Rare Giant
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Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park is about thirty miles or sixty-six kilometers East of Thunder Bay, Ontario off of the Trans Canadian Highway. Good signage points to the canyon road. The parking lot is relatively small. The daily use permit is $2.00 for adults. The one kilometer trail to the overlooks is an easy hike. You come to a small canyon about half way there. This is not the Ouimet Canyon. Continue across the bridge and follow the trail to the first observation platform. One of the signs say that the next place you can see the plant life that is at the bottom of canyon is 10,000 Kilometers North. I thought that was a mistake. But it is a fact. Some of the Arctic plants growing here are fir-club moss and lichen, alpine woods, arctic pyrola, encrusted saxifrage, and fragrant shield fern. They are leftovers from the last ice age and still grow here.
There is a rock formation in the canyon called Omett. There has to be a story for it. The following is taken from the Thunder Bay web site:
“Omett was a good giant and helped Nanabijou when he wished to raise a mountain or make a new lake. Omett fell in love with Naiomi, Nanabijou’s daughter. Naiomi liked Omett and encouraged him to display his strength.
One day Omett was moving a mountain when a peak broke off, struck Naiomi and killed her. Greatly frightened of the wrath of Nanabijou, Omett hid Naiomi’s body in a shallow lake and covered it with a rock shield.
Searching for Naiomi, Nanabijou was striding over the great shield when he felt vibrations from under the rocks. Reaching into the sky, he grasped a thunderbolt and drove it into the rocks, splitting them open. In the wide canyon he discovered his daughter’s body. Nanabijou buried Naiomi in the bottom of the canyon.
From her grave grew the rare and beautiful flowers found only there. To punish Omett, Nanabijou turned him to stone and placed him on the canyon wall to watch over the grave for all eternity. Standing on the shores of Thunder Bay at the head of the great Lake Superior, one can perceive, on looking out across the waters of Thunder Bay, a great land formation situated directly in the mouth of the Bay. It requires no imagination whatever to see that this form resembles the sleeping body of a giant, arms folded across his massive chest as in the majesty of death.”
Back towards the Trans Canadian Highway is another canyon: Eagle Canyon. After paying the admission fee a tram takes you to the top of the canyon. You then can cross the canyon on a 300 foot long suspension bridge 125 feet above the canyon floor. Continue along the trail and cross the longest suspension bridge in Canada: 600 feet long and 152 feet above the canyon floor.
Did I mention the views? At either end of the canyon is water. Visible to the South is Lake Superior and to the North is a spring fed lake. You can wait for the tram at a gazebo or descend down the stairway to the floor of the canyon for the grand tour. Walk around the lake and return to the campground store.
Yes there is camping there, which includes unlimited access to the canyon. During the winter months the resort sprays the walls of the canyon for ice cliff climbers.
As you travel back to Thunder Bay make sure you stop at the amethyst mines. The most publicized one is the Panorama mine. But a short distance closer to Ouimett Canyon is Blue Point Amethyst Mine. There is no entrance fee here and you get to mine your own amethyst. They provide the buckets. Bring a hammer, water, and work clothes. It is fun.
John Pelley is a Geriatric Gypsy. During his travels we have found many different and exciting places. Each town has a story to tell. He enjoys good listening music as he goes. John has a CD he has recorded. For more information visit http://www.jmpelley.org
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