Gatineau Park
Encyclopedia
Gatineau Park is a park
located in the National Capital Region
, in Quebec's Outaouais region, just north of Ottawa
, Ontario
. Administered by the National Capital Commission
, the park is a 361 km² wedge of land to the west of the Gatineau River
. With a circumference of 179.2 km, the park includes parts of the municipalities of Chelsea
, Pontiac
, La Pêche
, and the City of Gatineau
.
Although advocated by Dominion Parks Commissioner James Harkin to be the first national park outside the Rocky Mountains
, it remains the only federal park that is not a national park, a situation that has direct repercussions on its ecology, boundaries, and land mass.
, largely as a result of former Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King
's caution, fear of criticism, and desire for privacy.
Gatineau Park was not only the first national park advocated for Quebec, it was also intended to be the first one outside the Rocky Mountains
. As well, it was to be the first national park created by the first parks service in the world, the Dominion Parks Branch.
On 3 December 1913, Dominion Parks Commissioner James B. Harkin
wrote to Deputy Minister of the Interior William Cory
, arguing for the creation of a nation-wide system of parks, the first of which was to be Gatineau Park. In his memo, Harkin said:
A few months later, on Cory's suggestion, Harkin wrote Quebec Minister of Mines and Forests Charles Devlin
inquiring whether he would help establish a national park in the Gatineau district. Although provincial officials wrote back that the matter would receive their minister's immediate attention, Devlin died before he could follow up on Harkin's request, and no further response was ever received. With the First World War
intervening shortly thereafter, the government of Canada
had to tend to more pressing matters.
On 7 April 1927, the idea of creating a Gatineau national park was again raised in the House of Commons
, where MPs considered a bill to create the Federal District Commission
, which would build parks and parkways on both sides of the Ottawa River
. During debate, however, Conservative MP John Edwards accused Prime Minister King of wanting to create a park around his Kingsmere property and ease access to it by building a parkway. Though he denied the charge, the criticism would shape King's subsequent decisions regarding the park.
It would take another eleven years for the park to be created in embryonic form on 1 July 1938, as a result of efforts by Percy Sparks
of the Federal Woodlands Preservation League
. By choosing to create the park through gradual property acquisition, the King government allowed private property to continue existing in Gatineau Park—a situation that has prevented the park from becoming a national park.
Today, the National Capital Commission manages the park, along with all federal lands and buildings in Canada's National Capital Region
. Its policies on park boundaries, land management and ownership, as well as on residential construction in the park, have been the subject of controversy.
To address these issues, several private members’ bills have been introduced in the Senate and House of Commons since 2005. The federal government also tabled its own Gatineau Park legislation in June 2009 and April 2010. None of the bills tabled so far has been enacted into law.
The latest government legislation on the subject, Bill C-20, was reported back to the House of Commons on November 15, 2010. However, it died on the Order Paper before it could be given third reading when the 40th parliament was dissolved.
In the fall of 2010, a controversy broke out in the press pertaining to the rehabilitation of Trail no. 1 in Gatineau Park. According to published reports, the contractor hired by the NCC had laced the trail with broken glass and other debris; the NCC reacted to this news by hiring an engineering firm to study the problem. Its report concluded that garbage spread along the trail was within acceptable standards, a conclusion that park advocates met with scepticism. The NCC also confirmed staff for the contractor were not certified in the maintenance of summer trails in the park, as required by their contract.
Building on the work of the predecessor Federal Woodlands Preservation League, the modern-day New Woodlands Preservation League and its Gatineau Park Protection Committee advocate greater public access to the park while opposing residential development inside it.
trails and 90 km of trails for mountain bike
s and the Trans Canada Trail
passes through the park. The park is also popular with cyclists where many routes are quite steep and very demanding on legs, heart and lungs!
Beaches are located at Meech Lake
, Lac Phillipe
and La Pêche Lake
. While no camping is allowed at Meech Lake, there are campgrounds at the other two lakes. All three lakes are open to canoeists, but gas motor boats are only allowed at Meech Lake due to the presence of many private properties.
Cross-country skiing is one of the park's main recreational activities. Nearly 200 km of cross-country trails criss-cross the park, which hosts the annual Gatineau Loppet ski race (formerly known as Keskinada Loppet). Downhill skiing and snowboarding are engaged in at Camp Fortune
.
