The Eardley Escarpment is home to the richest and most fragile ecosystem in Gatineau Park, primarily because of its geology and location.
The Escarpment is the dividing line between the rock of the Canadian Shield, which covers more than half of Canada, and the St. Lawrence Lowlands. It rises 270 metres from the floor of the Ottawa Valley, and extends over more than 30 kilometres.
Visiting the Eardley Escarpment
Facilities
- Washrooms: There are dry toilets at the Champlain Lookout, Étienne Brûlé Lookout, Church Hill Picnic Area, and by the Luskville Falls Trail.
- Parking: There is free parking at the Champlain Lookout, Étienne Brûlé Lookout, Huron Lookout, Church Hill Picnic Area, and by the Luskville Falls Trail.
- Picnic Areas: There are picnic tables and barbecues at the Church Hill Picnic Area and by the Luskville Falls Trail. There are also picnic tables at the Étienne Brûlé Lookout.
- Universal Accessibility: The Champlain and Étienne Brûlé lookouts are universally accessible.
Home to Rare Species
The Eardley Escarpment’s southern exposure gives it a hot, dry microclimate, similar to the forests of the American Midwest. Because of this unique microclimate, the Escarpment is home to many rare species. More than half of Gatineau Park’s 145 plant and animal species at risk are found on the Eardley Escarpment.
Plants
In Quebec, the Eardley Escarpment features roughly 50 species at risk, primarily herbaceous plants, and trees such as
- white oak
- butternut
- eastern red cedar.
The eastern red cedar (or eastern juniper) is a species that is extremely rare in Quebec. The Escarpment contains more than 80 percent of all eastern red cedar trees inventoried in the province. This small tree can live for a very long time. The oldest surveyed in the park is over 400 years old.
Wildlife
The Escarpment houses Quebec’s only known population of the juniper hairstreak, a rare, green-winged butterfly. Its caterpillar feeds on the leaves of the juniper without damaging the tree.
The majority of Gatineau Park’s white-tailed deer spend winter on the Escarpment, as the area is well protected from cold, northerly winds.
Help us protect Gatineau Park, and please follow the principles of outdoor ethics.