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by Dave

Lauriault Trail Winter Hike in Gatineau Park

March 22, 2011 in hiking by Dave

lauriault_pano (1024x308)My girlfriend and I took advantage of the beautiful sunny weather last week and went for a nice afternoon hike around the Lauriault Trail in Gatineau Park.

Lauriault Trail, which gets started at P6 near the Mackenzie King Estate, is the only real winter hiking trail out of the few NCC-authorized trails in the Gatineau Park; the other two being the Pioneers Trail and the Sugarbush trail.

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Lauriault is an easy walk that provides a terrific variety of scenery as you walk from the backside of King Mountain around to the front and top, with a great view of the Ottawa Valley below. Along the way you can take a little detour along the Waterfall trail, with a great view of one of Mackenzie’s favourite thinking spots!

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We stopped for some lunch at the wooden bench at the Lauriault lookout – warm enough in March to relax in the sun in our t-shirts! – before heading back to the lot. The whole loop took just a few hours, but what a great place to have a spring picnic!

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5 responses to Lauriault Trail Winter Hike in Gatineau Park

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    Jean-Paul Murray said on March 22, 2011

    Very Nice pictures. Lauriault trail pretty much sums up the Gatineau Park experience: historic sites; lakes, mountains, streams, waterfalls.

    I believe the gorge plunging into the Ottawa Valley is part of an old road the Algonquins used to get away from the Mohawks when they were on the warpath. Apparently, that road went from the valley floor, past Kingsmere Lake and all along Kingsmere Road.

    Hey, wait a minute: does that mean I live along the War Path?

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    Jean-Paul Murray said on March 22, 2011

    The gorge mentioned is visible from the picnic site. And if you look hard enough, you’ll see the trail connecting Kingsmere Road to the parkway.

    So, in fact, there are official picnic sites at both ends of Kingsmere…

    And Dave: how do I learn to take pictures like that?

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    Dave said on March 24, 2011

    It’s all in the camera, Jean-Paul! ;)

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    Dave said on March 26, 2011

    Although I used an app called Panavue for the panorama, I find it does a great job if your pics are lined up well!

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    Jean-Paul Murray said on March 28, 2011

    Well, I’ve been trying the panorama function on my camera to capture the impact of the clearcutting in Gatineau Park to extend the A5 highway. About 100 acres of the park will be destroyed by the new road. I’ve walked pretty much the entire length of the new highway through the forest.

    You should check it out — breathtakingly beautiful. Park at the end of Brown Lake Road, walk towards the park and then turn right. One of the most beautiful hemlock forests I’ve ever seen…

    Been walking through the clearcut too. According to the MTQ (http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/documents/44449/44449F.pdf), 219 acres of forest will be clearcut to make way for the highway. The same document confirms some of that cutting to be in the park.