Plaisance National Park, National park in Papineau, Outaouais, Quebec, Canada.
Plaisance National Park covers 28.3 square kilometres on the north bank of the Outaouais River, in Thurso, Lochaber, Plaisance and Papineauville. It protects wetlands including the Thurso marsh and the Marais aux Rubaniers, and since spring 2024 also the Moulin falls, three drops on the Petite Nation river with a 63-metre total drop.
In 1800s the land was part of the seigneurie de La Petite-Nation under Louis-Joseph Papineau and was farmed for its fertile soil. After the Carillon dam began operating in 1963, rising water led Hydro-Québec to buy flooded land in Plaisance, which became the Dollard-des-Ormeaux recreation and camping park. A wildlife reserve created in 1978 obtained national park status on March 22, 2002.
The park's name comes from the seigneurie de La Petite-Nation and the municipality of Plaisance; the toponym was officialised by the Commission de toponymie du Québec on 12 April 2002, succeeding the former Plaisance wildlife reserve. Birders record some 246 bird species, about a hundred of them nesting, and 18 on the list of endangered species, including the golden eagle and the bald eagle.
The park has biking and walking paths for exploring the terrain, along with camping sites for overnight stays. The best time to visit is from spring through fall, when trails are passable and wildlife is active.
In spring, thousands of Canada geese stop to rest in the park's wetlands before continuing their journey north. This yearly passage offers visitors a rare chance to witness the migration of these birds up close.
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