The Agawa Canyon Tour Train Stopover
in the Heart of the Canadian Wilderness
In the summer and fall you can enjoy a two hour stopover in the pristine
beauty of Agawa Canyon Wilderness Park (stopover may be reduced in order to
meet safe train schedules). Canyon Park is located at Mile 114 and is only
accessible by rail.
During the stopover your train seats will be turned for the return trip.
Articles left on the floor may be damaged during this procedure and we ask
that you place any personal items on your seat.
The train departs Agawa Canyon Park at 1:30 p.m. and we kindly ask that you
return to your seats by 1:20 p.m.
The park has a variety of trails that lead to the most scenic spots,
including four sets of waterfalls and the breathtaking Lookout. There are
plenty of picnic areas for those wishing to have lunch during the stopover
or you may want to eat prior to arrival or after departure, in order to
have a full two hours to explore the park.
During your stay in the Park, we ask that you watch for any train movements
as you cross over or walk beside the tracks. Since the Railway cannot be
held responsible for injury to patrons within the wilderness park, we
recommend you to use care on all trails, be considerate of others and
mindful of children. We also recommend that you wear suitable recreational
clothing and footwear.
Park staff will be available to answer questions and to assist you in the
event of any emergencies.
CANYON RESTROOM FACILITIES
The restroom facilities in Canyon Park are located just off the train
platform between the Souvenir Car and Staff House. Though they may look the
same as the restrooms you may find in a quality department store, that is
where the similarity ends. These facilities are environmentally friendly.
Called a Clivus Multrum system, they have no negative impact on the
environment and produce a high quality compost fertilizer that the Park
uses on its flower beds.
Usage is the same as a regular bathroom, except there is no need to flush.
In order for the system to work properly please close lid after use and
refrain from throwing garbage or cigarette butts in toilets. Thank you for
helping us keep Agawa Canyon Park pristine.
AGAWA CANYON FLORA AND FAUNA
Although Agawa Canyon Park has been developed for our guest's enjoyment and
safety, we have attempted to augment the environment to provide optimum
habitat for a variety of native plant and animal species. As you walk the
trails in the park, look around and you may be rewarded with a glimpse of
ruffed grouse, beaver, river otters or speckled (brook) trout inhabiting
Otter Creek.
Large mammals make occasional sojourns into the park, but seldom linger
long. The proximity of the railway track and the steep canyon walls render
the area unappealing to moose and bear. Beaver and otter are abundant in
the Agawa River and are visible from the River Trail, as are mergansers, wood
ducks and goldeneyes. Small mammals which are readily seen include red
chipmunks, meadow voles and groundhogs.
Bird life in Canyon Park is incredibly varied and though they tend to be
least active during tour hours you may see a variety of raptors including
merlins, golden eagles, broad wing hawks and American Kestrels.
The most commonly sighted birds at mid-day include ravens, robins,
grackles, ruffed grouse, flickers and a variety of waders and ducks. Great
Blue Herons often hunt pools in the park and are occasionally seen during
the tour.
Agawa Canyon park is situated in the transition zone between the Great
Lakes - St. Lawerence Forest region and the Boreal Forest, with
representative flora from both regions present in the park. It may be
further classified as a River Lowland Zone and the resultant plant
community is numerous and diverse. Some of the more common species that
flower in the spring and summer include; fireweed, yellow and orange
hawkweed, ox-eye daisy, nodding trillium, yellow clintonia and bunchberry.
Common species that flower later in the season include; viper's bugloss,
bladder campion, pearly everlasting, yarrow, evening primrose and a number
of asters. The park has a beautiful wildflower slope containing many of
these common as well as introduced species.
Plant and animal communities in Canyon Park face a variety of obstacles to
their survival including an annual snow falls exceeding 15ft/4.5m. Please
treat them gently, they have a rough life.
TRAILS
The trails in the Park have been developed to provide access to the most
scenic spots and to provide a wide range of walking/hiking opportunities.