During the summer months, Camp Fortune offers an aerial experience including ziplines and treetop obstacles.
Although the practice is not formally permitted in the park, some of the more secluded corners are popular with nudists
. In particular there is an unofficial nude beach that has been in use since the late 1930s. Located northwest of parking lot P11 on trail 36, the beach is extensively used by members of Ottawa's gay community
.
There is a tea room at Moorside, the former summer home of William Lyon Mackenzie King
, the tenth Prime Minister of Canada
. Located near Kingsmere Lake, the estate also features gardens and the "ruins" collected by King in a woodland setting. A small waterfall runs down the escarpment near Moorside. Mackenzie King donated his 600 acres (2.4 km²) property at Kingsmere to the people of Canada at his death in 1950.
Also located inside the park are the Prime Minister of Canada's Harrington Lake
country retreat, and the official residence of the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
, known as The Farm
, which is Prime Minister King's
former residence.
At the end of the Gatineau Parkway, Champlain lookout provides a spectacular view of the Ottawa Valley
from high atop the Eardley Escarpment. When leaves change colour in fall, tourists and locals are drawn to the park's lookouts, roads, and pathways
to enjoy the autumn scenery.
Pink Lake
is a meromictic
lake found in the park. Tiny algae
in the lake give it a bright green colour. The lake's name comes from the Pink family who originally owned property in the area. The park includes many other lakes.
King Mountain, the highest peak in Gatineau, rising an almost vertical 345 metres from the Eardley Escarpment, was the first triangulation
point in Canada. Also, the mountain's unique positioning provides an interesting spectrum of vegetation ranging from evergreen
and deciduous
forests to windswept savannas. The mountain is also home to a number of trees which are rare in the area, including some that are nearly 600 years old. For many years, a 30 feet (9.1 m) red-coloured cedar cross was located on top of King Mountain. Originally erected by Old Chelsea's parish priest, Father Maguire, it could be seen for miles around. It eventually rotted and fell over the cliff. King Mountain served as the main location for Will Inrig's 2005 feature-film Ivannikov and the Blessèd Virgin Mary.
All the Ottawa-Gatineau area's television and FM radio stations broadcast from the Ryan Tower
atop Camp Fortune
just north of Kingsmere.
and Common Loon. Turkey Vulture
s and migrating hawks may be observed soaring on the thermal
s above the Eardley Escarpment. The park is also home to a large population of beaver
s and white-tailed deer
, as well as black bears
and two wolf packs in the more remote sections.
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
located in the National Capital Region
National Capital Region (Canada)
The National Capital Region, also referred to as Canada's Capital Region, is an official federal designation for the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario, the neighbouring city of Gatineau, Quebec, and surrounding urban and rural communities....
, in Quebec's Outaouais region, just north of Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Administered by the National Capital Commission
National Capital Commission
The National Capital Commission , is a Canadian Crown corporation that administers the federally owned lands and buildings in Canada's National Capital Region, including Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec.The NCC was created in 1959, replacing the Federal District Commission , which had been...
, the park is a 361 km² wedge of land to the west of the Gatineau River
Gatineau River
The Gatineau River is a river in western Quebec, Canada, which rises in lakes north of the Baskatong Reservoir and flows south to join the Ottawa River at the city of Gatineau, Quebec...
. With a circumference of 179.2 km, the park includes parts of the municipalities of Chelsea
Chelsea, Quebec
Chelsea is a municipality located immediately north of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada and about 7 miles north of Ottawa. Chelsea is located within Canada's National Capital Region. In 2006 the population was 6,703....
, Pontiac
Pontiac, Quebec
Pontiac is a municipality in western Quebec, Canada, in Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais Regional County Municipality on the Rivière des Outaouais , created through the forced amalgamation of North and South Onslow, Quyon, Eardlyy, and Luskville. It should not be confused with the Pontiac Regional...
, La Pêche
La Pêche, Quebec
La Pêche is a municipality along both sides of the Gatineau River in the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada, about north of downtown Hull. It is part of the Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais Regional County Municipality and comprises the following villages and...
, and the City of Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...
.
Although advocated by Dominion Parks Commissioner James Harkin to be the first national park outside the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
, it remains the only federal park that is not a national park, a situation that has direct repercussions on its ecology, boundaries, and land mass.
