Gaspésie National Park

About

Gaspésie National Park (French: Parc national de la Gaspésie) is the second-oldest provincial park in Quebec, established in 1937. The park is located to the south of the town of Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Quebec, Canada, in the interior of the Gaspé peninsula. The park covers approximately 803 km² and is the sixth largest national park in Quebec. Mi'kmaq indigenous groups have seasonally inhabited the Haute-Gaspésie region for at least 10,000 years. French settlers arrived in the surrounding regions in the 17th century, followed by British settlement in the 18th century. Most early settlement occurred in the coastal regions of the peninsula, with the complex terrain of the interior limiting European settlement and human disturbance in the region until the 19th century "era of discovery" expeditions. The park contains two distinct mountain ranges: the Chic-Choc Mountains to the west and the McGerrigle Mountains to the east. The McGerrigle mountains contain the highest peak of the Appalachian Mountain range in Canada, Mont Jacques-Cartier, which sits at 1,270 metres above sea level. The two mountain ranges combined encompass more than 25 mountain peaks above 1,000 metres. The park is bordered...

The Gaspé peninsula was first inhabited during the Paleo-Indian period (10,000 to 8,000 years ago) by ancestors of present-day First Nations groups of the Maritime provinces.

Nomadic Mik'maq indigenous groups seasonally occupied the Chic-Choc Mountains (referred to as “Sigusoq” in Mi'kmaq, meaning "bare cliff-like ridges") for approximately 11,000 years. Subsistence patterns were based on resource availability, with seasonal activities within the parc region including salmon fishing along the Saint-Anne River in spring and the hunting of bear, deer, caribou and moose, in the fall.

Jacques cartier first explored the Gaspé peninsula on 15 August 1535, claiming the land for the king of France. After the Treaty of Paris in 1763, the territory came under British rule. In the early decades of European occupation, settlers were confined to coastal regions where they established economies based on fishing. The rugged terrain of the interior peninsula limited European expansion until the 19th century, when exploration of the interior was facilitated by Mik'maq guides with knowledge of inland travel routes along rivers.

The beginning of the "era of discoveries" in the mid 19th century saw the rise of expeditions within the Haute-gaspesie region. The creation of the Geological Commission of Canada in 1842 intensified geological exploration, with the aim to document the region's expansive land and mineral resources. Notable 19th century explorers include:

Sir. William Edmond Logan (1798 - 1875), f ounder of the Geological survey of Canada. He first explored Riviere cap-chat, Mont Logan and Baie-des chaleurs in 1844 with the help of indigenous guides. Mont Logan is named in his honour.

James Richardson (1810 - 1883), a geologist employed by the Geological Survey of Canada who explored Mont-Jacques-Cartier and Mount Richardson in 1857. He was the founder of The Richardson Company which established numerous mills in the region and contributed to the rise of the forestry industry in Haute-Gaspésie. Mont Richardson is named in this honour.

Alexander Murray (1810 - 1884), a retired officer from the Royal Navy in Scotland who joined Sir. William E. Logan’s expeditions between 1843 and 1844. He explored Mont Albert on August 26, 1845, naming the mountain after Prince Albert, whose birthday it was that day. Alexander Murray's explorations involved Identifying the geological formations of the park and carrying out several surveys with the aim of mapping the territory.

The park was established on April 14th, 1937, with the objective of protecting the rare McGerrigle and Mont Albert environments, preserving salmon populations in the Sainte-Anne River, conserving the remaining caribou populations, and promoting tourism in the Gaspé region. Initial parc boundaries covered 912 km². The objectives for the initial establishment of the park and its protected status changed over time, influenced by the adoption of certain laws, changing governments, and events such as World War I I.

During World War II, Canadian armed forces occupied posts on the summit of Mont Jacques-Cartier between 1942 and 1945. Roads and buildings constructed within the park to support military operations.

Increased recognition of the park's natural resources led to the modification of park protection laws on March 18, 1938, to allow forestry and mining projects. In 1943, the Quebec Government permitted mineral exploration within the park, granting the Mount Albert Mining Company the rights to prospect and explore over 75 km² for a period of five years.

In 1963, mining exploration was expanded, and permits were authorized across the entire park territory. Mining activities were concentrated in the southern sector of the park, particularly in the McGerrigle Mountains. Madeleine mine was opened in June 1969, from which more than eight million tons of ore were extracted before the mine's closure in 1982.

The construction of the Transgaspésienne road ( Route 299 ) was instrumental in facilitating forestry and mining operations in the interior regions. Constructed finished in autumn 1955, with Route 299 covering 140 km from the Sainte-Anne-des-Monts to Baie-des-Chaleurs regions.

Intensive resource exploitation in the 20th century altered the natural landscape and contributed to a 60-80% decline in the Gaspésie caribou population. As a result, stronger protection measures were established in 1977 with the Parks Act, establishing a legal framework to ensure the conservation and permanent protection of the park. In 1999, the Quebec government adopted stricter protection laws within the park, with criteria established by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

During World War II, Canadian armed forces occupied posts on the summit of Mont Jacques-Cartier between 1942 and 1945. Roads and buildings constructed within the park to support military operations.

Increased recognition of the park's natural resources led to the modification of park protection laws on March 18, 1938, to allow forestry and mining projects. In 1943, the Quebec Government permitted mineral exploration within the park, granting the Mount Albert Mining Company the rights to prospect and explore over 75 km² for a period of five years.

In 1963, mining exploration was expanded, and permits were authorized across the entire park territory. Mining activities were concentrated in the southern sector of the park, particularly in the McGerrigle Mountains. Madeleine mine was opened in June 1969, from which more than eight million tons of ore were extracted before the mine's closure in 1982.

The construction of the Transgaspésienne road ( Route 299 ) was instrumental in facilitating forestry and mining operations in the interior regions. Constructed finished in autumn 1955, with Route 299 covering 140 km from the Sainte-Anne-des-Monts to Baie-des-Chaleurs regions.

Intensive resource exploitation in the 20th century altered the natural landscape and contributed to a 60-80% decline in the Gaspésie caribou population. As a result, stronger protection measures were established in 1977 with the Parks Act, establishing a legal framework to ensure the conservation and permanent protection of the park. In 1999, the Quebec government adopted stricter protection laws within the park, with criteria established by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The park's visitor center opened for the first time in 1986. Recreational and cultural activities offered within the park include land-based sports such as biking, cross-country skiing and hiking, with 20 hiking trails of varying difficulty. Water-based sports offered within the park include kayaking, canoeing and fishing. The park receives approximately 221,000 visitor days annually. Accommodations within the park include campsites, huts, cabins, and the Gîte du Mont-Albert hotel.