Marlborough Forest in North Gower: Trail Report

Marlborough Forest in North Gower: Trail Report

This inner city trail offers a complete forest immersion will have you forgetting about the city all together. Choose from a 4km loop using Cedar Grove Trail around the pond or over 29kms of forest trails.

Suggested Stops

Before the hike, it was a stop at Morning Owl in Manotick for a latte and fresh baked biscuit to fuel the days adventures. If you’re looking for some post hike fuel, the Marlborough Pub and Eatery is just down the road from the trailheads. Ooohhh, and did I mention a farmers market? That too.

Important Insights

E2 (North) offers a wide flat trail suitable for robust strollers and robust wheelchairs however the trail entrance is gated to prevent vehicle access and might hinder accessibility. The E3 (South) trail loop is not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs. The trail system in Marlborough Forest is easy enough to follow and you can think of it as a “Northside” and “Southside” split. Northside departs from parking lot E2. Southside departs from parking lot E3. The forest and trail system runs through both private and City of Ottawa owned lands. It consist of 9,300+ hectares (wetlands, wildlife fields, natural forests, plantations).

Land Acknowledgement

These are the lands of the Ho-de-no-sau-nee-ga (Haudenosaunee), Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ, Omàmìwininìwag (Algonquin), and Wendake-Nionwentsïo people.⁠ It is important as avid hikers and stewards of the land, to acknowledge and understand the full story our surroundings along with the people that care for her, both past and present. As sourced from native-land.ca, if there are corrections please send to victoria@girlgonegood.com.

Land Management

Marlborough Forest is managed by the City of Ottawa.

GPS Coordinates

45.07246996219841, -75.81945628635171

Street Address

3546-3700 Roger Stevens Dr, North Gower, ON K0A 2T0

Directions

Take Hwy 417 West. Then exit and take Hwy 416 South. Continue on Hwy 416 South for 38kms (20 mins) and take exit #49 for Rodger Steven Dr/County Rd 6. Turn right (west) on Rodger Stevens Dr. Continue for approx 15kms until you reach parking E2 (north side) or E3 (south side).

Parking

Medium parking lot at trailhead.

Cell Reception

Yes

Washrooms

Outhouses located at the parking lot.

Accessibility

Yes (for a portion of the trail)

Trail Details

Entrance Fee

Hours of Operation

All seasons. Open dawn to dusk daily.

Trail Map

Available from the City of Ottawa

Trailhead

Located at the parking lot.

Number of Trails

2

Total Distance (km)

29

Elevation Gain (m)

Cell Reception

Yes

Features

Woodlands, Marshlands, Ponds

Activities

Hiking, Birding, Snowshoeing, Geocaching

Dogs

Permitted on-leash.

Trail Description

Northside Trails: Northside departs from parking lot E2. Consists of a very wide dirt and gravel pathway through the forest. The trail makes it easy to maintain physical distancing and is suitable for robust strollers. Southside Trails: Southside departs from parking lot E3. Cedar Grove Trail is a 4km loop through cedar forest around a scenic pond. The trail varies between open grass area, narrow (1-2 person wide) paths, and boardwalk. The trail is very well maintained, however is not suitable for strollers on the east side. To hike this trail, start by following the orange arrows from the E3 Parking Lot. Once you hit the three way trail divide either a) take the blue arrow left (east) to hike clockwise a round or b) follow the orange arrow straight to take a counter clockwise hike around the pond. If you take option b: then you rejoin the blue arrow trail markers in 250m. Of course, the centerpiece of this looped hike is of Rogers Pond. It is a beautiful clear pond that can be viewed from the start of the hike (if hiking counter clockwise) from a large grassy area. Along the trail you’ll also see a wooden bridge and a boardwalk section on the far south side. The best view point is just 50 m from the three way trail split, looking out over the pond. Rideau trail: The orange trail markers are for the trail leading to the Rideau Trail (that runs from Kingston to Ottawa). The Marlborough Forest section on the Rideau Trail is from Rogers Pond to Jock Trail (Rideau Trail Map 15).

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