This post about Parc national de Plaisance in the Outaouais is by guest author David Johnson. Cover photo of the Chutes du Moulin (Chutes de Plaisance) by DroneflyerNick on Unsplash.
One of my favourite summertime activities has always been biking. Whether it’s around my neighbourhood, or in the Greenbelt, it’s a great way to get outdoors. The only issue I have is going through the hassle of transporting my bike to places further away. I solved that problem recently, when I went to Parc national de Plaisance to explore their forest trails on a rental bike.
We arrived in the parking lot of Parc national de Plaisance on a sunny August day. Located on the north shore of the Ottawa River around an hour’s drive east of Ottawa, this Quebec provincial park covers 28 square kilometres of forest and marshland on a slender peninsula.
When we entered the visitor centre, I curiously flipped through a manual on the wide variety of wild animals that can be spotted in the park. They include 42 mammal species, 12 amphibian species and almost 250 species of birds.
Once we had checked in, we were outfitted with our rental bicycles and headed off to explore the park.
Cycling through Parc national de Plaisance
We initially rode on a gravel trail surrounded by trees, seeing a few frogs and numerous species of birds along the way. Soon enough, we were on the bike pathway.
We eventually arrived at a marsh, where we left our bikes to walk on the Zizanie-des-Marais trail. The unique aspect of this easy one-kilometre (out and back) trail is that it floats on the water and marshland.
As I was looking at the lily pads, I noticed something moving in the water. A small patch of fur broke through the surface and was swimming around. As it moved into a clearer section, I saw that it was a muskrat!
It was the first time I’d ever seen a muskrat, and we observed the creature for several minutes. Once it finally disappeared, we kept walking and saw some turtles and a garter snake, among other animals.
It was now time to get back on our bikes, so we could further explore the trails. Parc national de Plaisance has over 40 kilometres of bike pathways, meaning you can go an entire day without being in the same place twice. We eventually returned to the visitor centre, where we dropped off the bikes before driving into the town of Plaisance for a bite to eat.
A waterfall and more
After finishing lunch, we headed to the last place left on our list of things to see that day—the Chutes du Moulin (also known as the Chutes de Plaisance), a waterfall managed by Parc national de Plaisance. On our way to the falls, we saw a deer. We stopped the car and I got out to take some photos, coming within five metres of the doe.
Once it scurried off, we kept going and arrived at the waterfall. There, we observed the beautiful scenery, with water rushing down the black rocks, surrounded by forest. It was a great ending to a great day.
Editor’s note: While you’re in the Parc national de Plaisance area, you could also check out Le Centre d’Art Populaire du Québec, a gallery of popular art. It’s open from Wednesday through Sunday until October 13, and then on weekends only until December 22. Admission is $13 for those 65 or older, $15 for other adults and $8 for youth aged 13 to 17. Children 12 and younger are admitted free.
If you go
In addition to bike rentals, Parc national de Plaisance rents canoes, kayaks and campsites until October 18, 2024. Entrance is free for children 17 and younger, and $9.85 for adults. Rental prices vary by equipment type. For more information, check the park’s website. The website also has details on opening hours and driving directions.
Admission to the Chutes du Moulin is included with your park admission. To visit the falls without also visiting the park, admission is $8.50 for adults and free for children 17 and younger.
If you’d like to avoid the sometimes busy bridges between Ottawa and Gatineau, you could take a ferry across the Ottawa River. Ecolos is an electric car ferry connecting Clarence-Rockland, Ontario, and Thurso, Quebec. Within the Ottawa city limits, Traversiers Bourbonnais is a year-round ferry between Cumberland, Ontario, and Masson, Quebec.
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Ottawa Road Trips is headquartered on the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. We are grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.