Ouimet Canyon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ouimet Canyon |
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Ouimet Canyon - photo taken from one of the two designated lookout points
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 Ouimet Canyon
Location in Ontario
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| Floor elevation | 311 m (1,020 ft) |
| Length | 2,000 metres (2.0 km; 1.2 mi) North-South |
| Width | 150 metres (490 ft) |
| Depth | 100 metres (330 ft) |
| Geology | |
| Type | Eroded diabase sill |
| Geography | |
| Location | Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada |
| Topo map | NTS 052A15 |
Ouimet Canyon is a huge gorge located in northwestern Ontario, Canada. It's about 60 kilometres (37 miles) northeast of the city of Thunder Bay. This amazing natural wonder is 100 metres (328 feet) deep, 150 metres (492 feet) wide, and 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) long. It's protected as part of the Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park.
The park is a day-use area, meaning you can visit during the day but there's no camping. It covers an area of about 7.77 square kilometres (3 square miles).
You can explore the canyon using special walkways. These include boardwalks and trails that lead to viewing platforms. From these platforms, you can look out over the stunning canyon. For your safety, it's important to stay on the marked trails.
The area around Ouimet Canyon is also home to rare plants. You can find beautiful alpine flowers and arctic plants here. These plants usually grow much further north, about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) away! The canyon was even featured in the IMAX film North of Superior.
The canyon gets its name from a nearby railway station called Ouimet. This station was named after Joseph-Aldric Ouimet. He was a Canadian politician who served as the Minister of Public Works from 1892 to 1896.
How Ouimet Canyon Formed
Ouimet Canyon was created over a very long time. Scientists believe it started with a type of rock called a diabase sill. This rock layer formed about a billion years ago.
The canyon likely opened up due to powerful natural forces. This could have been the huge weight of moving glaciers. Or, it might have been the massive amounts of water released when these glaciers melted. Over time, wind and rain continued to wear away the rock. This process, called Erosion, helped shape the canyon into what we see today. From the northern viewing area, you can see a large rock column. It's known as the Indian Head.
Eagle Canyon: More Adventures!
Close to Ouimet Canyon, you'll find another exciting place called Eagle Canyon. This area is privately owned and offers even more adventures. You can go camping there. Plus, it has two amazing footbridges that cross the gorge.
One of the footbridges is 182 metres (597 feet) long. It hangs 45 metres (148 feet) above the canyon floor. People say it's Canada's longest foot suspension bridge! Eagle Canyon also has a thrilling zip line. This zip line is about 0.5 miles (800 metres) long. It's advertised as Canada's longest, highest (175 feet or 53 metres), and fastest (45 mph or 72 km/h) zip line!
Images for kids
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Ouimet Canyon- broader view
See also
In Spanish: Cañón de Ouimet para niños
