Rideau Trail

Rideau Trail is a long-distance hiking route in Ontario that links Kingston and Ottawa, designed primarily for walking. It is also used for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, with terrain that shifts from gentler farmland near the Ottawa River valleys toward the rugged Canadian Shield areas.

The route is roughly 325 km long between Kingston and Ottawa (a longer figure is also commonly cited for the network depending on how secondary/connector trails are counted). Thru-hiking the full main route typically takes 9 to 16 days, so most hikers plan it in sections rather than all at once.

The official northbound route runs from Confederation Park in Kingston to the Rideau Canal Locks near Parliament Hill in Ottawa. The main route is marked with orange triangular markers; the northbound/orientation is signaled by the blaze style (orange triangles vs. orange triangles with a yellow tip).

Side trails, connectors, and loop options exist off the main line and are marked with blue triangle blazes. This lets you shorten the trip to a weekend segment or link particular areas without committing to an end-to-end push.

Route terrain is mixed: the southern half contains some of the trail’s most challenging portions, and steeper rocky climbs are present in places such as Frontenac Provincial Park. Expect a route that alternates between stretches of easier walking and sections with noticeable elevation change.

The trail is maintained by the Rideau Trail Association, a non-profit that runs club activity and maintenance work along the corridor. Non-members can hike the trail, but having the correct maps/GPS files for navigation is strongly emphasized because portions run through remote areas.

More information: Official website, Official website, Conditions