Saguenay Fjord National Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saguenay Fjord National Park |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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 Saguenay Fjord National Park
Location in Quebec
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| Location | Quebec, Canada |
| Nearest city | Saguenay, Quebec |
| Area | 319.3 square kilometres (123.28 sq mi) |
| Established | June 8, 1983 |
| Governing body | SEPAQ |
The Saguenay Fjord National Park (French: parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay) is a special nature park in Quebec, Canada. It is located where the Saguenay River meets the St. Lawrence River. This park is next to the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park for over 100 kilometers (60 miles). It was first called Saguenay National Park but changed its name in 2011.
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Park History
Long before Europeans arrived, Aboriginal people lived in the Saguenay Fjord area for thousands of years. The first European to visit was Jacques Cartier in 1535. For many years, from 1628 to 1842, the area's economy depended a lot on the fur trade.
In 1838, people started to settle in the Saguenay region. From 1840 to 1920, there was a big lumber industry here. By the late 1800s, most of the forests around the Saguenay River were gone. Because of this and the tough land, the Saguenay area stayed mostly undeveloped into the 1900s.
In 1970, the Quebec government began buying land around the fjord to protect it. They asked the public for ideas on how to design the park in 1982. Saguenay National Park officially opened on June 8, 1983. In 1984, it became a "twin park" with France's Cévennes National Park. New buildings and services were added in 1991 and 2000. On April 20, 2011, the park's name changed to Saguenay Fjord National Park. This new name highlights that it is one of the most southerly fjords in the Northern Hemisphere.
Park Geography
Saguenay Fjord National Park is located along the edge of the fjord it is named after. The Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park is just to the southeast. The park covers parts of several regions in Quebec. The Baie-Éternité visitor center, one of the park's main spots, is about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Saguenay, Quebec.
The Saguenay Fjord is about 105 kilometers (65 miles) long. Its width changes from 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) to 4 kilometers (2.5 miles). The fjord is very deep, averaging 210 meters (690 feet), with its deepest point at 270 meters (890 feet). The cliffs along the fjord are also very tall, usually 150 meters (490 feet) high, and can reach up to 350 meters (1,150 feet).
The Saguenay Fjord flows into the St. Lawrence River. Interestingly, salty water from the St. Lawrence flows under a layer of fresh water from Lac Saint-Jean. Salt water makes up 93% of the water in the fjord.
The park has three main areas:
- Baie-Éternité: This area is in the southwest, reached through the village of Rivière-Éternité. Here, you can find the Saguenay Fjord Interpretation Centre. It has exhibits about how the fjord was formed, its rocks, and its animals.
- Baie-Sainte-Marguerite: This northern area is near Sacré-Cœur, Quebec. It has the Beluga Interpretation Centre. In the summer, many beluga whales gather in this bay.
- Baie du Moulin-à-Baude: This eastern part of the park is around Tadoussac, Quebec. The Maison des Dunes Interpretation Centre here teaches about the park's sand dunes, animals, sea life, and nature. They also offer programs for bird-watching in the fall.
How the Fjord Was Formed (Geology)
The Saguenay Fjord National Park's rocky landscape started forming a very long time ago. This happened during an event called the Grenville orogeny, which helped create the Laurentian Mountains. About 200 million years ago, a large block of rock between two faults sank down. This created a long, sunken area called the Saguenay Graben, which was 250 kilometers (155 miles) long and 50 kilometers (31 miles) wide.
Later, during the last glacial period, huge sheets of ice, two to three kilometers thick, covered the region. These ice sheets carved deep into the Saguenay graben, creating the fjord. The heavy ice also pushed the land down. When the glaciers melted about 10,000 years ago, seawater flooded the graben. As the land slowly rose back up (a process called post-glacial rebound), it shaped the fjord valleys we see today.
Park Animals (Fauna)
Many different animals live in the forests of Saguenay Fjord National Park. You might see wolves, black bears, lynx, beavers, and moose. On the fjord's tall cliffs, Peregrine falcons can be found.
In the park's waters, you can find seals, brook trout, and Atlantic salmon. There are also special groups of Greenland halibut and Arctic cod.
The park's waters are also home to four types of whales: the blue whale, the fin whale, the minke whale, and the beluga whale. Sadly, the number of beluga whales in this area has gone down a lot. This group of beluga whales is now considered endangered.
Things to Do (Tourism)
Saguenay Fjord National Park is a popular place to visit. In 2005, over 90,000 people visited the park. Most of them came from outside the local area.
There are many fun activities to do in the park:
- Over 100 kilometers (60 miles) of hiking trails.
- 50 kilometers (31 miles) of skiing trails in winter.
- Camping under the stars.
- Kayaking and sea kayaking on the water.
- Taking a Bateau Mouche boat tour of the fjord.
- Snowshoeing in the winter.
- Ice fishing.
If you want to stay overnight, the park offers cabins, huts, and campgrounds.
Images for kids
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Sunrise on the Saguenay, Cape Trinity by Lucius O'Brien (1880)
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Notre-Dame-du-Saguenay Statue
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Harbor seals inside the park
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Baie Éternité
