Richard's GPS Trail Maps

Jump Links to Trails

2000-12-30T20:14:00.040-05:00

(note: maps are listed in a rough geographic order that sort of makes sense to me)

Background - GPSing the Greenbelt Trails

Backroad Mapbooks GPS Map Review (Ontario)

Downloading and Using GPX files

Western Greenbelt Trails

Stony Swamp Conservation Area Trails

Old Quarry Trail System

Lime Kiln Trail System

Jack Pine Trail System

Lytle Park Trail System

Trails 27 & 28 Trail System

Trails 20, 21 & 22 Trail System

Trails 11 & 12 Trail System

Carling Place (Former Nortel Networks Campus) Hybrid Rideable Paths and Trails

Stittsville Trail System

South March Highlands Trails

South March Highlands Conservation Forest Intermediate Mountain Biking Trails

South March Highlands Kanata Lakes Trails

South March Highlands Beaver Pond Paths and Trillium Woods Trail

Marlborough Forest Roads

This is a work in progress. More maps will be added in the future.

Posted 2009-05-30
Updated 2011-11-18

Background - GPSing the Greenbelt Trails

2000-12-25T20:24:00.007-05:00

First Published in MTBKanata Newsletter Winter 2007-01

How It All Began

It all started a long time ago in a faraway land in a cave. Well actually it was back in the 1950s in Sudbury in an eight room stone schoolhouse. That is where I first got introduced to colouring, drawing, and making maps.

Growing up in Sudbury is also where I got interested in playing in the rocks and exploring the bush. When I got older there was not a trail or back road I did not want to explore.

When I moved to Ottawa I discovered Renouf’s bookstore on the Sparks Street Mall (long since gone) which was a huge repository of topographical maps. I soon had topo maps for all of the Ottawa and Sudbury areas. I followed that up with map books and guides to old mines in Ontario. And just recently when I discovered the “backroad mapbooks” at Chapters I had to buy copies of all the books for any area I though we might travel to on our holidays.

Soon after I took up mountain biking, GPSs became all the rage but were still quite expensive to buy as a toy. Luckily I was given one as a gift by my wife Christine and that is where this story really begins.

I started using it to track our hikes and rigged up a way to attach it to my mountain bike using the rubber from an old tube (when I got my new Devinci I bought a proper bracket for the GPS). Then I started looking for away to create maps from it. I discovered a freeware software program that allowed me to create “maps” that I could add symbols to, and with latitude and longitude indicated. But that was not really what I wanted.

What I really wanted was to overlay my GPS data onto topographical maps. But it was difficult to find easy to use, free, or inexpensive maps to use and the commercial software and maps were quite expensive. Then came Google Earth. Not topo maps, but perhaps even better, satellite images. With Google Earth Plus, for $20 a year I could overlay my GPS tracks onto the Google satellite images. I could become a “Map Maker”.

The Mapping Begins

So now all I had to do was ride around on the trails and plug the GPS into the computer and instant maps. If only it was that easy. The first thing that I discovered was that the GPS is not completely accurate (at least my Garmin Gecko 201 is not). You turn it on and you start tracking with an accuracy of within about 30 metres. As you pick up more satellites the accuracy increases to a maximum of about 8 metres. That is close enough to get you out of the bush when your lost but can result in double map tracks if you make multiple loops of the same trails. It can also result in a trail behind a group of houses going right through them on the map. The more you zoom in on Google Earth the more apparent those discrepancies become. So I developed some techniques to deal with that problem

I decided to start with my backyard, the Bridlewood area Old Quarry trails, and I learned just how extensive that network was when I set out to methodically ride all the trails. I started by mapping out the main access points, the old rail line and the trails and paths along both hydro lines that provided access to the real trails from the neighbourhoods. Then I hit the main and most common trails, 23, 24 and 25. But it was when I started riding and mapping all the side trails that I have been meaning to ride, as well as looking for hidden side trails, that I discovered how extensive and interconnecting the trail system is. This is when I discovered the hidden inner trail right next to trail 23.

It actually took me seven riding and mapping sessions to complete the Old Quarry Trail network plus another session for the Lime Kiln and Wild Bird Care Centre area trails. After that I decided to map some smaller trail areas so I did trails 20 to 22, followed by Jack Pine.

I am now in the process of doing Trails 26 and 27 across from Jack Pine on the other side of Hunt Club. While mapping these trails in early November, 2006 I discovered that the section I needed to map was muddy, muddier than I would normally ride. The cold weather is really hampering the drying out process. But I was on a mission so I persevered.

This is going to be one of the most complex systems to map. Besides a number of official loops there is almost an unlimited number of unofficial connecting and crossing trails which kept me going, mapping trails and marking waypoints at all the intersections in hopes of eventually linking them all up.

This was one of the muddiest rides I have been on. I usually try to avoid the mud, but as I say I was on a mission. So when I came to a wet area with about a foot of water and ice starting to cover it, and I could see the connecting trail a short way ahead on the GPS I had no choice but to break through the ice and ride through the water. there is always a first time for everything. Some time early next spring summer I hope to publish this map.

The GPSing Process

There are probably better ways of doing this but this is the process I have developed and it works for me.

Obviously I start by riding the trails with the GPS on. I would recommend using the most accurate GPS you can afford and preferably one that you can set to start a new track without having to turn it off and on again, necessitating a significant wait while it retracks the satellites. A smaller GPS is really convenient to use attached to a bike, although you have a smaller display, most of the work with the tracks is done on the computer afterwards. To avoid overlapping trails I never ride the same portion twice, unless I reset the track to a new track that can be deleted or turned off in Google Earth.

As I pass intersecting trails I mark waypoints to indicate intersecting trails for later mapping. I may come back to them during the same ride, either by memory or by starting a new track and following the GPS track back to the waypoint and again starting a new track to map the intersecting trail.

