Maple season is one of the most distinctly Canadian experiences you can have, and one of the best places in the greater Ottawa area to do it right is Fulton's Sugar Bush in Pakenham, Ontario.
Located about 40 minutes west of Stittsville along Highway 7 and then south into the Ottawa Valley, Fulton's is a 400-acre family-run farm that has welcomed visitors for decades during the brief, beautiful maple harvest window.
What to Expect at Fulton's
Fulton's is not just a maple syrup shop—it's a full experience. During the maple season (typically March 1 to April 20, though exact dates vary year to year based on weather), the farm offers:
🛷 Sleigh Rides Horse-drawn sleigh rides through the maple forest are a centrepiece of the Fulton's visit. The sight and sound of sugar maples in early spring, with sap running through taps and into collection systems, is genuinely magical.
🍁 Maple Taffy on Snow Freshly boiled maple syrup poured over packed snow, then rolled onto a popsicle stick as it cools into chewy taffy. This is the experience children remember for years.
🥞 Maple-Themed Dining Fulton's pancake breakfasts and lunches featuring locally made maple syrup in everything from the pancake batter to the beverages.
🌲 Outdoor Trails Walking trails through the maple forest let visitors understand the scale of a working sugar bush—thousands of maple trees tapped simultaneously, with miles of plastic tubing collecting sap to be boiled down into syrup.
🛒 The Maple Shop Stock up on maple products to bring home: pure maple syrup in all grades, maple butter, maple candies, and maple-infused products unique to Fulton's.
Getting There
📍 Fulton's Sugar Bush Pakenham, Ontario ~40 minutes west of Stittsville / ~50 minutes from Ottawa
Reservations recommended during peak spring weekends. Call 613-831-2393 or visit goulbournmuseum.ca for details—note that Fulton's is a separate entity from the Goulbourn Museum, though both are in the same general area.
When to Go
The maple season is short—typically 4-6 weeks in spring. Go as early in March as conditions allow, and pick a weekday if you want to avoid weekend crowds. The experience is best when sap is actively running, which requires freezing nights followed by above-zero days.
Fulton's Sugar Bush is exactly the kind of Ottawa Valley experience worth making a day trip for. Bring the family, bring your appetite, and come back with as much maple syrup as you can carry.
