Kìchì Sìbì Winter Trail in Ottawa: Downtown river views!

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Photos and story by Andrea Tomkins.

Whether you like to cross-country ski (either classic or skate-ski style), walk your dog, snowshoe or bike, the Kìchì Sìbì Winter Trail (formerly known as the SJAM Winter Trail) is one of the best winter experiences the city of Ottawa has to offer.

It stretches along the Ottawa River from Dominion Station to LeBreton Flats and the Mill Street Brew Pub, and it’s there thanks to the dedication of Westboro resident Dave Adams (a.k.a. Groomer Dave), loyal volunteers and a group of local sponsors.

There are lots of things to love about the Kìchì Sìbì Winter Trail but one of the best is certainly the location. It’s a five-minute drive from our home in Westboro, which makes it very easy to throw the skis in the car and escape for a quick jaunt.

Kìchì Sìbì Winter Trail: Not just for keen athletes!

Here’s the thing: I’m not even a good skier, but I do enjoy being outside. The Kìchì Sìbì Winter Trail is a multi-purpose trail and the type of place where no one judges your pace, your outfit or what mode of transportation you happen to be using.

My husband Mark and I had a wonderful experience on a sunny Saturday recently. We skied from Westboro to the Mill Street Brew Pub and back. I think it’s about 11 kilometres. We’d never skied that far before! I’m here to say, if I can do it, I’m pretty sure anyone can do it.

My personal tip for success: It helps to have a goal in mind. For me, it was a veggie burger and a pint.

What certainly helped were the pretty views along the way:

… and the expertly groomed tracks:

A spot to relax

A very welcome feature along the Kìchì Sìbì Winter Trail is a rest stop by Remic Rapids, complete with a wind break (created by donated Christmas trees), Muskoka chairs and a fire pit. There are also picnic tables, and there’s an outhouse nearby.

Update as of January 21, 2022: The Remic Rapids Bistro will (with luck) be up and running by the weekend of January 29, serving food and drinks. The fire pit may not open immediately due to COVID restrictions, but there is hope it might open later this winter. And there’s a chance that Fresh Air Experience may be able to rent skis and bikes at Remic Rapids this winter, too, possibly starting as early as January 23. I’ll keep updating this post as things change!

Being able to take off our skis and rest our weary limbs in such a lovely setting was utterly blissful:

It was very hard to leave this oasis and keep going onward to Mill Street.

The reward: Lunch at the Mill Street Brew Pub

I am pretty sure I could angels singing when we arrived. I was SO DONE.

Also worth noting, the impromptu ski parking:

Some people brought their skis and poles indoors, but I thought this was particularly fun and fitting. Ottawa is a winter city, after all!

The staff were apologetic and said they were short staffed, but I didn’t notice a lag in service at all. The beer was cold, the service was friendly, the food hit the spot. What more can a gal ask for?

[Note for early 2022: During the current closure of Ontario restaurants, Mill Street is currently offering takeout food and drinks. AND…trail users can park for free, use the restaurant’s washrooms and get a free cup of hot chocolate!]

For the record, my veggie burger never tasted so good:

Full belly, fresh air, sunshine, gorgeous views… all in the company of my best guy. It doesn’t get much better than this. We are so lucky to have the Kìchì Sìbì Winter Trail here in Ottawa.

Updated by Ottawa Road Trips on January 21, 2022.

Ottawa writer Andrea Tomkins blogs about the city and points beyond at A Peek Inside the Fishbowl.

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