History and politics
Created in 1938, Gatineau is the only federal park not protected by the National Parks ActNational Parks Act (Canada)
The National Parks Act is a Canadian federal law that regulates protection of natural areas of national significance.-National parks:The act enables Parks Canada to designate and maintain national parks and national parks reserves. Within these, additional wildland areas may be designated...
, largely as a result of former Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
's caution, fear of criticism, and desire for privacy.
Gatineau Park was not only the first national park advocated for Quebec, it was also intended to be the first one outside the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. As well, it was to be the first national park created by the first parks service in the world, the Dominion Parks Branch.
On 3 December 1913, Dominion Parks Commissioner James B. Harkin
James B. Harkin
James Bernard Harkin served as Canada's first commissioner for national parks from 1911 until 1936.A former journalist, Harkin, known as "Bunny" to his close friends, was a strong believer in protecting the natural beauty of the environment and was influenced in part by the writings of John Muir,...
wrote to Deputy Minister of the Interior William Cory
William Wallace Cory
William Wallace Cory was Commissioner of the Northwest Territories from June 27, 1919 to February 17, 1931.Only the second Commissioner of the Northwest Territories to take the post, Cory inherited a region that had barely been governed during the time of his predecessor.Within months the new...
, arguing for the creation of a nation-wide system of parks, the first of which was to be Gatineau Park. In his memo, Harkin said:
- "The East has no national parks like those in the Rockies, and it is proposed that the country develop a broader scheme of parks than exists in any other country […] Bringing into effect the proposed Gatineau Park […] would, I think, most easily commence this scheme."
A few months later, on Cory's suggestion, Harkin wrote Quebec Minister of Mines and Forests Charles Devlin
Charles Ramsay Devlin
Charles Ramsay Devlin was a Canadian politician who was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons, in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, and an Irish MP in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.-Career:Born in Aylmer, Lower Canada, the son of...
inquiring whether he would help establish a national park in the Gatineau district. Although provincial officials wrote back that the matter would receive their minister's immediate attention, Devlin died before he could follow up on Harkin's request, and no further response was ever received. With the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
intervening shortly thereafter, the government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
had to tend to more pressing matters.
On 7 April 1927, the idea of creating a Gatineau national park was again raised in the House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
, where MPs considered a bill to create the Federal District Commission
National Capital Commission
The National Capital Commission , is a Canadian Crown corporation that administers the federally owned lands and buildings in Canada's National Capital Region, including Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec.The NCC was created in 1959, replacing the Federal District Commission , which had been...
, which would build parks and parkways on both sides of the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
. During debate, however, Conservative MP John Edwards accused Prime Minister King of wanting to create a park around his Kingsmere property and ease access to it by building a parkway. Though he denied the charge, the criticism would shape King's subsequent decisions regarding the park.
It would take another eleven years for the park to be created in embryonic form on 1 July 1938, as a result of efforts by Percy Sparks
Percy Sparks
Roderick Percy Sparks was a Canadian manufacturer and environmentalist. He is widely credited with being the Father of Gatineau Park.Born on March 7, 1880 in Ottawa, Canada, Sparks was the great grandnephew of Ottawa pioneer Nicholas Sparks...
of the Federal Woodlands Preservation League
Federal Woodlands Preservation League
Created by group of citizens worried about the massive logging near Meech Lake and Kingsmere, the Federal Woodlands Preservation League began urging the Canadian Federal Government in 1934 to take action on preserving the Gatineau Hills' woodlands. It is credited with creating Gatineau...
. By choosing to create the park through gradual property acquisition, the King government allowed private property to continue existing in Gatineau Park—a situation that has prevented the park from becoming a national park.
Today, the National Capital Commission manages the park, along with all federal lands and buildings in Canada's National Capital Region
National Capital Region (Canada)
The National Capital Region, also referred to as Canada's Capital Region, is an official federal designation for the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario, the neighbouring city of Gatineau, Quebec, and surrounding urban and rural communities....
. Its policies on park boundaries, land management and ownership, as well as on residential construction in the park, have been the subject of controversy.
To address these issues, several private members’ bills have been introduced in the Senate and House of Commons since 2005. The federal government also tabled its own Gatineau Park legislation in June 2009 and April 2010. None of the bills tabled so far has been enacted into law.
