A guide to hiking and snowshoeing in the Larose Forest in Eastern Ontario

I have been visiting the Larose Forest frequently for years. In fact, one of the first posts I wrote for this blog was about the history of the forest. At the time, I was a bit surprised that so few people from outside my region knew about the forest, and that’s kind of what inspired me to launch this blog: the desire to write about these lesser-known beautiful places!

In recent years, the popularity of the forest has exploded, and new trails have been added. And since I hadn’t visited it in the last few months, I thought it was time for me to go back, to explore the new trails and enjoy the view on those tall trees that I love so much.

Please note, this article is about hiking and snowshoeing. For information on other outdoor activities at Larose Forest, visit the forest website.

A bit of history

The history of Larose Forest is linked to that of the United Counties of Prescott and Russell region. As I wrote in my first blog post on the forest, it took root in a place that was nicknamed the “Bourget Desert”. To curb the erosion of agricultural land in the region at the beginning of the 20th century, agronomist Ferdinand Larose suggested planting pine trees on the arid lands.

Over 6,000 pines were planted beginning in 1928. Today, the forest is considered one of the largest man-made forests in Canada.

The forest covers quite a large area east of Ottawa and has grown in popularity in recent years. Among other things, you can practice hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, fat biking and dog sledding. It is divided into two sectors (Limoges and Bourget) which both have parking lots as well as hiking trails, of which here is an overview.

Limoges Sector

The Limoges sector is located north of the village of the same name, and is the closest sector to Ottawa. There are two parking lots (P1 and P7), a pavilion and even a place where you can rent fat bikes.

There are more than 7 kilometres of hiking trails, which are also shared with bikes. In winter, a three-kilometre loop is set up for winter hiking, while it is possible to explore the other trails on snowshoes.

Even if I have visited the Larose Forest a lot, I admit that I know the Limoges sector less. From the P7 parking lot, I decided to follow a large loop that would cover a good part of the area (trails 10, 11, 29, 14 and 15 – a total of about 6 kilometres).

This loop was easy to follow, had a few slight ups and downs, and, of course, allow to see up close the famous tall red pines of the forest.

What I like the most about this trail is that it passes very close to an old cemetery, which seems a bit lost in the forest. This is the cemetery of the ghost town of Grant (and is worth a detour!).

To view the map of Limoges sector, click here.

Bourget Sector

The Bourget sector is located south of the village of the same name, and to get there, you have to drive on some country roads. But as it is the area closest to my home, it is also the one I know the most. There are three parking lots there, but parking lot P4 provides access to the hiking and snowshoeing trails.

There are nearly 14 kilometres of trails in this area, which are also shared with bikes. And as for the Limoges sector, the Bourget sector allows you to fully appreciate the tall red pines of the forest.

It is possible to make a long loop of more than 9 kilometres which covers a good part of the area. It is also possible to combine a few trails to make loops of different lengths, which is often the option I prefer.

What I especially like about the Bourget sector is that the trails seem less busy to me than the Limoges sector and therefore allow you to fully enjoy the tranquility of the forest, and the majesty of these tall trees!

To view the sector map, click here.

The trails in Larose Forest are generally well maintained and numbered, so it is easy to find your way around. Access is free and dogs on leash are allowed.

Hoping that you have as much fun as I do exploring the pretty trails of this beautiful forest!