Under an agreement with the City of Ottawa, the Friends of Carp Hills maintain a narrow, backcountry trail, Carp Hills Trails, for hikers, skiers, and snowshoers.
Crazy Horse Trail: called the Crazy Horse Trail in honour of the old bar that used to stand adjacent to the trailhead.
Use the trail at your own risk. The trail is rugged and strenuous in places. Hikers should be relatively fit and use appropriate footwear; i.e. hiking boots with good ankle support. There is poison ivy on some portions of the trail and ticks are present, particularly in the spring and fall.
The trail runs close to some private property boundaries. Please respect the property boundaries.
The trail is currently 6.2 km in length, which includes the loop around the beaver pond and return. It is accessed on the northwest side of March Road at the intersection with Huntmar. Parking is available on the wide shoulder by the trailhead. The first 760m is on a narrow strip of City-owned land that runs parallel to a rough and uneven road allowance shared with snowmobiles. Private property and houses run on the left and right sides. The trail overlaps with the road allowance at the end of this section; please respect the private property boundaries and let snowmobiles pass.
After the first 760m, the trail turns left (southwest) onto a 200 acre parcel owned by the City. The trail is currently marked with orange tree markers. Two new side loops have been added marked with yellow trail markers. Scenic lookouts are marked with blue markers. We’ve added a bridge across the channel on the loop around the beaver pond.
Link to Crazy Horse Trail guide and trail map: https://carphills.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/FCH-Trail-Guide-Abridged-Oct-2021.pdf
Carp Barrens Trail
Welcome to the Carp Barrens Trail, a 3 km loop operated by the Friends of the Carp Hills under an agreement with the City of Ottawa. The Carp Barrens Trail lies on one of the most ecologically significant areas in the region. Outcrops of exposed one billion year old Canadian Shield bedrock are folded into glacial-scraped ridges and troughs of provincially significant wetlands and ponds. This generally acidic and extreme environment supports plants uncommon or rare in the Ottawa area. Because of its unique character, the Ministry of Natural Resources designated the Carp Barrens as a candidate Provincially Significant Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (Life Science) in 1992.
The Carp Barrens Trail is for pedestrian and mountain bike use only. Dogs are not permitted.
The trail is closed seasonally each year to protect Species at Risk nesting turtles and birds. Trail closure runs from the first Tuesday after Victoria Day in May through August 15 inclusive.
Link to Carp Barrens Trail Map: https://carphills.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Carp-Barrens-Trail-Map.pdf
Carp Hills Trails are just one of the many nature trails and hiking trails you can find throughout Ontario by using the search features of OntarioNaturetrails.com
Region(s): Ottawa RegionNearby towns and cities: Ottawa
Trail feature tags: beaver pond | Boardwalk
Carp Hills Trails characteristics
Length: 6.2 km. & 3.2 km loopsDifficulty: Difficult (Trail classifications)
Trail surface: Boardwalks and Natural
Trail use: Hiking, Cross-country skiing, and Snowshoeing
Accessibility Notes: Not wheelchair accessible
Fees: none
Flora & Fauna:
Not yet reported.
Amenities: none
Attractions: boardwalk
Contact:
Friends of the Carp Hills
Find it: northwest side of March Road at the intersection with Huntmar. Parking is available on the wide shoulder by the trailhead.
GPS Coordinates (main trailhead):
Latitude: 45.3507840
Longitude: -75.9980710
