Baxter Conservation Area — Local services in Ottawa

We went for a winter's walk at Baxter for the third time this year. The trails are well maintained and very easy to follow with clear signage. There are paper maps provided as well.

We love the variety of habitats at Baxter and appreciate the clean, well-kept rest areas.

However, we were disappointed to find that the nut grove remains closed, and that both Hare and Maple trails are now one-way trails going in the same direction. If they ran opposite ways, hikers could cross back to the main loop and extend their walk.

The little sledding hill was very crowded, so I don't recommend using it for sliding. Also, if you're travelling with kids, it's important to note that the outhouses are closed for...

We took our young kids and pup here to explore the trails. They loved the walk! Lots of nice trails, boardwalk and pond to check out. We started walking the trails first. We liked the variety of trails which kept it interesting for the kiddos. We then headed back to the pond which is near the parking lot. There are picnic tables set up near the pond. Kids brought their nets to try catching tadpoles but there were none. Instead they caught water spiders 😂. Turtles sunbathing at the pond were really neat to see. If you like to geocache, there are plenty of finds here too! We really enjoyed out family walk today and highly recommend checking out the Baxter...

We only visited the beach area and found it perfect. Lots of space for everyone. Lots of choice between sun, shade, beach, grass, ground or picnic table.

No running water so toilets are outhouses and you need to bring your drinking water with you. Noticed they had changeroom shelters but did not use them.

A few BBQ pits available right beside the sand. First come first served basis.

Accessibility... best Ottawa area beach (I've been too) for mobility challenged people. While unpaved the parking lot is very close to the beach which is narrow enough to walk with assistance or to be carried into the water.

We will be back many times....