Hiking in Old Quarry Trail: trails, map and practical info

Description

The Old Quarry Trail winds through the Stony Swamp Conservation Area, one of the largest protected natural spaces within Ottawa's National Capital Greenbelt. Tucked just off Moodie Drive, this trail system is surprisingly easy to reach while still managing to feel genuinely removed from the city. The main loop covers approximately 3 kilometers through a landscape that layers natural history with human history — century-old industrial remnants sitting quietly inside a thriving forest ecosystem.

What makes this trail stand out among Ottawa-area options is how much variety it packs into a compact outing. You move through dense mixed forest, cross wetland boardwalks, and arrive at a limestone quarry that operated in the early 1900s — all within a single loop. The trail works well for families with young kids, casual walkers, and anyone who wants a genuine nature experience without driving far from the city.

The Trail Itself

The surface underfoot is mostly packed earth with wooden boardwalks spanning the wetter sections. The terrain stays relatively flat throughout — the elevation change is minimal, around 20 meters — so you can keep your eyes on the forest rather than your footing. That said, the walk never feels monotonous. The landscape shifts enough between sections to hold your attention for the full estimated 2.5 hours the loop takes at a relaxed pace.

The trail is well-marked at junctions, which makes navigation easy even on your first visit. Multiple loop options let you adjust the outing based on how much time or energy you have. The 3-kilometer core route is the most commonly used, but the broader trail network in Stony Swamp gives you room to extend if you want more.

The Quarry

The abandoned limestone quarry is the trail's defining feature. The quarry walls rise from the forest floor with pale stone faces now softened by decades of moss and lichen growth. It's a striking sight — not dramatic in a mountain sense, but quietly impressive in the way that old industrial sites reclaimed by nature tend to be. The quarry gives the trail a sense of place that most urban-fringe hikes lack, and it connects you to Ottawa's geological heritage in a tangible way. It's also one of the better photo spots on the trail, especially when autumn colour frames the pale stone walls.

Wetlands and Wildlife

Beyond the quarry, the trail moves through wetland habitat shaped largely by beaver activity. Beaver ponds appear at several points along the route, their still surfaces reflecting the surrounding canopy. These ponds create rich habitat, and the wildlife viewing here is genuinely good. White-tailed deer are frequently spotted moving through the underbrush, particularly in early morning. Songbirds are a constant presence, with the species mix shifting noticeably between seasons. The wetland areas also attract waterfowl during migration, making the trail worth revisiting at different times of year.

The forest composition changes as you move between the drier upland sections and the wetter lowland areas. Each zone supports its own plant community, which in turn supports different insects, birds, and mammals. Nature photographers will find plenty to work with — wildflowers in the understory, lichen-covered quarry stone, beaver dam engineering, and open water reflections all within the same loop.

Seasonal Conditions

Spring brings wildflowers along the trail edges — trilliums and bloodroot appear on the forest floor before the canopy fully closes in. It's a good season for birding as well, though expect muddy sections as snowmelt saturates the soil. Summer offers the densest canopy cover, which keeps the trail shaded and comfortable during hot Ottawa days, and wildlife activity is high throughout the wetland areas.

Autumn is arguably the trail's strongest season. The mixed forest turns in full colour, and the beaver ponds reflect the reds and golds in a way that makes the whole loop feel like a different place. The quarry walls provide a striking contrast against the foliage. Winter keeps the trail accessible for snowshoeing, and the bare trees open up sightlines that are hidden during the growing season. The boardwalks can get icy in cold weather, so traction devices are worth bringing along.

Practical Notes

Parking is available at the trailhead off Moodie Drive. The lot is reasonably sized, but weekend mornings during peak seasons — particularly fall — can fill it up, so arriving early helps. Dogs are welcome on the trail but must stay leashed at all times. This is especially important near the wetland sections, where ground-nesting birds and sensitive habitat need protection from disturbance.

The trail sits within a protected area of the National Capital Greenbelt, so the standard expectations apply: stay on marked paths, pack out everything you bring in, and give wildlife space. These aren't just formalities — the trail's proximity to urban Ottawa means it absorbs significant foot traffic, and the wetland ecosystems here are genuinely sensitive to repeated disturbance.

Footwear matters more here than on drier trails. Even in summer, the boardwalk sections and areas near the beaver ponds can be soft underfoot, and spring and fall conditions can make the packed-earth sections slippery. Waterproof trail shoes or light hikers will serve you better than road runners on most visits.