10+ Best Locations to find Fall Foliage in Ottawa

Fall in Canada is the most beautiful time of year. Who doesn’t love the oranges, reds and yellows!? It is a fleeting season but it is absolutely magical. The capital of Canada is a very green city with a lot of deciduous trees with leaves that turn vibrant in the fall. The best time for fall foliage in Ottawa is near the end of September/beginning of October. Ottawa/Gatineau hosts the Fall Rhapsody each year, which also provides a shuttle bus from downtown Ottawa (Byward Market) to select trails in Gatineau Park. Each location listed below will have varying colour changing degrees so I recommend looking at the Ontario foliage map when planning your visit.

There is an Ottawa Fall Colour Report/fall foliage map available online (Google “Place+Fall Foliage Map” or for Ontarians, see link below) that shows the progress of colours. If you’re also looking for fall foliage road trips from Ottawa, read my post here. Taking this Self-Guided Downtown Ottawa Walking Tour would also be a fantastic way to see most of the locations in the post.

https://www.ontarioparks.com/fallcolour

Major’s Hill Park

A park full of trees with iconic Ottawa landmarks to capture in photos? DONE. Major’s Hill Park is an excellent first stop to see the fall foliage in Ottawa. From the park, you can find the Peace Tower, National Gallery of Canada, Museum of History, Chateau Fairmont Laurier and the Ottawa River.
Getting there: Park in the Byward Market (or at City Hall for $2 evenings and weekends. Alternatively, hop on your bike and take the Rideau Canal Pathway to the hill.
Tips: Pick up a leaf of every colour, fan them out and take a shot (see below).

Parliament Hill

Parliament Hill itself is under construction but the stairs behind the hill are open until winter! Take a walk behind the Parliment Buildings for some stunning views across the Ottawa River.
Getting there: Park in the Byward Market (or at City Hall for $2 evenings and weekends. Alternatively, hop on your bike and take the Rideau Canal Pathway to the hill.
Photo Tip: Walk to the top of the stairs and take a photo of the fall foliage, looking down the stairs.

Dominion Arboretum, Ornamental Gardens and Experimental Farm

The Dominion Arboretum and Ornamental Gardens are located on Prince of Wales Drive. The Arboretum is on the east side and the Ornamental Gardens are on the west side. The Experimental Farm is just to the west of the Ornamental Gardens. This area is an excellent place to check out the fall foliage in Ottawa – there are over 1,000 species of trees in the Arboretum!
Getting there: Park at the Arboretum off Prince of Wales Drive and walk to the Ornamental Gardens or hop on your bike and take the Experimental Farm Pathway.
Photo Tip: Check out the row of trees along Morningside Lane during golden hour.

Mer Bleue Bog Trail

Mer Bleue Bog Boardwalk trail is stunning year round and especially beautiful during the fall. If you’re lucky and head there in the early morning, you may see fog rolling in over the bog.

Hog’s Back Falls

I recently discovered a loop from the Rideau River Pathway to Hog’s Back Falls – see here. This is such a fun waterfall in Ottawa, links to both the Rideau River Pathway and Rideau Canal Pathway and is a short walk from Mooney’s Bay and Vincent Massey Park. Stick around for the afternoon and enjoy the thundering sound of Hog’s Back Falls.
Getting there: Park in the small lot or at Vincent Massey Park for a bit of a walk.
Photo Tips: Stand at one of the lookouts and capture the falls with fall foliage or take a sunburst through the trees.

Vincent Massey Park

One of the most underrated place in the city for fall foliage is Vincent Massey Park. The park is packed with yellow and gold trees, and is located beside the Rideau River. The picnic benches and Rideau River Pathway make for exceptional fall photos. It’s also a short distance from Hog’s Back Falls!
Getting there: park your car in the parking lot off Baseline Road or hop on your bike and cycle the paths.
Photo Tips: head to the Rideau River Pathway and watch for cyclists to provide a subject in the trees.

Rideau Canal

I love biking in the crisp fall weather but walking along the paths is also a great way to stop for some photos. If you’re up for it, take out your kayak on the river and check out the colours near the Arboretum or downtown.
Getting there: park your car on a side street, at City Hall ($2 on evenings and weekends) or hop on your bike and cycle the paths.
Photo Tips: On a still (not windy) day, you can get some amazing reflections on the Rideau Canal. Or, stand on one of the bridges that cross the canal and get the fall colours with the winding canal (the Bank Street Bridge is an excellent location for this).

Calabogie/Eagles Nest Lookout

A trip to the Calabogie Peaks Resort Fall Colours Chairlift and Eagles Nest Lookout during fall is a must. A perfect day trip with your family, is kid friendly and offers beautiful views of the fall foliage. The Blackbird Cafe is an adorable cafe with excellent food!
Getting there: About a 1.5 hour drive west of Ottawa, there is a small trailhead parking lot for the Eagles Nest Lookout. If you also stop at the Calabogie Peaks Resort, there is of parking at the offices where you buy your chairlift tickets.
Photo Tip: Make sure to capture both you on the rock and the fall foliage below for an epic photo. If you want a sunset fall photo, bring your headlamp!

Museum of History

This is one of the best views of Parliament Hill in the city. From the museum, you can see Parliament Hill, Fairmont Château Laurier, The National Art Gallery, Alexandra Bridge, and the Ottawa River. With only a 15 minute drive across the river, you’re going to want to put this location at the top of your list!
Getting there: park your car at the Museum of History or along a side street.
Photo Tip: Frame Parliament Hill with two trees by the River or with the aesthetic Museum itself!

Ottawa/Gatineau Bridges: Alexandra, Portage or Macdonald-Cartier

Another amazing view of Parliament Hill is from the bridges crossing the Ottawa River. Any one of the bridges listed above will provide amazing views across the river.
Photo Tip: Head out in the early morning to try to catch a sunrise or get some moody foggy shots.

Gatineau Park

I suggest checking out the NCC website for a detailed list of how to enjoy the fall foliage experience in Gatineau Park. The free shuttle runs from late September to late October (on weekends) from Downtown Ottawa and makes 3 stops in Gatineau Park. The earlier you can get to the park, the better! I guarantee it will be busy. King Mountain Trail is gorgeous (pictured below) and so is the Champlain Lookout.

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

Biplane Adventure or Helicopter Ride

The biplane adventure takes off from the Canada Aviation and Space Museum off Aviation Parkway. It’s a wonderful way to fly over the city. There are various types of flights for each, so check out the website for the one you would be most interested in. Alternatively, take a helicopter ride over Ottawa or Gatineau Park.