The eastern Ottawa Greenbelt is a protected NCC-managed green space encompassing the Mer Bleue peatland, Green's Creek ravines, and over 20 kilometres of trails connecting east Ottawa communities to the Ottawa River Pathway.
NCC-managed protected green space, internationally significant Mer Bleue peatland, Green's Creek ravine trail system, Ottawa River Pathway connections, and year-round hiking and cross-country skiing access
The eastern section of the National Capital Greenbelt, managed by the NCC, comprising forest, wetland, farmland, and trail networks that border the residential communities of east Ottawa.
Residents of east Ottawa communities including Orléans and Blackburn Hamlet use the eastern Greenbelt extensively for outdoor recreation, trail access, and connection to the Ottawa River.
Year-round outdoor recreation including hiking, cycling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing across trails connecting Mer Bleue, Green's Creek, and the Ottawa River Pathway.
The Ottawa Greenbelt is the largest publicly owned greenbelt in the world, and Mer Bleue is a globally significant peatland ecosystem recognized under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
Properties adjacent to the eastern Greenbelt in communities like Orléans and Blackburn Hamlet benefit from immediate green space access and the natural amenity of NCC-protected land.
The Greenbelt Pathway East provides 4.6 kilometres of dedicated paths linking the area to the broader Capital Pathway network and the Ottawa River waterfront.
The eastern portion of Canada's National Capital Greenbelt, a vast NCC-protected landscape of forest, wetland, and trails bordering Ottawa's east-end communities.
The Ottawa Greenbelt (east) encompasses some of the most significant natural features of the National Capital Region, including the internationally recognized Mer Bleue peatland and the Green's Creek ravine system at the Ottawa River. Whether you are exploring Greenbelt (east) homes for sale or Greenbelt (east) homes for rent in the surrounding communities of Orléans and Blackburn Hamlet, proximity to this protected green space is a defining feature of life in east Ottawa.
A protected natural landscape managed by the National Capital Commission, forming the eastern anchor of the world's largest publicly owned greenbelt.
The National Capital Greenbelt covers 203.5 square kilometres of land traversing Ottawa, and the eastern section contains two of its most significant areas: Mer Bleue, a globally recognized peatland wetland, and Green's Creek, a ravine system with unusual geological character reaching the Ottawa River. Residential communities including Orléans and Blackburn Hamlet are situated at the edges of the eastern Greenbelt, giving residents direct access to NCC trails and natural areas.
Year-round outdoor recreation including hiking, cycling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing across an extensive NCC-managed trail network.
The Mer Bleue Bog Trail is a popular universally accessible boardwalk and family hiking destination, surrounded by 21.7 kilometres of trails through the peatland and adjacent forest. Green's Creek offers 5.5 kilometres of trails through steep-sided ravines and plateaus, with the Greenbelt Pathway East providing a 4.6-kilometre paved route connecting to the Ottawa River Pathway and the broader Capital Pathway cycling network.
Unexpected Appeal:
The Ottawa Greenbelt is the largest publicly owned greenbelt in the world, and Mer Bleue is recognized under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands as a site of international ecological significance.
Homes adjacent to the eastern Greenbelt in Orléans and Blackburn Hamlet benefit from immediate NCC green space access and a protected natural outlook.
Properties bordering NCC Greenbelt land carry a premium associated with their permanent natural outlook and trail access. East Ottawa communities like Orléans offer a range of housing types from family homes to newer condominium developments, with Greenbelt proximity adding measurable value in the local real estate market.
The combination of world-class protected natural space, a growing suburban community, and easy access to downtown Ottawa makes the eastern Greenbelt area one of the capital's most appealing places to live.
From the globally significant Mer Bleue peatland to the ravine trails of Green's Creek and the Ottawa River Pathway connections, the eastern Greenbelt offers outdoor recreation and natural beauty that few urban areas can match. Downtown Ottawa is approximately 25 minutes away, and the east Ottawa communities of Orléans and Blackburn Hamlet provide all the amenities of a well-established suburban neighbourhood immediately adjacent to this protected landscape.
