Kakabeka Falls and Ouimet Canyon Provincial Parks

I was very excited to stay at Kakabeka Falls Prov. Park (9/10-12) because of the FALLS! It's one big and beautiful one!

The road into the park actually passes over the river right at the brink of the falls...This falls is like 2 falls since its divided in two, a right and left plunge with a large rock dividing the 2 parts and then the water hits in 2 different places and as the water flows on down the gorge it is divided again by a small island! So much is going on in this falls!!

                                                            the brink of the falls

                                from the other side including the bridge that goes into the park...

the rock that splits the water in two...

This was a gushing falls but if it was at flood stage I'm sure it would come over this rock and be one single falls..

the river continues on down the Gorge...

the gorge looking at it from the other side...there are viewing platforms on both sides of the falls.

Swainson's

One fun thing for me was a tree full of berries and that tree drew in some birds...Immature Cedar Wax Wings and Swainson's Thrush! A new bird for me.

waxwing 

I was so excited!! AND this squirrel was out on a limb hanging over the falls!! 

I had planned to actually stay at Ouimet Canyon P. Park about one hr East of Kakabeka Falls, but when I got there I realized I had made a mistake and Ouimet was a day use park only! So it was late enough in the day that I wanted to go ahead and get my place to spend the night secured and go back to explore Ouimet the following day.  So I backtracked to Ouimet pronounced "we-met" on the 11th of Sept. A splendid way for me to spend the 9/11 memorial day. 

AND Casey was able to go along on this hike to the canyon Viewing Platforms...

                                                                                           My little buddy-->

It was a breath taking view too!  This sign explains the plant life in the canyon floor is like the Artic!  The cold air sinks in the canyon...

On the way back to Kakabeka to stay for a second night I saw these grouse run across the road in front of me...they hung around long enough for me to snap a couple photos and I am 99% sure these are Ruffed Grouse, due to the fringed top knot on the head, and the eye line.  Also a new Bird for me! Yippie 2 new birds in 2 days. 

there was 3, (2) females and one male he is barely visible in this photo...he did not have on breeding plumage anyway he was darker tho as you can see his neck in the upper middle of this shot.  I ended up seeing more Ruffed Grouse before the week was over.

Back at Kakabeka in the parking lot for viewing the falls without crossing the bridge was this vintage rig...I really liked 

I did some planning that night to figure out how and where I'd spend the rest of my time in Canada, I didn't want to have to get more money changed...I had spent one night at Pancake Bay, one at Neys and 2 nights at Kakabeka Falls, and that left me with one more night and 2 days to finish my North Shore of Lake Superior tour...before the parks began to close down for the season.

I like the money it's made of fabric instead of cellulose..it does not crease even when you fold it...and now I hear they are going to a plastic polymer "paper" with the $100 bill.  They have dollar coins the Loonie, (top coin) and the Toonie is a $2 coin,  they round up and down and have eliminated the penny all together they will not take a penny.  

.      .     .

I got a late start and stopped to watch some float planes taking off with fishermen going into the back country to try for the big one...

You can learn a lot from reading these roadside signs...my last full day in Canada was dark and full of low hanging clouds...

wait a minute what's in that tree...the dot just right of center in the tree...I zoomed in and it is a blurry shot but always good to see a Bald Eagle...

Up next my last day touring around "Gi-chi-gami" (the Ojibwe's Great Sea) And Blue Lake

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.