Termed «a sea of
mountains», the Park de la Gaspésie is located in Quebec's
Gaspe Peninsula between the St. Lawrence River ans the Bay of Chaleur.
With 802 square kilometres of mountains, lakes, forests and rivers, it
offers landscapes of impressive beauty in addition to affording various
degrees of protection for the flora and fauna.
The park consists of a strip, several kilometres in width, in which
two mountain ranges are found - the Chic-Chocs and the McGerrigles.
Meaning «insurmontable wall» in Mic-Mac, the former form the
backbone of the park, containing several summits over 900 metres such as
Mount Albert and Mount Logan. The McGerrigles, separated from Mount Logan
by the Sainte-Anne River Valley, are characterized by their abrupt
facades. One of the highest points in Quebec, the 1270 metres Mount
Jacques Cartier is found here.
Vegetation ranges from the boreal at the lowest levels to sub-alpine
near the summits with herbadeous plants at the higher elevations. The
cladonia is a favorite of the woodland caribou that have found refuge
here. The caribou co-exist with moose and white tail deer - the
only such mixture on the continent.
Fish are abundant and nature lovers are attracted to the savage
beauty. First established as a forestry, hunting and fishing preserve
in 1905, the provincial park was establishe in 1937 as Quebec's first
true conservation park.
Canadian Trails Guide