When I finish a GPSing session I input the GPS data into Google Earth via a serial cable attached to my computer’s serial port. Newer GPSs may use a USB cable. I then view the session’s tracks, deleting or hiding overlapping tracks. If in the middle of mapping an area I will print out a map with the waypoints for intersecting trails on the map and use this as a guide to mapping the intersecting trails during the next ride/mapping session. When I have completed GPSing all the trails for an are I want to create a map of I move to the next stage which takes place on the computer.

The Editing and Map Making Process

The first step is to select the area of the map from within Google Earth. Normally I do all my editing within Photoshop Elements. However in the case of the trail on the Old Quarry map that went through the houses I deleted the track that went through the Houses and recreated it in the correct spot using Google Earth’s line drawing capability, as it is more difficult to clone houses than to clone terrain.

But the usual process is to save the selected area as a jpg file and open it in Photoshop Elements. Sometimes there will be gaps in the track where the signal was lost in dense bush and sometimes the GPS will just do weird things and draw a line in the opposite of the correct direction or draw extraneous lines.

This happened while mapping Jack Pine. In Photoshop Elements I clone out incorrect lines and draw in correct ones. I also add in the parking lot numbers and the occasional point of interest such as the Lime Kiln. Until the final version is done the file is always saved as a Photoshop Elements file to retain image quality. When completed I add the title and save the file as a jpg for publication and then I release it to the world.

Easier Trail Mapping With My New GPS

First Published in The Fifth Column, September 29, 2008

Last year I started mapping the Greenbelt trails using my GPS unit. With my older GPS unit it was a long complicated process requiring that I avoid overlapping my tracks and involving extensive editing in Photoshop Elements. (See article in the MTBKanata Newsletter above)

With my new Garmin GPSMAP 60Cx,which is much more accurate, the process is much simpler.

When I recently mapped Greenbelt Trails 11 & 12 I did not have to worry about overlapping tracks nor did I have to do extensive editing. All that was required was to input the data into Google Earth and MapSource Topo Canada and save an image of the track, and then add whatever text or labels I wanted on the maps.

Posted 2009-05-30

Backroad Mapbooks GPS Map Review (Ontario)

2000-12-24T18:35:00.000-05:00

Background

Up until now I had used Topo Canada (ver. 2) from Garmin on my GPS for navigation and mapping, along with Google Earth. I was not completely happy with the detail it provided nor the fact that it was getting out of date. When ver. 4 came along (skipping ver. 3) I was interested in possibly upgrading as it did include some new 3D software functions. However, from what I could tell from the sample map utility on the Garmin website the maps did not seem to be particularly updated.

I also experimented with TopoFusion which provides access to the Natural Resources Canada map server and the most recent Canadian government maps. That provided an alternative view but it was still not completely satisfactory, as they are just flat maps without road or street names, etc.

So I was quite interested when the Backroad Mapbooks people contacted me to ask if they could use my GPS maps in a new product they were developing for Garmin GPS units, as I already owned several of their print volumes for parts of Ontario. Those discussions ended up with my offering them the GPS map data with no conditions but suggesting they provide me with a free copy of their Ontario GPS product, to which they responded positively.

I have had it for a few weeks now and it has become the default GPS map on my GPS unit for Ontario, as well as the most used map on my computer. Hopefully, as I continue to provide them with new and updated trail data they will continue to provide me with map updates.

The Review

The first thing I should say, as I have learned as I have worked on writing this is that this should be considered a preliminary review (although I likely won't write another one as I think this will capture the spirit of the product and most of what I want to say) because I sense I still have a lot to learn about the depth and capabilities of this mapping software.

Let us skip ahead to the conclusion to say that it seems obvious from comparing Garmin's Topo Canada to Backroad Mapbooks Ontario GPS Map that Garmin is a technology company and Backroad Mapbooks is a mapping company.

First I should note that I did have a bit of a problem with my first attempt at installation until I went back and carefully read the actual instructions. That is to say, the install is not as intuitive as some of us lazy folk who hate to read instructions would like, but as long as you read the instructions all will be well.

Backroad Mapbooks GPS Maps work with MapSource so you do not have to learn a new software interface on the GPS or computer. One of the advantages of this is that it allows the Backroad MapBooks people to concentrate on what they do best, map-making rather than software development. Although it would be interesting to see what kind of software features they would add, based on their mapping experience.

The look, both on the GPS and computer is different, primarily because there is more detail provided, and that took some adjusting but I quickly decided I preferred BackRoad Mapbooks (BRM) to Garmin's Topo Canada (TC). BRM uses 10,000 and 20,000 scale maps rather tham TC's 50,000 and 250,000 scale maps so I was expecting to see a difference there. However the biggest difference is in what information BRM provides that TC does not.

Map of Choice For Outdoorspersons

One of the first things I noticed was that BRM has trails marked, which TC does not (with a few very rare exceptions). In particular they have the official NCC Greenbelt trails that I ride on (and map) included. I look forward to them adding my GPS maps which includes all the undocumented Greenbelt trails that are not on the official Greenbelt maps, along with the South March Highlands trails which they also lack at the moment.

Seeing this led me to check out the maps on the computer for trails I have recorded in Algonquin and Killarney provincial parks and they were on the map also, along with other trails in the parks. A quick overview of the Ontario map showed considerable trail coverage across the province, including the Bruce Peninsula National Park and the Bruce Trail so I will assume there is pretty decent coverage of all provincial and national parks.

Also included is what appears to be pretty comprehensive coverage of snowmobile trails, which provides a huge market for the product, as well as canoe routes and portages. Another quick review indicates that the map software includes an extensive collection of Points of Interest (POIs). The Backroad Mapbooks website provides an overview of the Ontario GPS Map Features as well as other information and tutorials on their GPS maps products.

This is indeed the GPS map of choice for outdoorspersons.

I also noticed pretty decent coverage of local walking/cycling paths when I was riding and similar decent coverage on the computer map, though there is definitely some room for improvement there. Indeed the biggest complaint I would have with the BRM map is that it is not perfect.

