Best Things to Do in Wakefield

Wakefield sits 35–40 minutes north of downtown Ottawa on the Gatineau River — a heritage village built around a 1915 red covered bridge, a riverside main street, and a music venue that quietly became one of Canada's most important indie rooms. The Black Sheep Inn, where Arcade Fire and Feist played in their early days, soft-reopened on September 20, 2025 after a five-year pandemic closure, with first regular shows starting October 10 (sources: CBC News, The Low Down). Add a sourdough bakery in business since 2005, a band-owned pub, a short waterfall walk, and a heritage stone mill restaurant — and the village earns its day-trip reputation in five blocks.

The Iconic Photo Stop

Wakefield Covered Bridge

Wakefield Covered Bridge (officially the Gendron Bridge) is the most photographed landmark in the Outaouais — a red covered bridge spanning the Gatineau River. The 1915 original burned in 1984; volunteers spent 13 years rebuilding it and reopened it in 1997. Pedestrian and cyclist-only. Google 4.7 (1,263 reviews). Best in early October at peak fall foliage.

The Music Venues

Black Sheep Inn — Reopened September 2025

Black Sheep Inn (Auberge le Mouton Noir) is the iconic Outaouais indie music venue — a small intimate room on the Gatineau River that hosted Arcade Fire, Feist, and many other now-famous Canadian acts in their early days. Closed in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic, the venue soft-reopened on September 20, 2025 under new owner Jennifer Nesbitt (after long-time co-owner Paul Symes retired), with Christina Stobert running operations. First regular shows started October 10, 2025 — Great Lake Swimmers, Jim Bryson, MonkeyJunk, plus DJ nights and comedy on the early calendar.

Heads up: Operations are still settling — schedule typically Friday + Saturday evenings, but confirm via the official site before driving up.

Kaffé 1870 — Live-Music Pub

Kaffé 1870 at 715 Chemin Riverside is a band-owned live-music pub despite the name — not a quiet café. The Wednesday open mic is a Wakefield institution and the venue is listed on Songkick + Bandsintown as a regular touring stop. Google 4.6 (362 reviews). Daily 12pm open with late closing (9pm–11:59pm depending on day).

The Bakery

Pipolinka Bakery — Sourdough Since 2005

Pipolinka Bakery at 757B Chemin Riverside has been baking sourdough since 2005 — run by husband-and-wife Philippe Bernard ("Pipo") and Kalina Ostrowska ("Linka"), with Polish inspiration after a trip to Poland the year prior. About 150 recipes across breads and pastries; ~80% of flour is sourced from Quebec. Google 4.7 (213 reviews).

Hours fluid — confirm via the official site (pipolinka.ca) before driving up.

The Walk

MacLaren Falls

MacLaren Falls is a small waterfall on a short, easy loop from the P17 parking at Chemin du Mill — a free, separate destination from La Muse at the same mill complex. The trail passes the 19th century McLaren Cemetery viewpoint and connects to Gatineau Park trails 70/71/72 if you want to extend.

The Mill

La Muse at Wakefield Mill

La Muse at Wakefield Mill is the heritage stone mill turned hotel + spa + restaurant on MacLaren Falls itself — a destination dinner spot with the falls right outside the dining room window. Pair it with a MacLaren Falls walk before dinner.

Suggested Itineraries

Trip	Stops
Riverside walk + bridge	Park near covered bridge → Pipolinka pastries → Kaffé 1870 lunch → walk over the bridge
Concert night	Early dinner at La Muse → Black Sheep Inn show → late drink at Kaffé 1870
Falls + village	MacLaren Falls short walk → La Muse dinner → cross the covered bridge before driving back
Open mic night	Pipolinka pastries → Kaffé 1870 open mic (typically Wednesday)

Practical Tips

From downtown Ottawa: Highway 5 north → Wakefield (~35–40 min). The road past Chelsea winds along the Gatineau River.
Parking: Street parking on Chemin Riverside is mostly free. P17 (Chemin du Mill) for MacLaren Falls is also free.
Voie Verte (rail trail): The 22 km multi-use trail along the Gatineau River runs the former rail corridor between Chelsea and Wakefield. Confirm current trailhead and conditions with the Municipality of Chelsea before you ride.
Currency & tax: Quebec uses CAD same as Ontario. Sales tax is GST + QST.
Language: French is the working language but service is bilingual at all major venues.
Steam train: The historic Hull–Chelsea–Wakefield steam train stopped running in June 2011 after a storm (June 23–24, 2011) washed out the tracks. In July 2017 the Municipality of Chelsea pulled up 20 km of track, and most rolling stock had been scrapped by 2019. There is no steam train in Wakefield — don't plan a trip around it. (Sources: Wikipedia, The Low Down.)

FAQ

Is the Black Sheep Inn open again?

Yes. The Black Sheep Inn soft-reopened on September 20, 2025 after a five-year closure that began with the pandemic in March 2020. New owner Jennifer Nesbitt (after long-time co-owner Paul Symes retired), with Christina Stobert running operations, has brought programming back. First regular shows started October 10, 2025, with names like Great Lake Swimmers, Jim Bryson, and MonkeyJunk on the early calendar. (Source: CBC News, The Low Down.)

Is the Wakefield Steam Train still running?

No. The Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield steam train stopped running in June 2011 after a storm on June 23–24, 2011 washed out the tracks. In July 2017 the Municipality of Chelsea pulled up 20 km of the track, and most rolling stock had been scrapped by 2019. The steam train is no longer in service. (Source: Wikipedia.)

How long is the drive from Ottawa to Wakefield?

About 35–40 minutes from downtown Ottawa via Highway 5 north. The road past Chelsea winds along the Gatineau River — a scenic drive in itself, especially at peak fall foliage in early October.

How long is the Voie Verte Chelsea-Wakefield trail?

About 22 km along the Gatineau River, on the former rail corridor. It is a shared multi-use trail (cyclists, walkers, classic-style cross-country skiers in winter), managed by the Municipality of Chelsea. Confirm current trailhead and conditions with Chelsea before you ride.

What's the best bakery in Wakefield?

Pipolinka Bakery at 757B Chemin Riverside — sourdough baked since 2005 by husband-and-wife Philippe Bernard ('Pipo') and Kalina Ostrowska ('Linka'), with Polish inspiration. About 150 recipes across breads and pastries, with ~80% Quebec flour. Google 4.7. Confirm hours via pipolinka.ca before driving up.

Is the Wakefield Covered Bridge driveable?

No. The Wakefield Covered Bridge is pedestrian and cyclist-only. The original 1915 bridge burned in 1984 and was rebuilt by volunteers over 13 years, reopening in 1997. It is the most photographed landmark in the Outaouais — best in early October at peak fall foliage. Free to visit.