10 Stunning Lookouts to Hike or Visit near Ottawa

A stunning view at the end (or in the middle of) a hike is so rewarding! All my favourite hikes offer the best views because I love a breathtaking view of nature. For me, the view is always the destination. Sure, the exercise and general feeling of tiredness after a difficult hike is wonderful but the views are the cherry on top! There are so many amazing lookouts in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It’s no surprise given they are both beautiful provinces. I’ve rounded up 10 amazing lookouts near Ottawa that you can get to by hiking or even driving to the base of. Fall is my favourite time to explore these lookouts! Not all the trails are open year round, so make note when you’re planning your next lookout adventure.

Ottawa Lookouts

To start the list of lookouts near Ottawa, we should start with lookouts IN the city! The Rockcliffe Lookout is a great lookout over the Ottawa River, with limited parking. It’s a perfect location to watch the sunset. The Arboretum lookout has a wonderful view of Dow’s Lake and is perfect to watch the sun rise. The Alexandra Bridge lookout has a great view of Parliament Hill.

Rock Dunder

Easily one of my favourite lookouts near Ottawa is the Rock Dunder trail. It’s only 1.5 hours from Ottawa and has an amazing rock cliff overlooking the Rideau River. It’s open May to November and costs $6/person (or a season pass for $60). The lookout trail takes about 1 to 1.5 hours to hike the loop – just follow the blue arrows!

Read more: Ultimate Guide to Visiting and Hiking Rock Dunder

King Mountain

This is a fantastic, short but difficult hike in Gatineau Park with a stunning lookout. Make note of the parkway closures throughout the summer and fall season. The hike itself is a 1.9 km with an elevation gain of 344 m and takes about 45 minutes to complete. However, if the parkway is closed to vehicles, you can park at P7 and take trail 30. This makes the whole trip about a 2 hour hike. This trail is closed in winter.

Read more: Gatineau Park and Chelsea: A Quick Fun Day Trip from Ottawa

Champlain Lookout

Champlain Lookout overlooks Gatineau Park and is an absolutely wonderful location. It is accessible, as well! There is limited parking; however, most people only stop for 15-20 minutes so the turnover is quick. The National Capital Commission recently renovated the lookout and it looks wonderful!

Mont Morissette Regional Park 

Another beautiful observation deck is in the Mont Morissette Regional Park, about 1.5 hours from Ottawa. The observation tower is 18 m tall and offers stunning views of Blue Sea Lake. There’s a total of 13 km of hiking trails in the park. It takes about 2 hours to complete the loop but you can drive to the base of the tower for the views. Admission and parking are free.

Parc des Montagnes Noires de Ripon

The Parc des Montagnes Noires de Ripon is about an hour from Ottawa. The park is 800 acres and costs $10/person to visit for the day. There is a parking lot at the base of the observation deck, but there is also a second lookout further up. The fall colours are absolutely stunning!

1000 Islands Tower

Head to the 1000 Islands Tower on Hill Island and take in the views from the three observation decks. Open May to Thanksgiving weekend, the tower is about 1.5 hours from Ottawa it’ll cost you $17/person. Make sure to check their website for opening hours! Note, there is a toll to cross the bridge to Hill Island but it’s on the Canadian side of the islands so you won’t need your passport to get there.

Algonquin Park

There are some stunning lookouts in Algonquin Park: Hardwood Lookout, Track & Tower, Hemlock Bluff, Lookout Trail, Centennial Ridges, Booth’s Rock and Barron Canyon. The closest lookout near Ottawa is the Barron Canyon lookout and is just over 2 hours from Ottawa. The Barron Canyon Trail (below) is a 1.5 km easy loop that overlooks the 100 m deep Barron Canyon. The views are spectacular!! The other lookouts mentioned are all within close distance from each other, but the closest to Ottawa is over a 3 hour drive.

Eagle’s Nest

Another favourite is the Eagles Nest Lookout. It is a hiking trail that has gained a lot of popularity in the last few years because of the scenic lookout year round. It’s at the tail end of the Manitou Mountain Trail (a longer 9 km one-way trail). It takes just over an hour to get to the trailhead and the lookout is a quick 20 minute! Take the wide old logging road until you get to the sign where you’ll walk up a steep section to get to the lookout. It’s absolutely stunning in the fall and winter!

Read more: Ultimate Guide to Visiting and Hiking the Eagles Nest Lookout

Mont Tremblant National Park (La Roche)

La Roche lookout in Mont Tremblant National Park is another on the list of breathtaking lookouts near Ottawa. It is about 2.5 hours from Ottawa, but only about 30 minutes from Mont Tremblant village. Mont Tremblant village is an excellent destination to relax or explore year round! The La Roche lookout point has an elevation gain of 610 m over 2.3 km which makes it a steep hike! I promise, the lookout point is worth the climb! Trust me, I was ready to give up just before the moment I saw the sign indicating the lookout was ahead.

Foley Mountain Sky Rock Lookout

Foley Mountain is a granite ridge overlooking the picturesque village of Westport in Ontario. The Sky Rock lookout is about a 2 minute walk from the parking lot, along an accessible boardwalk. However, the lookout itself is rocky. It costs $7 to visit the park, and once you see the lookout you can continue through the park to various walking trails through the forest. The loop trail takes about 1.5 hours to walk the whole thing.