In the winter, uOttawa athletes can choose from at least 10 groomed trail networks.

Nakkertok Nordic Ski Club is our principal training venue. Nakkertok South is just a 15-minute drive from uOttawa, has terrific grooming, and a variety of terrain including racing trails, and one of the few snowmaking setups in Eastern Canada, making early season skiing possible. Nakkertok South is an ideal training venue for racers. Nakkertok hosts national-level competitions and race courses are homologated per FIS standards.

Nakkertok North, in Val des Monts, has fun backcountry trails for classic skiing.

The Gatineau Park offers over 200 of kilometers of groomed trails and some of the best cross country skiing in North America.

Options to ski in Ottawa keep getting better!

Ottawa has seven city trails to choose from - so no matter where you live you can likely hop on skis within easy distance by foot or public transit! Ottawa's Urban Winter Trail network has expanded and improved dramatically in 2020 and now includes six city trails that are free, and the City of Ottawa operates Mooney's Bay trails. Check out the conditions of all the trails here.

The new Rideau Winter Trail is adjacent to uOttawa! Check out the trail map here.

• Transit: Hurdman Station, and OC Transpo provides connections within walking distance of Riverain Park on River Road. Use their online planner to create your itinerary.

• Parking: Information on the Rideau Sports Centre website.

The SJAM Winter Trail is just a few kilometers from uOttawa-18 km. The trail connects the Canadian War Museum with park lands along the Sir John A. MacDonald Parkway. You can access the trail by public transit, providing easy access for students.

• Transit: LeBreton Flats, Bayview/O-Train, Dominion and Pimisi stations

• Parking: Westboro Beach, Champlain parking lot (by Champlain Bridge), Remic Rapids Park and the Canadian War Museum

Ski Heritage East has trails that cover an out and back distance of >30 km (it keeps expanding!) along the banks of the Ottawa River from the Aviation museum to Trim Road (see map). Easily accessible by foot, car or bus at one of nine trailhead entrances.

• Transit: OC Transpo provides connections within walking distance of the trail at Trim Road. Use their online planner to create your itinerary.

• Parking: P7, P8 (now called Greenbelt P27)

Mooney’s Bay is another good option for city skiing, with 5 km of trails groomed for classic and skate skiing. Lit at night. There is a day use fee. Details can be found here and trail conditions can be found here.

Britannia Winter Trail provides at least 9 km of groomed trail in the vicinity of Britannia Park.

• Near Mud Lake, from Carling Avenue, at the eastern end of Andrew Haydon Park, to Pinecrest Creek Pathway near the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway.

Parking: Britannia Park

Ottawa West Winter Trail. 8k of free mulit-use trail in the west end groomed by Kanata Nordic. You can find more details here.

• Transit: OC Transpo provides connections within walking distance of Wesley Clover Parks (approximately 15 minutes) at the junction of Highway 417 and Moodie Drive. Use their online planner to create your itinerary.

• Parking: Greenbelt P3

Wesley Clover Parks, in the west end, has 18km of groomed skate and classic trails, with continual improvements each year (more info on these trails here). These trails are the main training base for the Kanata Nordic ski club.

Orleans Ski Club. 8k of free mulit-use trail in the west end groomed by Kanata Nordic. You can find more details here.

Dryland Training

We keep weekday morning workouts close to uOttawa, so athletes don't have to travel far and can make it to classes on time. uOttawa is just steps from the beautiful Rideau Canal, linking the university to the National Capital Commission's Capital Pathway Network - 300 kilometers of paths for running, cycling, or rollerskiing.

The Gatineau Park is another favourite venue for dryland training for weekends. The parkways offer 32.5 kilometres of scenic, winding, and hilly roads, and some of the best car-free rollerskiing in the world. uOttawa is just 8 km from the closest Gatineau Park access point. Athletes can also run, hike, or ski walk on 170km of the park's trails, and the long Penguin Hill climb is ideal for ski striding workouts. The park also offers almost 100km of mountain bike trails.

Strength Training is performed at the Gee-Gees High Performance Center at uOttawa.