Ottawa’s 3.5 km Skating Trail Through Old-Growth Orchard is Now Open for 2025-26 Season

RiverOak Estates’ unique winter experience, featuring an expansive 3.5 km skating trail just a 30-minute drive from downtown, Orleans, and Barrhaven, is now open.

This outdoor wonderland, nestled amidst old-growth orchards, meadows, and forests, offers an enchanting 3.5 km frozen pathway for visitors to enjoy the best of winter.

The estate’s skating trails, considered the largest in the area, span over 4 acres of ice and meander through 50 acres of scenic land. With wide paths, hills, twists, and turns, these trails allow skaters to glide side by side or navigate past others.

For a more open experience, rinks are also available for games and free skating. Partial lighting adorns the skating trails, so visitors are advised to bring headlamps for after-dark adventures. However, lighting is not available along the snowshoe and hiking trails.

For those without equipment, RiverOak has partnered with Replay Sports to offer rentals of skates (both figure and hockey styles), helmets (with or without cages), and snowshoes, including poles. All rentals require a Visa or Mastercard payment and a valid driver’s license as a deposit. These items are available on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot be reserved in advance.

RiverOak supports a playful environment and welcomes guests to bring hockey sticks and pucks. While enjoying these activities, skaters are reminded to be respectful of others. The quality of outdoor ice is influenced by weather, with the best conditions typically in the morning.