This page is meant to be a location for people to easily find all the various programs that the Rideau Trail Association and partners participate in. Not all of these activities are meant to earn badges but may simply be offered as interesting outings. Below is a list of these activities and links to pages where people can find out more:
- End-to-End Badges: These are offered for hiking the whole trail, and can be earned over the course of several years. The Regular version of the badge is for hiking it over the whole year. The Winter version is for hiking it during the months of January and February only. There are also end-to-end badges offered by the each club for hikes that traverse that club’s territories. Information for these is provided on the RTA Badges page.
- Rideau Trail 55th Anniversary: The celebration of the Rideau Trail’s 55th anniversary in 2026 includes four different ways at earning this badge, all activities to be done along the Rideau Trail. Further details are on the 55th Anniversary Badges page. Part of this program will continue beyond this year (2026). The four different ways of earning this badge include:
- Hiking 55 km over two days
- Completing 55 hikes
- Hiking 55 km in each of the three sectors
- Discovering 55 points of interest along the Rideau Trail
- Blue Trails Challenge: A badge may be earned for hiking twelve selected Blue Trails. Further details may be found on the Blue Trails Challenge page.
- Locks Endeavour: A badge may be earned for hiking, biking, and paddling, in any combination, as long as you visit all 49 locks along the Rideau Canal. Further details may be found on the Locks Endeavour page.
- Junior Hikers Program: This program is geared to children 13 and under and adults that participate with them. As well as being aimed at RTA members, it is also geared to the public at large. More information may be found on the Junior Hikers’ Page.
- Frontenac Challenge: The Frontenac Challenge is offered through the Friends of Frontenac. There are 11 loops to be completed between 1 Sep and 31 Oct with a shorter challenge called the Trek with 6 loops. Details may be found at the Friends of Frontenac site’s page for this challenge.
- Frontenac Perimeter Challenge: The Perimeter Challenge is also offered through the Friends of Frontenac. This is a set of Hikes (typically two or three) that cover all of the Perimeter Trails of Frontenac Park during May in each year. Details may also be found at the Friends of Frontenac site’s page for this challenge.
- Other Programs are being run on a less-regular basis at an association level, but may occur throughout the year. These include The Trails Less Travelled, My Favourite Hike/Bike, 10 km Trails, and A Trail for All Seasons, as well as social events such as the annual RTA Picnic. Details on these will normally be found in Activities Calendar.
- Clubs’ Regular Programs: These are too many to list in detail here but more information can be found at each of the clubs’ pages for Kingston, Central, and Ottawa.