[1] Crossing both public and private lands, the trail was created and opened in 1971.

The Rideau Trail begins at Confederation Park in front of City Hall in Kingston.

The main trail is marked with orange triangular markers from Kingston to Ottawa.

The section clubs are Kingston (Kingston to Lally Homestead in Murphys Point Provincial Park), Central (Lally Homestead to Rosedale outside Smiths Falls), and Ottawa (Rosedale to Parliament Hill).

Each club awards RTA members who hike their entire section (at once or over multiple trips) an end-to-end badge.