Another popular bike tour is this one across the Chief William Commanda Bridge to Dow’s Lake.

We begin at the entrance of the Gatineau Park cross the bridge and then head straight to Dow’s Lake on bike paths all the way. There are only a few streets to cross as we make our we through the back alleyway of Little Italy.

The Chief William Commanda was a rail bridge converted into a cycling and walking bridge.

View of Ottawa at Night from the bridge

At night the bridge is well lit from end to end. However, the bicycle paths on the Quebec side are not. So you will need a light on your bike.

If you raced, you could do this tour in less than half an hour. However, it’s most enjoyable to take our time and stop along the way on the bridge and usually check out a part of Dow’s Lake including the gardens. Dismounting and walking might be necessary at the gardens as it can get very busy certain times of the year.