Computer Map Comparisons
(Click on images to enlarge)

Google Earth View

TopoFusion Natural Resources Canada Map

Garmin Topo Canada Map

BackRoad Mapbooks Map

Unclassified Roads

One thing that did surprise me with TC was when it routed me from Killarney to Sudbury via roads that no longer exist, except as trails and that may not even be open because they go through Department of National Defence lands at the Old Burwash prison site. So I wanted to see how BRM handled the routing, and it used open main roads. BRM does have those roads marked but as "unclassified roads" rather than local roads.

I had already come across this caution about :"unclassified roads" in another review

There's quite a difference, isn't there? While fourwheeling and testing the maps, I did notice that the maps showed some roads that didn't exist, but that's because they were now heavily overgrown and had become single tracks. Personally, I would much rather see them on the map, than not see them at all. These were all marked as "unclassified roads" which was fair warning. The fun in exploring is to see which of these unclassified roads are actually passable and can take you to new places. And in that regard, Backroad GPS Maps is extremely useful for that kind of trip planning. In fact, it's dangerously easy to lose hours of your time, poring over potential trails to explore, and finding possible routes from one trail system to another. But if you're the kind of person that just wants to know where the known-to-be-good roads are, then just stick to using the roads that aren't marked as unclassified.

I must say that I agree with that view, as the more information for people searching for possible hiking or mountain biking trails the better. However BRM might want to put a caution on their "Legend" about unclassified roads.

Updates

One of the things that was annoying about TC was that updates to the map were not available and the only way to update the map was to purchase the newer version of the software. With BRM annual updates are available at a reasonable cost and there is a progam that provides free updates for users that submit trail and Point of Interest information.

It is very clear that BRM wants to make their product as complete and updated as possible for the outdoorsperson and is engaging the user community in that pursuit. My only concern would be that they ensure reasonable review and control over what is included from the submitted information.

Suggested Improvement

I have one suggested improvement and that relates to the comprehensiveness and extent of information provided on the map. There is a fine line between comprehensiveness and clutter and drawing that line is difficult. Rather than arbitrarily limiting the information included on the map I would suggest BRM let the user decide what information is viewed on the maps, not just in terms of degree (less to more) but in terms of categories. I would suggest the use of an interface similar to what Google Earth uses to show what Layers are shown. I would also suggest that users be able to select the categories shown both on the computer and GPS through a computer interface (easier to use than a GPS interface) and then synch the choices with the GPS.

Conclusion

It seems obvious to me, from comparing Garmin's Topo Canada to Backroad Mapbooks Ontario GPS Map, that Garmin is a technology company and Backroad Mapbooks is a mapping company run by outdoorspersons who truly love and believe in what they are doing.

Posted 2011-11-07

Downloading and Using GPX files

2000-12-23T09:23:00.003-05:00

The GPS gpx files used for the maps on Richard's GPS Trail Maps web site can be downloaded from Google Docs.

However, you should be aware of the following. In most cases these gpx files cannot simply be uploaded to your GPS device because there are probably more than the 20 track limit allowed for Garmin devices. I do not know what the limits are for other devices.

This is primarily because the gpx files were used to create maps of extensive trail systems. This often involved multiple mapping sessions and multiple GPS tracks. As well, to avoid track overlap, particularly with my first GPS unit which was not as accurate as my current one, it was necessary to break up the tracks used to record the trails. Often editing of the tracks created very many separate track files.

The best way to use the gpx files is to load them onto software such as Garmin MapSource. You can then create new tracks of your planned route by tracing over the tracks on the map and upload those tracks to your GPS unit. That is the method that I use and it works very well. Note that this does not work very well if you use "white" tracks that blend in with the the MapSource background.

If you do download the gpx files please email me at richardw.woodley@gmail.com and let me know so that I have an idea of how many people are downloading and using the files. They can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

Posted 2011-10-04

Western Greenbelt Trails

2000-12-20T14:37:00.011-05:00

Most of the trails that I have mapped have been in the Western Greenbelt between Nepean and Kanata in the zone designated as Core Natural Area, and in particular the Stony Swamp area, as I can ride from home to all of these trails. These trails include the Old Quarry and Jack Pine trail networks, the Lime Kiln Trail and parts of the Rideau Trail. The NCC does publish an official map of these trails but it does not include the large number of unofficial undocumented trails that interconnect with the official trails. My projects sets out to map all of the trails in the Western Greenbelt.

Background on the National Capital Greenbelt (from the NCC)

The Greenbelt is a 20,350 hectare band of open lands and forests surrounding the nation's Capital on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River. It was first proposed in 1950 by French planner Jacques Gréber as part of an overall plan to create a beautiful and distinctive setting for the national Capital. The Greenbelt was intended to protect the rural land bordering the Capital from the haphazard urban sprawl typical of so many other cities.

Acting on Gréber's plan, the federal government began acquiring land in 1956. Today, the Greenbelt encircles the Capital from Shirleys Bay on the west to Green's Creek on the east. Most of the total area, or 14,950 hectares, is owned and managed by the National Capital Commission. The rest is held by other federal departments and private interests.

In the Greenbelt, the nation's Capital has on its doorstep a rural environment rich in natural and historic resources. It offers a mix of sights and sounds from rolling farmlands to peaceful forests and wetlands that shelter a wide variety of plant and animal life. We hope you'll be inspired to head out and explore the Greenbelt for yourself!

For a map of all the official Greenbelt Trails see the NCC Greenbelt Trail Map

For more information on the National Capital Greenbelt see the National Capital Commission (NCC) Greenbelt website.

Mountain Biking on the Trails

The Greenbelt trails vary from some very easy trails in parts of Old Quarry and Jack Pine to moderately technical sections of the Rideau Trail to the more advanced Lime Kiln Trail.

