highly doubt that even half of those couples are still on speaking terms, lol. Cue music from Great Big Sea: "...how did we get from saying "I love you," to "I'll see you 'round someday?"..." Ok, ok, we can't end on that note...Cue music from Christopher Cross: "...I will take you forever, and there will never be anyone else in my heart but you..." Alright, talking about Love time is over, more about the park! There are lots of benches around and some picnic tables too. It's within walking distance to Mooney's Bay Park, which I don't like as much because it is much busier (likely because it also has a beach, which Hog's Back does not). There is free parking on-site but it can be hard to find a spot sometimes.

Lovely waterfalls, available parking, not too crowded, it's a beautiful place to visit! Give it a goread more

This is a very pretty area, a hidden gem in plain sight. You can see the falls from St Joseph…read moreBlvd., as you drive past over the bridge - but don't blink, or you'll miss it! It's hard to find an access point to actually walk around the park-like setting surrounding the falls, but with careful planning, you can do it! We ended up parking on a side street near an entrance, hiked around a bit, and took photos, but never made it to the bottom today. The falls are surrounded by trees, so surely this area would be beautiful in the fall when the colours change. I've been wanting to get the camera club together for an outing; maybe this fall will present an opportunity?

This is a great multi-season trail. The trail is not super long there is a medium-range (~3 km) or…read morea short (~2 km) loop. The trial is perfect for trail running, a short hike with small kids, a walk with a coffee in your hand while chatting with a friend and XC ski in winter. One of the loops has about 10 marked posts, some with archeological information about the Quarry. This trail is nice in the summer but exceptional nicer during winter after some heavy snow storms where you feel inside a ferry tale. Parking (P5) is free and by the size of it this is a popular trail, although it is easy to step aside and let people pass you if needed (keeping 2 m). Don't forget to bring bird seeds to feed those lovely birds.

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.

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.

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.

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.