Ouimet Canyon

Ouimet Canyon

Ouimet Canyon is a large gorge in the Canadian province of Ontario, about 60 kilometres (37 mi) northeast of Thunder Bay in Dorion Township. The gorge is 100 metres (330 ft) deep, 150 metres (490 ft) wide and 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) in length, protected in the Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park.

There is a walkway consisting of boardwalks and trails, which leads to viewing platforms overlooking the canyon. Visitors to the canyon should remain on the marked trails for their own safety. Also in the Ouimet Canyon area, there are rare alpine flowers that are considered especially beautiful and arctic plants normally found 1000 km further north.

The canyon was named after a former railway station, Ouimet Station, which used to be located nearby on the Canadian Pacific Railway line. The station itself was named after the Canadian Minister of Public Works from 1892 to 1896, Joseph-Aldric Ouimet.

Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park covers an area of 7.77 square kilometres (3.00 sq mi) around the canyon. This is a day-use park; there are no camping facilities.

Geology

The canyon is believed to have formed when a diabase sill dating from a billion years earlier was split open, either by the weight of advancing glaciers or the large volumes of water released during their retreat. Erosion by wind and rain continued the formation of the canyon. A large rock column known as the Indian Head can be seen from the northern viewing area.

The legend

A long time ago, there was a giant Omett. He helped Nanabijou make mountains and lakes. Omett fell in love with Nanabijou's daughter Naiomi. One day, Omett was moving a mountain when part of it fell off and killed Naiomi. Omett quickly hid Naiomi. Nanabijou desperately looked for his daughter. When he sensed something underground, he sent a thunderbolt to split open the ground which created a canyon and he discovered his daughter at its bottom. He buried her there and to punish Omett he turned him into stone and put him on the canyon walls to watch Naiomi's grave forever.

Eagle Canyon

Suspension bridges at Eagle Canyon

Near Ouimet Canyon is the privately owned and operated Eagle Canyon, which features on-site camping, two footbridges spanning the gorge and a zip line.

The longer of the two footbridges is 182 metres (597 ft) long and is suspended 45 metres (148 ft) above the canyon floor. It claims to be Canada's longest foot suspension bridge. The zip line is claimed to be 200 metres (660 ft) and is advertised as world's longest.

External links

Media related to Ouimet Canyon at Wikimedia Commons

• Ouimet Canyon, Ontario Parks website

Coordinates: 48°47′20″N 88°40′10″W / 48.78889°N 88.66944°W / 48.78889; -88.66944