The NCC has some advice for Gatineau Park visitors hoping to see fall colours

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If you’re one of the thousands of visitors — or nature-loving locals — pining for a spectacular vista of the autumn leaves at peak season, the National Capital Commission has some advice for your day trip.

The dazzling display of fall colours each year attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to NCC parks and other natural spaces around the National Capital Region, said NCC communications manager Valérie Dufour.

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One of the region’s most popular destinations, Gatineau Park, will often reach capacity in the fall season.

This weekend’s unseasonably warm weather — with midday temperatures hovering around 20 degrees C — made for even larger-than-usual crowds.

And some grumblings and complaints have already been shared on social media about the overcrowded shuttles and long lines of cars snaking through the park’s narrow roadways.

The NCC, in partnership with Transcollines, is offering free shuttle service to and from Gatineau Park, with buses departing from downtown Ottawa every 20 minutes on weekends. The first bus departs at 9:10 a.m. from the downtown stop in Pindigen Park, near the Canadian War Museum.

The full shuttle stop schedule is available on the NCC website.

“On weekends, the shuttle can fill up very quickly and operates on a first-come, first-served basis,” said Dufour. “We have shuttles on standby to assist when the scheduled shuttles are full. We dispatch these shuttles as needed.”

The shuttle runs every 30 minutes on weekdays and every 20 minutes on weekends until Oct. 27. On weekdays, the shuttle runs from the Gatineau Park visitor centre to Pink Lake.

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Dufour recommended visiting “lesser-known destinations” like Meech Creek Valley (found at P16 on the NCC map) or Lac Philippe for those hoping to avoid the crowds.

“These two areas are magnificent in the fall and away from crowds,” Dufour said.

“Visiting the park during the week, at off-peak hours, is the best way to enjoy an outing at the popular destination of Gatineau Park.”

The Ottawa region offers many other destinations to enjoy the fall colours on the weekends, Dufour said.

“The Greenbelt includes farms, forests, sand dunes, wetlands and nature trails, perfect for a fall-themed weekend. Downtown Ottawa and Gatineau feature many architectural gems, boutiques, cafés and restaurants. City parks and river views are easily accessible by foot, bike and public transit.”

ahelmer@postmedia.com

Photos by Ashley Fraser

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