The latest government legislation on the subject, Bill C-20, was reported back to the House of Commons on November 15, 2010. However, it died on the Order Paper before it could be given third reading when the 40th parliament was dissolved.
In the fall of 2010, a controversy broke out in the press pertaining to the rehabilitation of Trail no. 1 in Gatineau Park. According to published reports, the contractor hired by the NCC had laced the trail with broken glass and other debris; the NCC reacted to this news by hiring an engineering firm to study the problem. Its report concluded that garbage spread along the trail was within acceptable standards, a conclusion that park advocates met with scepticism. The NCC also confirmed staff for the contractor were not certified in the maintenance of summer trails in the park, as required by their contract.
Building on the work of the predecessor Federal Woodlands Preservation League, the modern-day New Woodlands Preservation League and its Gatineau Park Protection Committee advocate greater public access to the park while opposing residential development inside it.
Sites and activities
Gatineau Park is a recreational destination offering public facilities including beaches, campgrounds, picnic areas, trails, and parkways. There are 165 km of hikingHiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trails and 90 km of trails for mountain bike
Mountain bike
A mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines,...
s and the Trans Canada Trail
Trans Canada Trail
The Trans Canada Trail is a proposed corridor in Canada. The creation of the trail was announced as part of Canada's 125th anniversary celebrations in 1992. It is expected that when complete, it will be the longest recreational trail in the world...
passes through the park. The park is also popular with cyclists where many routes are quite steep and very demanding on legs, heart and lungs!
Beaches are located at Meech Lake
Meech Lake
Meech Lake is located within Gatineau Park in the Municipality of Chelsea, Quebec, Canada . The lake was named after Reverend Asa Meech, an early settler in this area....
, Lac Phillipe
Lac Phillipe
Lac Philippe is a medium-sized lake located on the north side of Gatineau Park. Swimming is permitted on the beach and is even guarded by lifeguards. Campsites are available on the coast of Lac Philippe. Lac Philippe is approximately a 50 minute drive from Ottawa. The lake is known for its...
and La Pêche Lake
La Pêche Lake
La Pêche Lake is a lake in Gatineau Park, Quebec, Canada. It lies in the northwest part of the municipality of Pontiac, in Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais Regional County Municipality....
. While no camping is allowed at Meech Lake, there are campgrounds at the other two lakes. All three lakes are open to canoeists, but gas motor boats are only allowed at Meech Lake due to the presence of many private properties.
Cross-country skiing is one of the park's main recreational activities. Nearly 200 km of cross-country trails criss-cross the park, which hosts the annual Gatineau Loppet ski race (formerly known as Keskinada Loppet). Downhill skiing and snowboarding are engaged in at Camp Fortune
Camp Fortune
Camp Fortune is a commercial alpine ski center. It is located in the Gatineau Hills north of Gatineau, Quebec, approximately 15 minutes from Downtown Ottawa, Ontario....
.
During the summer months, Camp Fortune offers an aerial experience including ziplines and treetop obstacles.
Although the practice is not formally permitted in the park, some of the more secluded corners are popular with nudists
Naturism
Naturism or nudism is a cultural and political movement practising, advocating and defending social nudity in private and in public. It may also refer to a lifestyle based on personal, family and/or social nudism....
. In particular there is an unofficial nude beach that has been in use since the late 1930s. Located northwest of parking lot P11 on trail 36, the beach is extensively used by members of Ottawa's gay community
Gay community
The gay community, or LGBT community, is a loosely defined grouping of LGBT and LGBT-supportive people, organizations and subcultures, united by a common culture and civil rights movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality...
.
There is a tea room at Moorside, the former summer home of William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
, the tenth Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
. Located near Kingsmere Lake, the estate also features gardens and the "ruins" collected by King in a woodland setting. A small waterfall runs down the escarpment near Moorside. Mackenzie King donated his 600 acres (2.4 km²) property at Kingsmere to the people of Canada at his death in 1950.
Also located inside the park are the Prime Minister of Canada's Harrington Lake
Harrington Lake
Harrington Lake estate is the name of the official country retreat of the Prime Minister of Canada and also the name of the land which surrounds it. It is located near Meech Lake where the Meech Lake Accord was negotiated in 1987approximately 35 kilometers northwest of Ottawa, in an area known as...
country retreat, and the official residence of the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Parliament of Canada and is elected at the beginning of each new parliament by fellow Members of Parliament...
