Every Saturday through the winter, a free shuttle runs from downtown Ottawa into the snowy middle of Gatineau Park. More than 200 km of groomed trails at one stop, and one of the best ski hills near the city at the other. Ten dollars holds your seat and you get it back.
Pick your Saturday below. The shuttle is free. You hold your seat with a $10 deposit, refundable if you cancel at least 48 hours ahead.
Dates not open yet
We put seats on sale one season at a time, and this one is not up yet. Nothing is hidden and there is no list to pay to join. Leave your email and you hear the day the dates open.
Cancel 14 or more days before you go and you get 90% back.
Nobody leads the day. The bus drops you off, you do what you like with the time, and you meet it again where it left you.
Flat and short, on even ground, with no climbing and no rush. This is a walk rather than a hike, and you set the pace.
Relais Plein Air is the way into Gatineau Park's trail system. Rent cross-country skis, snowshoes or a snow bike on site, then head out onto professionally groomed trails that wind through snow-draped forest. Warm up afterwards by the fire at the Café des Sentiers with a hot drink and something homemade.
Camp Fortune is the other option, and a completely different day. It has been teaching people to ski since 1920: several runs across three peaks, terrain for every ability, night skiing and a terrain park. It is the best hill this close to Ottawa and it is not a close contest. You can also pick up the park's cross-country trails from there.
Beginners are well looked after at both. Gatineau Park's trails run from easy to difficult and plenty are adapted for people who have never been on skis, and the staff at the Relais or the Visitor Centre will point you at something that suits. At Camp Fortune the beginner package includes the learning area, two hours of instruction and all the equipment, taught on the magic carpet.
The shuttle gives you roughly five hours before it heads back to the city. That is enough to try something new, get some exercise, and remember why Canadian winters are actually pretty good.
Free bus, groomed trails, and a fire to sit by afterwards.
Pick one before you board. The times are staggered and there is no service between them.
We pick you up
The George Street side, at the corner of George and Sussex in downtown Ottawa.
We pick you up
100 Laurier Street in Gatineau, across the river. Handy if you are on the Quebec side already.
Your gateway to Gatineau Park's trail system. Rent cross-country skis, snowshoes or a snow bike right on site, then head out onto professionally groomed trails through snow-draped forest.
Good to know:
Facilities: Cross-country ski, snowshoe and snow bike rentals, Café des Sentiers: hot drinks, pastries and homemade meals, Warm indoor space to take a break in
Note: Show your shuttle reservation at the counter. Relais Plein Air offers a discount on rentals to people who booked the ride.
A ski hill that has been teaching people since 1920. Several runs across three peaks, terrain for every ability level, night skiing and a terrain park. You can also pick up the Gatineau Park cross-country trails from here.
Good to know:
Facilities: Full ski and snowboard rental packages, Two lodges with a cafeteria, Pub 1920 for afterwards
Note: Book equipment rentals in advance where you can, especially on a busy Saturday.
We drop you back
The bus calls at both pickup points on the way back, so you get off where you got on.
This is our estimated return time, not a guarantee. Traffic can change it and some trips do run late, so please leave yourself some room afterwards rather than booking something tight against it.
A winter day outside, with warm rooms at both ends to duck into.
Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and winter biking in Gatineau Park all require a day pass or a season pass. That is separate from the shuttle and separate from your rental.
Buy one online ahead of the day or at Relais Plein Air. Children 12 and under use the park trails free.
Only skis and snowshoes are accepted on board. There are no bike racks, so a fat bike has to be rented at Relais Plein Air rather than brought with you.
Both venues rent what you need. Relais Plein Air does cross-country skis, snowshoes and snow bikes. Camp Fortune does full ski and snowboard packages.
The shuttle serves both Relais Plein Air and Camp Fortune, but the pickup times are staggered and there is no continuous service between them.
So it is one or the other for the day. They are genuinely different days out, which makes the choice easier than it sounds.
Every Saturday from 10 January to 21 March, except 14 February. Outside that window the shuttle does not run.
Placeholder dates · the real ones come from our booking system
We're Canada's outdoor bus service. Since 2010 we've taken more than 300,000 people to parks and trails without a car. You bring the layers. We handle everything else.
A $10 deposit holds your seat and comes back to you as long as you cancel at least 48 hours ahead. No-shows lose it, because that is a seat somebody else wanted.
More than 200 kilometres of professionally groomed trail through snow-covered forest, rated from easy to difficult, with plenty adapted for beginners.
Camp Fortune has been teaching people to ski since 1920. Three peaks, terrain for every level, night skiing and a terrain park.
Cross-country skis, snowshoes and snow bikes at Relais Plein Air. Full ski and snowboard packages at Camp Fortune. Book ahead where you can.
★★★★★ 4.6/5.0 on Google
This is a great service if you don't have a vehicle or just don't want to drive. I'm so happy to have discovered this. There will definitely be more Parkbus trips in my future!James Taylor Wilson · Happy Parkbus customer
Speaking from someone who doesn't drive. This is a must!! I highly recommend this!Linda Ann · Facebook · Jun 2024
This is the 1st time I used Parkbus but it won't be the last.Brenda H. · Google
All stops enable guests ample time to explore the destination. This is a highly a good idea trip for those that appreciate spending time in nature minus distractions.OnAir48444 · Tripadvisor · Oct 2025
Factor in the cost of gas, parking and renting a car, it's a lot cheaper than taking a personal vehicle.Toronto Star
Parkbus is a great option for nature lovers, whether it's a day trip or overnight camping getaway.The Globe and Mail
Cancel more than 14 days before departure and you get a 90% refund, with 10% withheld for payment processing. Inside 14 days refunds are not available, except for a medical emergency in the 48 hours before departure, which needs a signed doctor’s note within 14 days of the missed trip and returns 50%. Tickets are transferable: you can change the passenger name up to 48 hours before departure.
If Parkbus cancels a trip, you get a full refund. We decide no later than 48 hours before departure and only on confirmed conditions: the park closed or the park authority asking us to stand down, an evacuation order or alert, an area restriction order, the highway closed, or the trip judged unsafe to run. A forecast is not one of those things, and trips run rain or shine.
Book a seat, dress in layers, and be on a groomed trail before most people have finished their second coffee.