The trails are well maintained and are covered in a fine gravel called
crusher fines.
Please be gentle with all living things in the park. The balance of nature
can be easily and unknowingly upset through picking or damaging plants and
trees. Please refrain from smoking on trails.
Park staff roam the trails during the tour and you will usually find them
stationed at the Lookout, Bridal Veil and Otter Creek falls, should you
require assistance.
Approximate trail times are for a round-trip from the park Staff
House/First Aid centre.
Otter Creek Trail (15 minute return trip)
This picturesque trail follows alongside Otter Creek and leads you to the
park's smallest waterfalls which are 45ft/13.7m in height. Otter Creek
Falls are fed from small beaver ponds above the Canyon and tumble into a
lateral fault in the ancient granitic bedrock of the Canadian Shield. The
upper part of Otter Creek provides natural spawning beds for speckled
(brook) trout.
Ed Foote Trail (20 minute loop)
This trail is named in honour of Ed Foote who was Park Supervisor from 1970
to 1982, when he drowned while retrieving a boat from the Agawa River. The
trail follows a glacial river terrace to a level 50ft/15.2m above the
tracks. The trail is lush with ferns and flowering plants growing among the
greyish-pink boulders which comprise the talus (rock debris) slopes.
Interpretive panels along the trail will tell you more about the flora and
fauna of the Great Lakes-St. Lawerence Forest region.
The Talus Trail
The Talus Trail continues past the Ed Foote Trail along the base of the
west Canyon wall. This trail will lead you past lichen covered talus slopes
to the viewing platforms at North and South Black Beaver Falls (30 minute
return trip) and Bridal Veil Falls (40 minute return trip).
The water flow at all the falls is contingent on runoff from snow and
rainfall and can range from raging torrents to thin trickles over the
course of the tour season. Even at low flow the 175ft/53.3m Black Beaver
and 225ft/68.5m Bridal Veil Falls are a beautiful culmination to a very
enjoyable hike.
When walking the Talus Trail watch Ruffed Grouse, Woodchucks and Eastern
Chipmunks. For the return trip you may want to use the River Trail.
The River Trail
Follow this gently rolling trail along the bank of the Agawa River to Black
Beaver (30 minute return) and Bridal Veil Falls (40 minute return). The
tannin-stained waters of the Agawa River are home to speckled (brook)
trout, beaver, otter, mallard and merganser ducks, which you may catch a
glimpse of during your stroll. Picnic tables are located along this route
for a private, peaceful lunch. The Talus Trail on the west side of the
tracks provides an alternate return route.
The Lookout Trail
A challenge for the adventurous and energetic, this trail ascends 250ft/76m
above the tracks to provide a breathtaking, panoramic view of the Canyon.
The trail is combination of crusher fine paths and over 300 stairs that
lead you to large wooden viewing platforms where you can catch your
breath, until the view takes it away again. There is an intermediate
platform, 80 steps from the track that provides a more limited view of the park.
Allow 40 minutes for a return trip to the top and 20 minutes for a return
trip to intermediate lookout.
LOOKING FOR SOME R&R
For visitors looking for a more relaxing visit there are numerous picnic
tables and benches placed throughout the park. We also have a Souvenir Car
for those who want to pick up souvenirs and mementos of their tour.
There is a stone picnic shelter which houses a small collection of railway
antiques as well as a nearby display of larger antique rail equipment and
for the young children there is a small playground area.
THE GROUP OF SEVEN
Several members of the Canada's Group of Seven painted in the Algoma region
between 1918 and 1923, including Lawern Harris, A.Y. Jackson, Franz
Johnston, J.E.H. MacDonald and Arthur Lismer. To gain access to this remote
region they rented a boxcar from the Railway. The car was outfitted like a
cabin and was shunted to sidings near choice painting locations. From these
locations they would set out on foot or canoe to capture this untamed area
on canvas. Their paintings brought this vast, rugged and beautiful part of
the country to fellow Canadians and the world.
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