While mountain biking is officially prohibited on the Greenbelt Trails, it is tolerated. In the words of an from an email from an NCC representative, dated May 12, 2006

We know that there is a lot of interest in off-road riding on Greenbelt hiking trails. On the other hand, section (16) of the NCC Traffic & Property Regulations states..."No person shall ride a bicycle on property of the Commission other than a driveway or on a bicycle path set aside by the Commission for the purpose...". While we have not actively tried to enforce this particular regulation, we do not condone the practice. There are long-term impacts on the trails and surrounding area, particularly rutting, trail erosion, trail widening as users veer off the designated route to avoid ruts and muddy surface, and destruction of adjacent vegetation. In the winter, we want to discourage bike riders who may travel across groomed ski tracks.

To read why I believe mountain biking should be officially allowed on the Greenbelt Trails read my submissions to the NCC Why Mountain Biking Should Be Allowed on the Greenbelt Trails and Winter Trail Conflicts on the Greenbelt Trails on my blog The Fifth Column

Posted 2009-05-30
Updated 2011-10-11

Stony Swamp Conservation Area Trails

2000-12-18T14:49:00.003-05:00

More detailed maps of the trail systems within the Stony Swamp Conservation Area can be found following this posting.

The gpx file for this overview map (and other trail systems) can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

Background Information From the National Capital Commission (NCC)

Stony Swamp Conservation Area comprises almost 2000 hectares of woodland, wetland and regenerating old field, and has the largest forested area in the Greenbelt. The upland and wetland habitats found in the area include examples of most of the types of natural habitats that can be found in Ontario south of the Ottawa River.

Over 700 species of plants are known from Stony Swamp. Many interesting plant communities can be found here including a sugar maple forest, small alvar clearings, marsh wetlands and beaver ponds, and regenerating pastures. Stony Swamp Conservation Area also supports a large variety of wildlife such as Canada geese and other waterfowl, beaver, woodland birds and northern flying squirrel.

The Stony Swamp Conservation Area offers the greatest diversity of trails and activities, including: interpretive exhibits on geology and natural history; wetland boardwalks; a winter bird-feeding station; historic sites such as the Lime Kiln; and portions of the Rideau and Trans Canada trails.

The area itself is bordered to the north by Robertson Road; to the east by Highway 416; to the south by Fallowfield Road and to the west by Eagleson Road.

Trails in this area include:

-Jack Pine Trail (includes boardwalk, accessible via parking lot P9, trail length: 3,1 km)
-Old Quarry Trail (includes boardwalk, accessible via parking lot P5, trail length: 3,1 km)
-Beaver Trail and Chipmunk Trail (includes boardwalk, accessible via parking lot P8, trail lengths: 1,2 km and 0,7 km)
-Sarsaparilla Trail (Parking lot P7, trail length: 0,9 km)
-Lime Kiln Trail (Parking lot P10, trail length: 2,1 km)
-Trail #23 (Parking lot P5, trail length: 2,6 km)
-Trail #24 (Parking lot P5 or P6, trail length: 3,4 km)
-Trail #25 (Parking lot P6, trail length: 3,5 km)
-Trail #26 (Parking lot P8, P9 or P11, trail length: 3,8 km)
-Trail #27 (Parking lot P11 or P13, trail length: 3 km)
-Trail #28 (Parking lot P13, trail length: 2,3 km)

To view these and other trails within the Greenbelt, please consult the following electronic (.pdf) version of our Greenbelt All-Seasons Trail Map.

More information on Stony Swamp Conservation Area can be found on our Web site.

Posted 2011-10-11

Old Quarry Trail System

2000-12-15T22:01:00.031-05:00

The maps for this trail system have been updated in October 2011 adding some newly discovered trails and removing some paved/gravel paths through the urban area.

These are my neighbourhood trails, less than a kilometre to the paths leading to the trails and under two kilometres to the actual dirt trails. That being said, It was not until I undertook this mapping project that I actually managed to ride all of the trails. As you can see from the map there is a complex network of interconnected trails, at least half of which are unofficial and not on the NCC map.

The trails lie between Bridlewood and Bells Corners and are accessible from parking lots P5 on Eagleson Road across from the Hazeldean Mall, and P6 on Richmond Road, as well as from numerous trail entrances within the two communities.

These are great trails for someone starting out in mountain biking because they provide a wide range of difficulty from easy flat gravel trails to intermediate level rooty and rocky trails.

At P5 we have the main Old Quarry Trail, Trail 23. Within it are two easy gravel loops that are great to start the young ones out on and great for riding in the spring when the dirt trails are muddy. Connected to these is a slightly harder dirt loop leading to Trail 24 at the back of Old Quarry and an intermediate level rocky and rooty trail near the centre that connects to the Trans-Canada Trail. There is also a somewhat hidden and very interesting trail, very technical in places, that reminds me of Middle Earth.

When you leave Trail 23 and travel down Trail 24 you will find a series of trails on the west side of the trail that are all unofficial trails and are not heavily used. In places these trails really have the feeling of being deep in the bush. While not extremely root or rocky they can be quite narrow and twisty through the bush.

On the east side of Trail 24 you will find the Roller Coaster Trail. Ride it and you will know how it got its name. It intersects with the Rideau Trail and the section that goes north and connects to the Trans-Canada Trail at the trestle at Robertson Road can be fairly technical in places. In that section of trails near Bells Corners are a mixture of trails, some easy, some intermediate.

Probably the most technical sections of trail in the system are the two parts of Trail 25 between Trail 24 and P6 and Trail 25 and P6, especially climbing up through the rooty and rocky sections.

Across from P6 you will find a trail that provides access to the Lime Kiln Trail System.

The descriptions above do not really do justice to just how enjoyable it is to ride these trails. There are portions that are technically challenging and portions you can just race around in. You can literally spend a whole day in here just tooling around on your bike. But remember to always be respectful of other trail users.

