For these first days of the trip, we make a two-day stop at Gatineau Park, which offers pristine nature less than 15 minutes from the capital, Ottawa. Between the city and nature, we have made our choice!
Wednesday, May 18th, 2022
We have often considered visiting Gatineau Park, but our steps have always taken us elsewhere. This time, we are determined not to miss it. Located at the gates of Ottawa, on the Quebec side, it is right on our route towards Toronto, but also towards the garage in Gatineau where we have an appointment.
Like all the parks we've visited in Quebec (and in three years, we've visited a lot), it covers a huge area. We were surprised at the entrance, however: it's completely free. Finally, a park where access to nature is free for everyone. Hats off to Gatineau!
As we took our time this morning and our appointment at the garage is at 1 pm, we opt for a quick and easy trail.
Carbide Willson Ruins Trail - 4 km.
Whoever said that winter was the most beautiful season in Quebec clearly never set foot in Gatineau Park in the middle of May! A dazzling, majestic and vibrant green has taken over. It's the fresh and pure green of the young buds that have just emerged on the trees. It's a pure delight for the eyes. We love green.
At the end of the trail, there are the ruins of an old factory. The scenery, between a waterfall and an old building, is quite splendid.
Before leaving the park, we have a picnic facing the lake, where we are immediately joined by some surprise guests: hundreds of bugs! We have to eat while walking, otherwise it's impossible to take a bite of our sandwich without swallowing a lot of protein.
After a quick stop at the garage in Gatineau to install a GPS tracker in the car (required by our insurance), we take advantage of this sunny day to return to the park. As often in Quebec parks, we take great pleasure in driving on the perfectly maintained road. Among cyclists, walkers, joggers, kayakers and canoers, we realize that Gatineau Park is to Ottawa what Mount Royal is to Montreal! Except that it is immensely larger!
Lauriault and Chute Trail - 3 kms
Through woods, streams, and waterfalls, this trail takes us to the Mackenzie-King Estate, the former Prime Minister's residence. At his death, he bequeathed his estate to the Canadian people as a gesture of gratitude for their trust. We can stroll through the perfectly maintained gardens and admire the lush lawn that would make even the most skilled gardeners envious. We would love to camp here tonight! The small house, far from the mansion we had imagined for a Prime Minister, is rather charming.
No camping allowed in the park, unless you pay $37 for the only camping site without services in the park. Nope. We find a quiet spot on the outskirts of a village and spend a peaceful evening there.
Thursday, May 19 th
Today, the weather is not looking great. It's grey and rain is expected in the late morning. However, it takes more than that to make us give up on our hike of the day!
As soon as we woke up, we headed to the park and went to have breakfast on the shores of Lake Philippe. The day was just breaking, everything was calm and quiet. This is the most favorable time of day to encounter animals, and we did not miss our chance! Upon arriving near the lake, a beautiful doe calmly crossed our path. On the shore, many Canada geese, accompanied by their cute and fluffy babies, were pecking away. We love these big wild geese, heralds of the coming of summer.
The Wolf Trail - 8.5 km - 250 m of elevation gain
Without much surprise, it starts raining as soon as we start the hike! Fortunately, the trees provide some shelter for us. We trek through silent forests, cross rivers and streams, and enjoy views of the Outaouais Valley and the Outaouais River, as we cover the 8 kilometers of the hike under a light and continuous rain.
Far from being the most beautiful natural park in Quebec, Gatineau Park still won us over with its vibrant spring colors. We have yet to see more of the world in green!
7 commentaires
Heureux de participer à votre periple en visionnant ces belles photos. Nous vous souhaitons une très belle aventure que nous allons suivre avec grand intérêt !
Moi aussi j’adore le vert, ces verts… Vive le printemps !
Magnifique tous ces bois, tout ce vert (en plus le vert est à la mode cette année…boutade) qui donne envie de respirer.
Vous avez bien fait de ne pas passer à côté de ce parc./
Bonne continuation.
Tout va bien ici.
Je vous embrasse très fort.
Mamie.
Super la photo du “suisse “! Profitez, en plus, côté météo, ils annoncent du beau ! Bises
Un vrai bonheur toutes ces belles photos !
Continuez à nous faire rêver… on attends la suite avec impatience, bisous à vous deux
Magnifique!!! Que de jolies photos à faire rêver ! Que la nature est belle ! C’est hyper intéressant de suivre votre aventure !
Wahou, le parc a l’air magnifique, ça fait rêver !