King Mountain A hiking trail of history


By Michael Haynes Introduction: The 2.5 km


(1.6 mi) King Mountain Trail loop starting from Lac Black is one of the most popular trails in Gatineau Park and features some of its most highly structured boardwalks and stair systems. The King Mountain Trail is also home to an elaborate system of interpretive panels. It is constantly busy, so to provide some relief from the crowds, I have included a relatively easy 2 km (1.25 mi) approach walk from P7 on the Kingsmere Road along quiet Trail 8. Those wishing dramatic scenery without quite so much walking should begin from the King Mountain parking area off the Champlain Parkway. Route Description: Wide


and firm, Trail 30 climbs almost straight from P7 before turning sharply to arrive, at 700 m/yd, at a junction with Trail 8. Trail 30 veers right, but you continue straight on Trail 8. From this point, bicycles are not permitted. Occasional glimpses of the homes of Kingsmere are possible to your left through the beautiful hardwoods. Although Trail 8 climbs initially, it soon drops back down to cross an unbridged brook, just past a house that is almost in the path. Once over the stream, you find a signed junction, where you turn left onto an unnumbered footpath, at 1.5 km (0.9 mi). This narrow footpath heads


toward Champlain Parkway, which you should be able to see through the trees, and crosses it. (You should be particularly


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cautious. There are no signs warning motorists of this crossing, and the sightlines are poor). Once across, the path briefly follows another small brook and then works its way along a slope through more hardwoods, climbing gradually until it connects to the King Mountain Trail, 2 km (1.25 mi) from P7.


Continue straight/right toward


the King Mountain parking lot 500 m/yd away. You climb constantly, but gradually, often assisted by boardwalks in wet areas, passing interpretive panels such as the “Ancient Maples.” It mentions that many of these glorious maples are already more than 200 years old and perhaps approaching the end of their lives. The next, challenging, 50 m/ yd are up a constricted, rocky defile, enhanced by logs placed to manage drainage and erosion, but at the top, you have only to go 100 m/yd to your right to reach the King Mountain parking area, where there are outhouses and picnic tables overlooking tiny, picturesque Lac Black. The main trail continues


straight, however, where you face the most daunting section of the walk. As the conveniently placed, (and almost gleeful), interpretive panels explain, you are about to climb to the southern edge of the Canadian Shield, the lip of the Eardley Escarpment, more than 300 m/ yd above the floor of the Ottawa River Valley. Fortunately, you only have about 30 m/yd remaining, but it is tough. You are assisted


by elaborate stairs, shaded under towering hemlocks, occasionally ornamented by interpretive panels that you can pretend to find absorbing while you catch your breath. But the effort is worthwhile,


for although you must continue a further 500 m/yd beyond the stairs while the trail meanders through groves of red and white oak, after a short descent, you arrive on a bare rock perched on the edge of the mountain


Length: 6.5 km (4 mi) return Hiking Time: 2-3 hrs Type of Trail: compacted earth, natural surface, rock Uses: walking, biking* [closed in winter] Facilities: benches, garbage cans, interpretive panels, outhouses, picnic tables Gov’t Topo Map: 031G12 Rating (1-5): 3 Trailhead GPS: N 45º 29’ 27.3” W 75º 50’ 31.7” Access Information:


From the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge, follow Highway 5 for 12 km (7.5 mi) to Exit 12/ Chemin Old Chelsea. Turn left and continue straight through the community of Old Chelsea, turning left after 1 km (0.6 mi) onto Chemin de Kingsmere. Follow for 3 km (1.9 mi) into Kingsmere; turn right into P7.


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