GPS gpx Files

The gpx file for this trail system (and other trail systems) can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

If you do download the gpx file please email me at richardw.woodley@gmail.com and let me know so that I have an idea of how many people are downloading and using the files.

Photos From Old Quarry Trail System

Posted 2009-06-02
Updated 2011-10-11

Lime Kiln Trail System

2000-12-10T10:59:00.008-05:00

This is the trail system that includes the trail I put off riding for over a season due to it's reputation as the most technical trail in the Greenbelt. Indeed the first four or five time I rode it I endoed or crashed at least once. Finally I can ride the whole trail, though not without dabbing or stopping and restarting a few times.

The Lime Kiln Trail System can be accessed from the other side of P6 on Richmond Road or from P8 and P10 on Moodie Drive or from a gravel trail on Richmond Road south of the McDonald's. Please do not park in the Wild Bird Care Centre parking lot on Moodie Drive.

My usual starting point is across from P6 as that goes from “my neighbourhood trails”. This first section of trail is quite rocky till you make a 90 degree turn south where the trail is usually very muddy for much of the season. There is an alternative trail alongside that is/was dry and walkable but riders have decided that one muddy trail is not enough and decided to ride it till it turned into a mud hole. In places there are three muddy sections beside each other because of this. Please do not contribute to this problem. You can read my thoughts on riding in the mud in my post in The Fifth Column.

This trail will continue all the way to the wide gravel trail that leads from Richmond Road to the Lime Kiln, meandering through fields and forests and eventually dividing into three sections, two of which go to the gravel trail, one of which goes to the Lime Kiln Bridge. None of these sections are very technical.

However if you take the first left you head directly to the Lime Kiln Bridge over a twisty, rocky and rooty technical trail.

At the bridge you will find the one kilometre technical Lime Kiln Trail. Take the trail on the left on the other side of the bridge. This trail is very technical and also features some very interesting geology. It leads right to the actual Lime Kiln. You can see photos of the Lime Kiln here and read more about lime kilns here.

At the Lime Kiln Bridge, coming from P6, the other trail on the same side goes towards the Wild Bird Care Centre. At the bottom of a hill you will find another chronic wet section that you should walk around. Riding around it just creates another mud hole. Please ride responsibly. This is a moderately technical trail until it comes to a large bridge over a swamp with a lookout onto open water. There is some really lovely scenery here.

On the other side of the bride are some easy NCC trails including the Chipmunk and Beaver Trails. At the end of these trails is P8. Across from P8 is a trail that goes into the Jack Pine Trail System. Similarly, almost but not quite across from P10 is another trail that goes into the Jack Pine Trail System.

This is another trail system that includes many intersecting trails and many unofficial trails that are not on the official NCC map. As well some of these trails are part of the Rideau Trail. Remember these are shared trail so please respect other trail users.

GPS gpx Files

The gpx file for this trail system (and other trail systems) can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

If you do download the gpx file please email me at richardw.woodley@gmail.com and let me know so that I have an idea of how many people are downloading and using the files.

Photos From Lime Kiln Trail System

Posted 2009-06-09
Updated 2011-10-04

Jack Pine Trail System

2000-12-05T20:15:00.028-05:00

Much of my introduction to mountain biking was at the MTB Kanata group rides at Jack Pine. During its time, which seems to have passed, MTB Kanata was the place for all things mountain biking in Kanata and Ottawa. MTB Kanata held regular group rides at the Kanata Lakes trails (which includes the trail area now known as the South March Highlands) on the weekends and regular weekly night rides at Jack Pine, usually including a run through the Lime Kiln Trail. These rides were very informal reflecting the great sense of community that was MTB Kanata in its heyday.

The Jack Pine Trail System is accessible from parking lot P11 on West Hunt Club Road, as well as parking lot P9 on Moodie Drive, and from entrances across from parking lots P8 and P10 on Moodie Drive.

Most of the trails in the system are relatively easy non-technical trails, particularly the trails starting from P9. The start of the trails from P11 include some rocky sections. The trail system also includes a number of board walks that can be treacherous when wet.

Most of the trails are official trails, including a section of the Rideau Trail, and are on the NCC map. However there are two unofficial trails that go off from the main trails that tend to be narrower and more isolated than the main trails. One of these goes to the Log Farm and the other to a working quarry.

The Jack Pine Trail System is great for family rides or for introducing beginners to mountain biking. They are also a really great place to go for a fun flowing ride, However, be aware that these trails are very popular with walkers, especially during the fall when the leaves are changing colour. Remember the IMBA Rule of The Trail No 4. - ”bicyclists should yield to all other trail users”. These are shared trails so always respect other trail users.

GPS gpx Files

The gpx file for this trail system (and other trail systems) can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

If you do download the gpx file please email me at richardw.woodley@gmail.com and let me know so that I have an idea of how many people are downloading and using the files.

Photos From Jack Pine Trail System

Posted 2009-06-11
Updated 2011-10-04

Lytle Park Trail System

2000-12-03T21:14:00.000-05:00

Lytle Park is a neighbourhood park in Barrhaven with well used sports fields. It is located on O'Keefe Court near the corner of Cedarview and Fallowfield Roads

It contains a small but interesting trail system including 4 kilometres of paved/gravel paths , that extend to a 7 km loop when you add in the connecting roads, and about 5.5 kilometres of single track dirt trails that go through a variety of terrain and even includes some interesting technical rocky and rooty sections. Parts of the trails go around an old pit that is used as a swimming hole.

GPS gpx Files

The gpx file for this trail system (and other trail systems) can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

If you do download the gpx file please email me at richardw.woodley@gmail.com and let me know so that I have an idea of how many people are downloading and using the files.

Posted 2011-09-13
Updated 2011-10-04

Trails 27 & 28 Trail System

2000-11-30T20:12:00.012-05:00

These are the trails that I got an MTB Kanata group ride lost on, Luckily we ran into Duncan who knew the trails and managed to lead us back to the other group. I wonder where Duncan, The Spaceman, and The Dish are now.

