Forillon National Park
Forillon National Park
(fô'rēyōN`), 92 sq mi (238 sq km), at the tip of Forillon Peninsula, SE Que., Canada, near Gaspé; est. 1970. On the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the park has a scenic coastal landscape.Forillon National Park
Gaspe, QC G4X1A9
Phone:418-368-5505
Fax:418-368-6837
Phone:888-773-8888
Web: www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/qc/forillon
Size: 217 sq. km.
Established: 1970.
Location:At the eastern tip of the Gaspé Peninsula, accessible via Highway 132.
Facilities:Visitor center, interpretation center, 367 semi-serviced campsites, group campground, 2 backcountry campgrounds, trails, exhibits, observation tower, amphitheater, playground area.
Activities:Camping, hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, fishing, swimming, sea kayaking, scuba diving, snorkeling, wildlife viewing (including whale watching cruise), cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, dogsledding, snowmobiling (limited), interpretive programs.
Special Features:Forillon takes in a narrow, mountainous peninsula that extends into the Gulf of St. Lawrence and marks the eastern end of the Appalachian mountain chain. Even though forest covers 95% of the park's land area, Forillon is noted for the diversity of its plant life, which can be partially attributed to the presence of 10 separate ecosystems. The park's 696 plant species include botanical communities such as the arctic-alpine flora of the cliffs, the plants of the salt marsh, and the vegetation of the dunes. More than 225 nesting and visiting species of land birds have been observed in the park, as well as grey seals and harbor seals, porpoises and dolphins, 7 species of whales, and several species of land mammals. The peninsula's prominent feature is the lighthouse at Pointe-au-Pere National Historic Site, which rises 30 meters above the St. Lawrence, guiding navigators past the formidable headland.
See other parks in Quebec.