Cross the street and take the cycle pathway (It is possible to go a little ways to the west and take the lower part of the Gatineau Parkway, but the lower section is bumpy and has a restrictive high curb; best to stay on the bike path for now).
This cycle path is quite scenic, winding through some very nice forest sections on its way north into the park. You'll notice your first bit of elevation gains on this section, as you climb the first of many hills on your 1,000 foot ascent to the highest point on the loop.
After a final extra steep little hill, the Gatineau Cycle Path crosses Rue Gamelin and arrives at 'P3' -- one of the official visitor parking lots in Gatineau Park. For (and for many others, I suspect) me, this is the start of the on-road section of excellent cycling along the parkways (as opposed to cycle paths, which you have been on since entering the park).
There's a visitor orientation kiosk, public washrooms and a fountain here, too.
Continuing on, you leave the Gatineau Park Cycle Pathway and bike directly on the Gatineau Parkway. With its wide, smooth pavement and grassy verges, the Gatineau Parkway offers excellent riding conditions. The road soon ascends, crossing on an overpass over busy rue St Raymond, tops out, then descends a hill and re-ascends an even higher hill. You are now continuously in Gatineau Park hilly and rocky forest terrain.
After a generally flat section, the parkway curves left, crosses underneath some big powerlines, then starts a steep long ascent. This is the Pink Lake Hill -- one of a handful of harder hills on this route. You'll probably be puffing somewhat by the time you get to the top. If you need a breather, pull out at the Pink Lake Lookout, which offers a pretty view over this unique anaerobic lake.
Continuing along the Gatineau Parkway, the route undulates up and down over a number of moderate hills. Along the way, it crosses on an overpass over Notch Road (no exits), then arrives at an intersection where the Champlain Parkway comes in on the right. The Champlain Parkway is your return route on this particular accounting of the loop. Continue straight on the Gatineau Parkway.
Gatineau Parkway and Kingsmere Rd
The Gatineau Parkway continues through pretty forest, ascending a long moderate hill, then descending a long steep hill where you'll usually hit the 50 to 60 km/hr mark. The terrain briefly opens out as the road bottoms out and crosses under the overpass of Kingsmere Road, then ascends another short hill before descending another long, steep hill. You've just lost a lot of your hard-earned elevation!
At the bottom of the second downhill, there's a beautiful view of lake and wooded hills to your left. Shortly thereafter, the Gatineau Parkway arrives (and crosses) the Meech Lake road. Cross over Meech Lake Road and continue along the parkway.
The section of Gatineau Parkway on the other side of Meech Lake Road contains perhaps the poorest of the pavement on the parkways in the park. Not that it is really that bad, but in comparison to the near-pristine pavement in the rest of the park, it has a bit of cracking and patchwork. This section of parkway has only moderate grades, and presently it curves around and terminates at another crossing of Meech Lake Road.
Towards the Fortune Climb
Continuing on across Meech Lake Road (again), the parkway designation changes. You are now on the Fortune Parkway -- a narrower and twistier road than the Gatineau Parkway. This first part of the Fortune Parkway is a long hill - in fact, it's the longest hill on the entire route. It isn't as hard as the Pink Lake or other hills, though, because it is not consistently steep. Make sure to keep right as you ascend the parkway, as there's a turnoff for the Fortune ski hill partway up.
Part of the Trans-Canada Trail