These trails are accessible from across from parking lot P11 on West Hunt Club Road and from parking lot P13 beside Bell High School on Bruin Lane, which is off Cassidy Road and Cedarview Road. They are also accessible from a trail beside D. Aubrey Moodie School that has no parking but is not far from the back end of the Old Quarry Trails adjacent to Bells Corners. I am usually riding these trails after doing Jack Pine and accessing them from across from P11.

This trail system also includes more unofficial trails than official ones and includes quite a few interconnecting loops. Most of these trails, particularly the official ones, are easy and non-technical.

However you will notice some narrow interior trails that are more difficult to navigate because they are narrow and twisty. As well, the trail that goes south along West Hunt Club Road includes some rocky and rooty sections, as well as a section that can get very muddy during the spring and after extensive rainfalls. Some of the unofficial trails closer to Bell High School are also somewhat more difficult.

It was not till I walked the trails taking photos that I realized just how much there is in there, particularly the twisty inside trails. There really are two trail systems, an outside easy system and an inside intermediate level system. There certainly are enough trails for anyone to tool around on for quite a few hours doing different loops in different directions. These are also shared trails but not nearly as heavily used by pedestrians as Jack Pine, except when you get close to Bell High School.

GPS gpx Files

The gpx file for this trail system (and other trail systems) can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

If you do download the gpx file please email me at richardw.woodley@gmail.com and let me know so that I have an idea of how many people are downloading and using the files.

Photos From Trails 27 & 28 Trail System

Posted 2009-06-22
Updated 2011-10-04

Trails 20, 21 & 22 Trail System

2000-11-15T20:03:00.011-05:00

A loop of all three of these trails is one of our favourite winter cross-country skiing routes, starting at P4 and going down the south side of 21, taking the Trans-Canada Trail (TCT) to Trail 20 and along it, then looping back along the TCT to the north side of Trail 21, and then adding in a loop of Trail 22.

These trails are accessible from Parking Lot P4 on Haanel Drive, although I usually ride to them on the Trans-Canada Trail. I would describe these trails as being at the low end of intermediate level trails. The terrain is varied including a climb from the TCT up to P4. Trail 21 includes board walks over wet areas and Trail 22 includes forested areas, as well as sections over grassy areas.

A side trail connects this system to Trail 24 and the Old Quarry Trail System, with a very short ride along Robertson Road.

Trail 20 is very wet and not ridable for most of the riding season. It normally does not dry out until late July or August and then does not recover well from rainfalls during the fall. I usually avoid it, although it can be a fun ride when you include the undocumented side trail shown on the map.

GPS gpx Files

The gpx file for this trail system (and other trail systems) can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

If you do download the gpx file please email me at richardw.woodley@gmail.com and let me know so that I have an idea of how many people are downloading and using the files.

Photos From Trails 20, 21 & 22 Trail System

Posted 2009-07-31
Updated 2011-10-04

Trails 11 & 12 Trail System

2000-11-10T18:44:00.007-05:00

Trail 11 is the only Greenbelt trail that I cannot ride all of, due to a rocky uphill section known as the “creek bed”. This puts this trail system in competition with the Lime Kiln Trail for the most difficult and technical Greenbelt trail.

This trail system is accessible from NCC parking lot P3 on Corkstown Road. It is also accessible via a very short ride on the road from the adjacent Trans-Canada Trail, as well as from the municipal camp ground on Corkstown Road.

This system starts with Trail 11 which involves a lot of climbing, with quite a few up hills and down hills, including the infamous very rocky and technically difficult ”creek bed” section.

Trail 11 Altitude Profile

At the top Trail 11 joins Trail 12 which is a simple loop on the official map. However there are a large number of interconnecting and criss-crossing unofficial trails as well, including a few that go down the hill and reconnect with Trail 11. The trails at the top are probably best described as intermediate level as far as technical difficulty is concerned.

This trail system is unique in the Greenbelt for its climbs and is an enjoyable challenge to ride.

GPS gpx Files

The gpx file for this trail system (and other trail systems) can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

If you do download the gpx file please email me at richardw.woodley@gmail.com and let me know so that I have an idea of how many people are downloading and using the files.

Photos From Trails 11 and 12 Trail System

Posted 2009-08-29
Updated 2011-10-04

Carling Place (Former Nortel Networks Campus) Hybrid Rideable Paths and Trails

2000-11-05T10:45:00.001-05:00

This is somewhat different than most trail maps posted so far, in that these paths and trails are all easily rideable on a hybrid and were mapped while riding my hybrid.

This pathway trail system is 12 km in total distance (one way, all sections). These paths and trails are across Carling Avenue from Trail 10 (NCC Parking Lot P2) and the pathway to Shirley's Bay. They are between the Watts Creek Pathway and Carling Place, the former Nortel Networks Campus which will be taken over by the Department of National Defence (DND). I usually ride through sections of it on my rides from Bridlewood to Britannia.

Please note that some of these trails have been closed off, but are now easily accessible and no attempt seems to have been made to re-close them. They are noted on the map as "unauthorized trails" and I believe they are on public lands (NCC and/or City of Ottawa).

GPS gpx Files

The gpx file for this trail system (and other trail systems) can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

If you do download the gpx file please email me at richardw.woodley@gmail.com and let me know so that I have an idea of how many people are downloading and using the files.

Posted 2011-11-18

Stittsville Trail System

2000-10-10T21:41:00.012-04:00

These are the trails that were hiding right in front of my eyes as I biked past them on my hybrid always wondering where they led to. Finally I decided to check them out and this is the result.

Stittsville is a suburb, that used to be a village, on the southwest edge of Ottawa's urban boundary. These trails lead off of a pathway/trail that goes from the Trans-Canada Trail to Hazeldean Road and runs behind the houses along the urban boundary.

