SJAM Winter Trail arrives at Champlain Park

As you are well aware closing down a road, taking down part of an NCC fence to make for more park land is not a trivial matter but this has been accomplished with the efforts of many folks.

The Sir John A. Macdonald Winter Trail in Champlain Park has just opened unofficially, the initial grooming was done last Thursday afternoon to pack down the snow. Once we have more snow the classic X-ski tracks will be laid.

The SJAM – Champlain Park trail portion is a reality; it now crosses Pontiac Street (closed portion of Pontiac) into our park leading up to the Champlain Park Fieldhouse from Champlain Woods.

Three residents enjoying x-skiing into Champlain Park on the newly added trail across Pontiac Street from the SJAM Champlain Woods trail.


This new part of the trail joins the Champlain Park to the JSAM Champlain Woods and main JSAM Winter trail network which runs along the southern shoreline of the Ottawa River from Westboro Beach in the West to the Canadian War Museum in the East.

Groomer and Winter Trail founder Dave Adams at the just opened Fence Gap, starting the first grooming of the Champlain Park trail portion, December 21 2017.

Although the trail was only groomed for the first time last Thursday, you can now X-Ski from the side of Champlain Park fieldhouse up to the SJAM trail in the Champlain Woods, which then connects to the SJAM main trail after going under the south and north Carleton tunnels.

If you would like to try x-skiing and don’t have the equipment both Mountain Equipment Cooperative and Fresh Air Experience provide daily and weekly rentals. Beginning in January 2018, Fresh Air Experience will be providing equipment rental services and visitor information services onsite at the SJAM – Remic Rapids parking lot.

Checkout our Winter Trail page for more details regarding the SJAM Winter Trail.

Pictures taken by Adrian Bradley.