The Lauriault Trail- A 5 km Hike in Gatineau Park

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On the day we checked out this trail, we had actually wanted to complete the Luskville Falls Trail. The weather has been so strange this year in Ottawa though! Gatineau Park had been hit by the recent Autumn rain, and quite a few trails were closed that wouldn’t normally be. So, we checked the winter trails map to make sure of what would be open, and headed off towards the Lauriault Trail.

Despite the change in plans, we were excited to check out this trail (and the Mackenzie King Estate). Dogs are allowed on the Lauriault Trail (unlike Luskville Falls) so it was a bit of a bummer that we hadn’t brought our pup along, but we were able to meet a few fluffy guys along the way. Dogs are allowed on the trail year round.

The Lauriault Trail was really great for a half day outing. It had just enough elevation gain and loss to be a little challenging at some points. It also had a few surprises along the way- like an awesome waterfall that I didn’t know existed, and very cool ruins on the Estate.

“The Window on the Forest” at the Mackenzie King Estate.

Getting There

The Mackenzie King Estate, and the trail we were headed to, both connect to the p6 parking lot in Gatineau Park. The p6 parking lot is HUGE. There must have been at least 100 cars there, with some people parking in the bus drop off zone just so they could fit. I don’t know where all the people from those cars were though, because we saw very few on the trail! Maybe they were in the tearoom?

You can use these coordinates to get to the parking lot: 45.484392, -75.845758.

In the summer, you have to pay to park (up until October 22^nd). The machines only accept exact change or credit cards- this year it cost $9.57 but I make no guarantees for next year. Because we went at the beginning of November, parking was free.

Aside from facilities at the Mackenzie King Estate, there was also an outhouse at the trailhead. It was yellow, not the normal brown of outbuildings that are seen in Gatineau Park. Probably to better match the beauty of the Estate.

Trails Leading to the Lauriault Trail

We knew we had to use Trail 7 to get on the Lauriault Trail. The trailhead was on the south side of the parking lot. It was directly across from the big signs that announced the entry to the Mackenzie King Estate.

Setting off along the very wide path, we kept left at the first split in the trail. Heading to the right would have quickly brought us back to the Estate.

Not long after, we arrived at a parking lot on Promenade Champlain (coordinates: 45.480080, -75.847716). Promenade Champlain was already closed for the winter, so all the parking lots along it were empty at this time of year.

We turned right and walked down Champlain for a very short distance before getting back onto the trail. Keep an eye out for two medium sized rocks marking the first route back onto this trail. It was on our left.

We hopped back on the trail here.

This section of the trail was really pleasant. It followed a stream winding through the forest, and the path made for easy hiking. There were a few bridges that helped us to cross over the stream.

Easy hiking and nice bridges.

Technically, this section might be “the Waterfall Trail.” Nonetheless, I was surprised, after hiking for just over a kilometre, to come across a sign telling us about a waterfall only 150 metres away. Of course, we decided to check it out and were really glad we did! After a short, rocky descent we came across an absolutely beautiful spot to sit and watch the waterfall.

What a great spot to sit and take in the peace and beauty around you.

The waterfall itself was fantastic, and made even more powerful (I’m sure) by all the rain we’ve had recently. We had this spot to ourselves for a bit, which was great. I think that just hiking out here, sitting with some coffee, and enjoying the peacefulness of the spot would make for a lovely little hike.

Beautiful. And loud, to be honest.

The Lauriault Trail

After heading back, we carried on along the Lauriault Trail. This next section of the trail was thinner and a bit rockier. There were no trail markers, but it was well traveled enough that even with the leaves on the ground, I felt there was very little risk of getting lost.

After hiking for a total of 2.6 kilometres, we arrived at the lookout on the trail. Again, there was a comfy bench here to relax at while taking in the view.

Views.

At the 3 kilometre mark, we reached the Lauriault Parking lot, which is also beside Promenade Champlain. This lot was closed for the winter too, but there were quite a few picnic tables here, so it would make a great place for lunch any time of year. Parking is also free here, so if you wanted to avoid paying at the Mackenzie King Estate you might decide to start here in the summer instead: 45.484270, -75.857886.

We crossed back over Champlain, and entered the Mulvihill parking lot (45.484003, -75.856522) in order to stay on the trail. When we first entered the parking lot, there was a trail to our right, and one right in front of us at the end of the parking lot. We headed to our right in order to keep on the Lauriault Trail.

After walking for just over a kilometre, we knew we had circled back to the Mackenzie King Estate because we began to see some of the ruins. We abandoned the Lauriault Trail completely at this point to get a better sense of the grounds. What a beautiful place. It was fun to read about the history of the estate as we walked around wondering about what sort of man Mackenzie King was.

More of Mackenzie King’s collection.

Getting Home

Once we reached the Estate, it was less about staying on the trail and more about checking out the ruins. We ended our route at the “entrance” to the Mackenzie King Estate, in the parking lot across from where we had started.

Using our GPS, we tracked this route as being 5 kilometres long. Depending on how much time you spend cruising around the Estate, it could definitely be a bit longer or shorter. I would have liked to spend more time there (and maybe have lunch at the Tearoom!) but we had family coming in to town so we had to go.

We were able to cover the five kilometres on this trail in an hour and a half. It was nice and easy, and had a ton to see in a relatively short distance.

Just beautiful.

I think this trail is a great one to visit with your dog, for trail running, or for young families to explore. You could decide to make it shorter by hiking only to the waterfall from p6, or by just staying close to the entrance of the Estate. I’m sure that the gardens here would be phenomenal in the summer, and I plan on coming back to find out.

I hope this trip report has enough info to get you there too. Let me know in the comments, or share and tag a friend to start planning your next adventure!