This is not an official trail system and no official parking lot exists. I parked along the road at the end of Thresher Avenue, but there are parking lots serving businesses along Hazeldean Road, including the shopping centre at Jackson Trails, that are close enough to ride from.

The southern section of trails includes sections that go over open grasslands and are not that interesting but, as anyone who has rode on grass will know, can be hard pedaling. The most interesting trails go into the forest where some sections are marked with coloured ribbons. However, most of the trails do not have any ribbons or markings.

At the northern end of the trail system are a couple of trails that go into areas where there are wooden structures and large 4X8 wood sheets. These look like they may be set up for paint ballers to hide behind except that there are no signs of spilled paint, so maybe they are just play forts.

In the middle section is a long trail heading towards Hazeldean Road which deteriorates until it is no longer a trail but just deer tracks in the middle of dense bush.

There are some really interesting features within this system, including a trail that runs along a creek, and a real interesting causeway/bridge over the creek with another alternative narrower more technical/difficult bridge a few feet further along.

There are quite a few sections where trees are lying across the trails and tree branches are growing into the trails. There are also some wet/muddy sections that could do with some trail work.

This land is outside the urban boundary of Ottawa and from what I can tell from the Ottawa Zoning Map is partly zoned RU (Rural Countryside) and partly EP3 (Environmental Protection). I do not know who owns the land but there is certainly potential for a really fun greenbelt-like trail system here with a little/lot of work.

GPS gpx Files

The gpx file for this trail system (and other trail systems) can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

If you do download the gpx file please email me at richardw.woodley@gmail.com and let me know so that I have an idea of how many people are downloading and using the files.

Photos From Stittsville Trail System

Posted 2009-06-05
Updated 2011-10-04

South March Highlands Trails

2000-09-30T21:04:00.011-04:00

This website was originally intended to just include maps of the Greenbelt trails within Ottawa but as I rode other trails I decided to include them as well, including the South March Highlands (SMH) trails.

Since before the creation of the City of Kanata in 1978 there have been concerns raised about the proposed development of Ottawa’s most bio-diverse natural area, the South March Highlands. We will look at these concerns at the end of this post.

(click on all maps to enlarge images)
The South March Highlands is home to the most natural and technical mountain biking trails within the City of Ottawa that are considered to be amongst the ten best mountain biking trails in Canada. The extensive trail network includes trails on city-owned land as well as trails on private land slated for development. The Ottawa Mountain Bike Association (OMBA) maintains a sustainable trail network within the City-owned South March Highlands Conservation Forest, for which the City is now developing a management plan.

My comments, concerns and submissions about the South March Highlands Conservation Forest Management Plan can be read on my blog,The Fifth Column.

Historical Maps of the South March Highlands/Kanata Lakes Trails

More detailed maps of the different parts of the SMH trail system follow this post.

GPS gpx Files

The gpx file for this trail system (and other trail systems) can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

If you do download the gpx file please email me at richardw.woodley@gmail.com and let me know so that I have an idea of how many people are downloading and using the files.

South March Highlands (SMH) Development Proposals

The Map below puts these trails within the context of the rest of the South March Highlands and the destruction planned for it.

The key things to know about the South March Highlands are:

• it is a popular all year recreation destination for people from all over Ottawa and an international mountain biking destination

• while, within the City of Ottawa, it feels like wilderness when you are in it

• it is a candidate Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI)

• it is the most biodiverse area within Ottawa

• it is the home to a huge number of species of flora and fauna, including many endangered and threatened species

• it contains old growth forests and provincially significant wetlands

• it includes Canadian Shield geology and other significant geological features

• it is the site of numerous pre-contact (pre-European) archaeological sites and may be eligible for UN World Heritage Site status

• it has been declared sacred by Algonquin First Nations chiefs and elders

• the area considered the most environmentally significant, Trillium Woods, is under great ecological threat because KNL's development plans will cut it off from the rest of the city-owned Conservation Forest

• while the privately owned land north of the city-owned Conservation Forest is zoned Environmental Protection, that has been proven not to be enough to protect the land from the threat of development
But the most important thing that you need to know about the South March Highlands is that it is one ecosystem and harm to one part of it harms all of it and if you want to protect part of it you must protect all of it.

You can read my concerns about the development of the South March Highlands on my blog, The Fifth Column.

Posted 2011-09-02
Updated 2011-10-04

South March Highlands Conservation Forest Intermediate Mountain Biking Trails

2000-09-25T21:26:00.007-04:00

The South March Highlands is home to the most natural and technical mountain biking trails within the City of Ottawa, that are considered to be amongst the ten best mountain biking trails in Canada. The extensive trail network includes trails on city-owned land as well as trails on private land slated for development. The Ottawa Mountain Bike Association (OMBA) maintains a sustainable trail network within the City-owned South March Highlands Conservation Forest for which the City is now developing a management plan.

(click on all maps to enlarge images)
Although this trail network is a favourite amongst advanced and elite mountain bikers it does include trails that less experienced riders can enjoy. The map above shows the trails that are rode by the Group D beginner group during OMBA group rides. However, in the broader context of mountain biking trails in the Ottawa area, including the Greenbelt trails, these are better described as intermediate level trails.

This map includes some new trail names, as some trails have been renamed as OMBA prepares to publish a new map in co-operation with the City, along with providing signage within the trail system.

The "FB" trail, with it's rather infamous history that I will not go into here, is being renamed. A request was made that the trail be named to honour the woman, Sharon, who built the trail for her sled dogs and it was decided to rename the trail Dog Sled Trail.

The Rockhopper Extension has been renamed Porcupine Trail to eliminate confusion with the main Rockhopper Trail.

The trail sometimes referred to as Bear Tree and sometimes Bearclaw will be known as Bear Tree Trail.

As the Rockhopper Junior Trail is slated to be closed By the City, I have not included it's name on the map, although the trail is still indicated, as it is still open.

The most recent OMBA map is shown below.

