Waterfalls Near Ottawa (with Photos)

If you’re looking for waterfalls near Ottawa, there are several beautiful and scenic options to choose from.

In this blog post, I’ll share with you my personal experience and photos of some of the most beautiful waterfalls near Ottawa I’ve personally visited.

Table of Contents

Prince of Wales Falls (Hog’s Back Falls)

One of the most popular waterfalls near Ottawa is Prince of Wales Falls. They are also known as Hog’s Back Falls.

The falls are located on the Rideau River in Ottawa, Canada, just north of Mooney’s Bay and the point where the Rideau Canal splits from the Rideau River. The waterfall is literally within the city and you can get there by car or bus.

Address: Prince of Wales Falls, Ottawa, Canada.

There is also a very nice swimming beach called Mooney’s Bay Beach 5-10 minutes away(waking distance).

If you come by car, there is plenty of parking space.

Also, it is a dog-friendly(on leash) park and there public washrooms.

It is interesting to learn that these falls are a series of artificial waterfalls that were created as part of the Rideau Canal construction in 1831. Prior to the construction of the canal, these were a gentle set of rapids originally known as Three Rock Rapids.

Rideau Falls

Rideau Falls is actually a pair of waterfalls divided by the Green Islands. These waterfalls are near Ottawa Downtown, so if you live in Ottawa, you do not need to drive far.

A short video of Rideau Falls that I made during one of my visits there.

Waterfalls are gorgeous! I should have filmed this video horizontally, though 🙂. Did you notice the paddle boarders and kayaker? I would love to get as close to the waterfalls as they do 🙂. There are also many boats hanging around, enjoying the view.

Address: 50 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Canada.

A few interesting facts about Rideau Falls:

The falls are approximately 11 meters (36 feet) high,
The falls were named by early French explorers for their resemblance to a curtain, or rideau in French,
The Rideau River was later named after the falls,
The falls are surrounded by a park that offers stunning views of the falls and the surrounding area.

Tavern on the Falls

If you decide to visit Rideau Waterfalls, don’t forget to check out Tavern on the falls. It is a lovely place with a gorgeous view of the falls. They offer drinks and food. I have been there a few times and every time I had a very good experience. Some more information about them:

Address: 1 John St, Ottawa, ON K1M 2C9.

Menu: Tavern on Falls Menu. The restaurant has a counter-style ordering system and includes Canadian and pub-style cuisine.

Hours: It is open every day of the week from 11:00 AM to 2:00 AM.

Phone: (613) 860-4450

Food that we eat at the Tavern on the falls 🙂

Princess Louise Falls

Another beautiful waterfalls near Ottawa is Princess Louise Falls. The falls are located very close to the road, so there is almost no walking required to get there.

You can park on St. Joseph Blvd and the falls are right there. Here is a link with a driving directions to the Princess Louise Falls.

There is also a trail you can take if you like to explore the park.

The trail leading to Princess Louise Falls is generally considered an easy route, taking an average of 47 minutes to complete. It is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash.

The rocks structure is super beautiful. And it makes you want to climb it 🙂. Although in many places it is very slippery, so I would not recommend to climb it for safety reasons.

Some interesting facts about Princess Louise waterfalls:

The falls are named after Princess Louise, a daughter of Queen Victoria and wife of the Governor General the Marquis of Lorne (around 1880) who came here by buggy to sketch watercolours .
The falls are about 10 meters high and flow over several levels of sedimentary rocks, making it rather impressive and looking more like the type of waterfall that you could see along the Niagara Escarpment rather than in the suburbs of Ottawa.
It is free to visit 🙂.

Plaisance Falls

If you’re looking for waterfalls near Ottawa, then you should definitely check out Plaisance Falls in Quebec, Canada. I’ve been there personally, and it was an amazing experience!

The falls are located in Plaisance, Quebec, and have a vertical drop of 207 feet (63 meters) . The falls are situated on the Petite-Nation River and are a protected national historical site that has been attracting visitors for over a century.

The parking lot is not very large, so I would not plan my visit during a holiday.

There is also an entrance free of $7 per adult. But the park is very well maintained and it absolutely worth it.

One of the best time to visit these falls is during the Autumn.

The park has many good viewpoints to stop and enjoy the view.

It feels amazing just to sit, listen to the sounds of nature and enjoy the beautiful view.

I absolutely loved this rocky spot that’s just a short 5-minute walk from the falls.

A short video I made during my visit to Plaisance Falls.

Grand Falls On Mississippi

Grand Falls on Mississippi is one of the most beautiful waterfalls near Ottawa. It is located in Almonte, Mississippi Mills, Ontario, Canada.

Address: 7 Mill St, Almonte, ON K0A 1A0

The top of the falls is formed by a low water control dam. Although these falls are artificial it does not feel that way when you are actually there.

It looks like the river falls over a series of steep cascades next to an old mill.

A short video I made during my visit there. Notice that there is a restaurant right by the waterfalls 🙂. It is called Italian Joe’s Kitchen. If you book a table on one of its balconies, you will have a gorgeous view of the falls.

After visiting waterfalls, you can walk through the main street of Almonte town.

Almonte, Mississippi Mills, Ontario, Canada.

The downtown of Almonte is very small, so it will take you 5 minutes to cross it if you don’t stop for food or shopping. Although I am sure it will take you much longer than 5 minutes, because there are very interesting antique stores on the street 🙂.

The main street of Almonte town is a clean and cozy with many old houses and interesting antique stores. Notice that it is decorated with lots of flowers! Flowers are everywhere 🙂.

Although the Main Street of Almonte town is small, I spent over an hour there because of the ice cream, restaurants, and small stores that made me want to stay longer. 🙂.

Final words

I hope you enjoyed reading about the waterfalls near Ottawa. I had a great time exploring these places and I hope that you will like them too.

If you would like to stay in touch, please find me on Twitter @travel_local_ca.

Written by

Sergey Kargopolov

My name is Sergey Kargopolov, a software developer based in Canada. When I'm not engrossed in creating video courses for fellow developers, I enjoy exploring the beautiful local neighborhoods. Traveling within my country offers a delightful change of pace from my routine. Follow me on Twitter.