, known as The Farm
The Farm (Canada)
The Farm is the official residence of the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons. It is located in Gatineau Park in the community of Kingsmere, part of Chelsea, Quebec, Canada, near the capital Ottawa....
, which is Prime Minister King's
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
former residence.
At the end of the Gatineau Parkway, Champlain lookout provides a spectacular view of the Ottawa Valley
Ottawa Valley
The Ottawa Valley is the valley along the boundary between Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec along the Ottawa River. The valley is the transition between the Saint Lawrence Lowlands and the Canadian Shield...
from high atop the Eardley Escarpment. When leaves change colour in fall, tourists and locals are drawn to the park's lookouts, roads, and pathways
Capital Pathway
The Capital Pathway, also known informally as the The Bike Path, is a recreational pathway interlinking many parks, waterways and sites in Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec...
to enjoy the autumn scenery.
Pink Lake
Pink Lake
Pink Lake is a meromictic lake located in Gatineau Park, Quebec, Canada. The surface of the waters are a deep green due to the abundance of algae in the water. The lake is in danger of eutrophication due to human activities...
is a meromictic
Meromictic
A meromictic lake has layers of water that do not intermix. In ordinary, "holomictic" lakes, at least once each year there is a physical mixing of the surface and the deep waters...
lake found in the park. Tiny algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
in the lake give it a bright green colour. The lake's name comes from the Pink family who originally owned property in the area. The park includes many other lakes.
King Mountain, the highest peak in Gatineau, rising an almost vertical 345 metres from the Eardley Escarpment, was the first triangulation
Triangulation
In trigonometry and geometry, triangulation is the process of determining the location of a point by measuring angles to it from known points at either end of a fixed baseline, rather than measuring distances to the point directly...
point in Canada. Also, the mountain's unique positioning provides an interesting spectrum of vegetation ranging from evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
and deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
forests to windswept savannas. The mountain is also home to a number of trees which are rare in the area, including some that are nearly 600 years old. For many years, a 30 feet (9.1 m) red-coloured cedar cross was located on top of King Mountain. Originally erected by Old Chelsea's parish priest, Father Maguire, it could be seen for miles around. It eventually rotted and fell over the cliff. King Mountain served as the main location for Will Inrig's 2005 feature-film Ivannikov and the Blessèd Virgin Mary.
All the Ottawa-Gatineau area's television and FM radio stations broadcast from the Ryan Tower
Ryan Tower
Ryan Tower is a tall guyed mast on the Clifford Slope of Camp Fortune in Chelsea, Quebec, Canada. Erected in 1968, its top is above sea level, making it the highest point in the Ottawa/Gatineau area and an easy-to-spot landmark....
atop Camp Fortune
Camp Fortune
Camp Fortune is a commercial alpine ski center. It is located in the Gatineau Hills north of Gatineau, Quebec, approximately 15 minutes from Downtown Ottawa, Ontario....
just north of Kingsmere.
Wildlife
Gatineau Park provides habitat for many species of birds including the Pileated WoodpeckerPileated Woodpecker
The Pileated Woodpecker is a very large North American woodpecker, almost crow-sized, inhabiting deciduous forests in eastern North America, the Great Lakes, the boreal forests of Canada, and parts of the Pacific coast. It is also the largest woodpecker in America.Adults are long, and weigh...
and Common Loon. Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture
The Turkey Vulture is a bird found throughout most of the Americas. It is also known in some North American regions as the Turkey Buzzard , and in some areas of the Caribbean as the John Crow or Carrion Crow...
s and migrating hawks may be observed soaring on the thermal
Thermal
A thermal column is a column of rising air in the lower altitudes of the Earth's atmosphere. Thermals are created by the uneven heating of the Earth's surface from solar radiation, and are an example of convection. The sun warms the ground, which in turn warms the air directly above it...
s above the Eardley Escarpment. The park is also home to a large population of beaver
American Beaver
The North American Beaver is the only species of beaver in the Americas, native to North America and introduced to South America. In the United States and Canada, where no other species of beaver occurs, it is usually simply referred to as "beaver"...
s and white-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, as well as black bears
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
and two wolf packs in the more remote sections.