GPS gpx Files

The gpx file for this trail system (and other trail systems) can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

If you do download the gpx file please email me at richardw.woodley@gmail.com and let me know so that I have an idea of how many people are downloading and using the files.

Posted 2011-09-02
Updated 2011-10-04

South March Highlands Kanata Lakes Trails

2000-09-20T15:51:00.007-04:00

These are the trails that I first tried serious mountain biking on. Indeed the first time I tried them on my old CCM I turned around and rode the gravel paths on the parking lot side of the road. But that did inspire me to invest in a proper entry level full suspension mountain bike and venture to join an MTB Kanata group ride. But after being left in the dust I turned around and rode the easy trails again, only to find out later that the other riders had been waiting for me further up the trail. After a few MTB Kanata group rides in the Greenbelt I ventured out with the group again on the KL trails and have been riding them and the trails in the SMH Conservation Forest ever since.

Please click on the maps posted below to enlarge the images

The trails referred to as the Kanata Lakes Trails are the trails in the South March Highlands that are southeast of the Conservation Forest Trails that the Ottawa Mountain Bike Association group rides are held on (between Goulbourn Forced Road and the new Terry Fox Drive Extension). These are primarily on the KNL Urbandale lands (Phase 7) that are slated for destruction. The trails mapped also include some trails in what was called the "dark side" where the landowners had posted No Trespassing signs and fenced off the land. These trails now seem to all be accessible again, at least some of the land having been purchased by the City, the rest owned by developers and slated for destruction.

I started mapping these trails in May this year and wrote about it on my blog The Fifth Column.

Most of these trails were originally nature trails and cross-country ski trails as the old City of Kanata Map below (date unknown) indicates.

GPS gpx Files

The gpx file for this trail system (and other trail systems) can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

If you do download the gpx file please email me at richardw.woodley@gmail.com and let me know so that I have an idea of how many people are downloading and using the files.

Posted 2011-08-16
Updated 2011-10-04

South March Highlands Beaver Pond Paths and Trillium Woods Trail

2000-09-15T21:03:00.004-04:00

The clearcut and destruction of the Beaver Pond Forest by KNL/Urbandale means that the dirt mountain biking trails such as the Lost and Found trails, behind the Goulbourn Forced Road (GFR) parking lot in the South March Highlands (SMH), will be destroyed forever. The land is already posted with No Trespassing signs and most of the access is fenced off awaiting blasting for the construction of roads and ticky tacky subdivision houses.

Fortunately the lands north of the rail line are in the protected city-owned Trillium Woods. The Trillium Woods Trail is comprised of natural dirt trails west of GFR, including a trail up to Terry Fox Drive providing access to the SMH Conservation Forest trails, also on protected city-owned land. The Trillium Woods Trail is a beginner level mountain biking trail.

The Trillium Woods Trail continues on the east side of GFR where it is primarily a gravel path that previously connected to the path from the Beaver Pond parking lot to the GFR parking lot as well as to a path along the rail line. These connections have now been fenced off with no trespassing signs. However, when I mapped the trails/paths vigilante residents had opened up the connections, including cutting through the wire gate at one point. The section of Trillium Woods Trail from near the bridge on the gravel path southwest to GFR is also a dirt trail but is usually very muddy in sections in the spring and after heavy rainfalls.

The gravel path from the Beaver Pond parking lot to the GFR parking lot follows a narrow corridor. Although this is a just a gravel path it does have it's challenges due to several hills, including some very steep sections (see altitude profile below). When I mapped the path it clearly had been allowed to deteriorate with quite a bit of erosion on the steep sections.

As you will see from the map, what were interconnected paths are now three unconnected paths. Note that on the map the permanent sections of trail and paths are indicated in red. The blue section, that has been opened up by vigilante residents, goes through the Zone of Destruction and is subject to permanent closure at any time.

GPS gpx Files

The gpx file for this trail system (and other trail systems) can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

If you do download the gpx file please email me at richardw.woodley@gmail.com and let me know so that I have an idea of how many people are downloading and using the files.

Posted 2011-05-22
Updated 2010-10-04

Marlborough Forest Roads

2000-09-10T10:16:00.009-04:00

My first experience with the Marlborough Forest was in trying to follow the Rideau Trail through the forest and map it with my GPS. I started following it with the Rideau Trail map along the forest roads till it went off onto single track and almost immediately became a messy mud hole with signs of some kind of tractor or ATV traffic. It was clearly not rideable and an unsustainable route. I then decided to just start by mapping the forest roads.

The closest access point to Kanata is along Kettles Road south of Richmond, near the rail line not far from the South end of Munster Road. There is also a small parking area at the end of O'Neil Road and a large parking lot along Roger Stevens Drive.

Over several days I followed all the interconnecting roads starting from Kettles Road. There may be other roads in the forest that do not connect to these roads. The roads are closed to motorized traffic during the summer period due to fire hazard but are open during the spring and fall and open to snowmobiles in the winter. These are rough forest roads and I would be cautious driving them, although trucks and SUVs with high clearance should have no problems.

Biking through the forest you do feel like you are in the wilderness. The only drawback is that the width of the roads partly detracts from the experience. If it was single track it would be wonderful. The real advantage is that you cannot do any harm riding them when they are wet and muddy, during those times when the MTB trails are too wet and muddy to ride. They really are fun to tool around on and there is lots of distance to cover. I learned that when I had to walk my bike back to the parking area with a broken chain.

There are a lot of side trails and cart tracks off the roads. I don't think much of it could really be described as single track but there is still a lot more in the system for me to explore and map with my GPS. So hopefully these maps will be updated in the future.

GPS gpx Files

The gpx file for this trail system (and other trail systems) can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

GPX files - Google Docs

If you do download the gpx file please email me at richardw.woodley@gmail.com and let me know so that I have an idea of how many people are downloading and using the files.

Posted 2009-09-10
Updated 2011-04-10