Wolf Trail (Gatineau Park): Trail Report

Wolf trail eerrr…I mean trail 62. Oooooor I mean ‘blanchet trail 62’. Because there isn’t going to be any signs for ‘wolf trail’ even though that’s the name it’s known by. Here’s what you need to keep in mind: Park at P13. Trail head is right beside the outhouses (snap a pic of the trail board!). The trail is actually number 62 and goes in a loop. Follow the signs for ‘tawadina’ (the Algonquin word for ‘valley’), tawadina is the main lookout. You can either return the same way (7.5km total route) or take the loop clockwise towards ‘mahingan’ (the Algonquin word for ‘wolf’) lookout (8.5km total route) and then follow the signs back to P13 (Blanchet Parking). Print out the Gatineau Park map for Wolf Trail, it’ll make better sense once you see the route. Wolf trail itself is well maintained, with some good inclines in spots and a few easy stream crossings. It’s an especially wet trail in the spring. It is 1-2 person wide and a dirt trail. There are a few wooden bridges. It also crosses trails 1, 24, and 38. You know by now that this is the number one reason that I only venture into Gatineau Park in the wee hours! After 9am there’s no parking left and by 11am it’s elbows up to fight for a poutine at the Chelsea Pub or a much needed please-just-straight-into-my-veins coffee at Biscotti et cie. But if you are wild enough to wake up early on a Sunday and hit the trails at 7am…the lookouts are all yours. Yaaassssss *hand raised*