Picture of the day - January 5, 2006

A Foggy Morning At Gatineau Park

Through the southwestern part of Canada's province of Québec flows one of the world's most beautiful rivers: Gatineau River - so named in the early 1680's after famous fur trader Nicolas Gatineau perished in its waters. The Gatineau River begins at its headwaters in a series of lakes north of Baskatong Reservoir, then flows more or less southward for approximately 240 miles before it joins the Ottawa River. Along the way, the waters of the Gatineau and Ottawa rivers are used to produce hydroelectric power for the Canadian people. Popular Gatineau Park, located just across the Ottawa River from Canada's capitol city of Ottawa, Ontario, was created in the 1930's on 88,000 acres of lake and woodland property that the Canadian government purchased in order to preserve the forests in the region. At its closest point, Gatineau Park lies a mere two miles from the Parliament building! An abundance of wildlife makes Gatineau Park a true nature-lovers paradise. White-tailed deer, timber wolves, black bears, martens, raccoons, otters, countless fish and over 100 species of North American birds live and thrive within the park's boundaries, so be sure to bring along your binoculars and a camera! Of course there is a lot more to experience at Gatineau than just the animal life. Hiking, swimming and camping are popular during the summertime while world-class cross country skiing awaits you during the winter. If you enjoy being out on the water, rowboats, kayaks and canoes are available for rental. So regardless of the season or the weather, if you enjoy the outdoors there is a wonderful Canadian vacation waiting for you in the Ontario area - at beautiful Gatineau Park!   Picture Of The Day Homepage | Submit a photo Interesting Articles