Hike from P12 in Gatineau Park (9 to 12km)

Although yesterday was August 31st (and today is already September!), the weather has continued to be hot but still inviting for us eager hikers.

 I went out yesterday afternoon for our mid-week hike (Jivka, Gord, Nancy and I) to enjoy the outdoors, a little shinrin-yoku, and to get familiar with trails on which to lead our group hikes on the weekend.

 Yesterday's route was really good because it is not one we've done often, and part of it, we had never done.

The Route: 

P12 parking lot. Take trail #40, stay left to take #2 (about 1.5 km in), Turn right on #1, then right on #62, right on #38, and left on #40 back to the parking lot.

Description, Distance and Difficulty

So, this hike was really not very long - only 8.5 km or so, but can easily be extended to 12 km by building in a visit to Western cabin for a break and to enjoy the lookout there.

However, it is rather challenging for the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the route because you go pretty much straight up on #40 and #2. It's quite steep on a wide, gravelly trail. But it's shaded, and, hey, it's not a race after all, so stop and take breaks as needed.

Once you hit trail #1, you are pretty much going to be making a slow, gentle, steady decline back down.

Trail #38 is really nice - it's a short, narrow single-track that is jungle-like and really has an ethereal beauty.  I LOVED it.

Back to #40 - you've got a steep down-hill before making it back to the cars.

We covered this route in 2 hours (and one  minute!), but we were pushing it. With a group, and a break, I'd say it's an easy 3 hour hike.

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