La Vérendrye wildlife reserve is one of the largest reserves in the province of Quebec , Canada, covering 12,589 square kilometres (4,861 sq mi) of contiguous land and lake area (Assinica wildlife reserve is the largest in the province, but its territory is broken up in four non-contiguous parts). It is named after Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye , a French-Canadian explorer . Located 180 kilometres (110 mi) north of Ottawa (Canada’s capital), it is traversed from south to north by Route 117 .
15-397: With more than 4000 lakes and rivers and two huge reservoirs ( Cabonga and Dozois ), the wilderness territory is a venue of choice for outdoor enthusiasts. In addition to hunting and fishing, it also offers the opportunity to practice wilderness camping or canoe camping on more than 800 kilometres (500 mi) of interconnecting canoe routes. Two First Nation communities are found within
30-756: Is the community along Route 117 where most of the park services are concentrated. Here permits, fuel, and food can be obtained. La Vérendrye's landscape is typical of the Canadian Shield . The main tree species include black spruce , white spruce , jack pine , eastern white pine , red pine , and white birch . There are over 40 species of mammals, including moose, white-tailed deer, black bears, wolves , gray and red foxes , beavers , snowshoe hares (among others), and over 150 species of birds, including spruce grouse and ruffed grouse . Walleye , northern pike , lake trout (salmon trout), smallmouth bass , and lake sturgeon . A few bodies of water, in
45-571: The Baskatong Reservoir and Gatineau River ; and an outflow to the north-west flowing directly into Barrière Lake which is part of the Ottawa River system. Both outflows are controlled by dams to regulate the flow on the respective rivers. Many fishing magazines and websites consider Cabonga Reservoir one of North America's top 20 walleye and northern pike waters. Also, Outdoor Canada magazine includes it among its "simply
60-587: The Hudson Bay." The name "Gens de Terre" was probably assigned by voyageurs or fur traders as a reminder of this native American nomadic tribe, whose territory stretched between the upper basins of the Saint-Maurice , Gatineau , and Ottawa Rivers. It has been used in official documents since at least 1867. In the early twentieth century, the river was called Bark River by the English. The river
75-596: The Nipissings. Those savages are also called people of the land ( gens des terres ), live in the woods, are great hunters, mediocre warriors, neither have police nor politics, trade more with the English at the Hudson Bay than with us". And in a memo from 1759, Bougainville wrote: "The nations that deal there are the Têtes-de-Boules ( Atikamekw ) or people of the land and the Namcosakio who come from towards
90-514: The best" hot spots for lake trout fishing. Before its impoundment, Lake Cabonga was considered the largest body of water between the Gatineau and Ottawa Rivers. In 1851, the Hudson's Bay Company established a trading post at this lake (named Kakabonga at that time). The post burned down in 1873, and was not rebuilt but replaced by a new post on Barrière Lake. In 1928-1929, a dam at the outlet of
105-498: The boundaries of the wildlife reserve: Kitcisakik on Great Victoria Lake and Lac-Rapide on Cabonga Reservoir. The reserve was established in 1939 with the name Reserve Route-Mont-Laurier-Senneterre. It was that year that the road linking Mont-Laurier to Abitibi (now known as Route 117 ) was expected to be completed. Because this new road made an exceptionally rich wildlife territory accessible to thousands of hunters and fishermen, it became thus important to protect it. In 1950,
120-411: The government transformed the hunting and fishing reservation into a park and renamed it in honour of explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, Lord of La Vérendrye, on the 200th anniversary of his death (1749). It gained the status of wildlife reserve in 1979. La Vérendrye Reserve is a popular park for outdoor activities in all seasons. In the winter, snowmobiling can be done on trails through the park. In
135-487: The lake, the Gens de Terre River, was constructed to create a water reserve for logging companies to float their logs downstream . Some 37 natural lakes were thus combined and formed a single reservoir with an area of 404 square kilometres (156 sq mi), dotted with innumerable islands (some with considerable proportions) and deep bays. Surveyor H. C. Symmes, in a report dating from 1864, used "Kakibonga" to designate
150-549: The lake. In 1911, one map named it "Lake Kakabonga". Finally in 1924, the Commission de Géographie approved its current name. Fish species found in the lake are: lake trout, yellow walleye , northern pike , lake sturgeon , lake whitefish , sauger , white sucker , and yellow perch . Gens de Terre River The Gens de Terre River (in French: Rivière Gens de Terre , literal meaning: "people of
165-741: The land") is a river in central Quebec, Canada. It is located on the eastern edge of the La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve in the La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau Regional County Municipality in the Outaouais region. Its source is the Cabonga Reservoir from where it flows in a mostly southern direction for 115 km and drains into the Gens de Terre Bay of the Baskatong Reservoir . Tributaries include: The section of
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#1732791903127180-688: The river between the Wapus River and the iron bridge downstream runs through a gorge with 25 meters (82 ft) cliffs on both sides. This 25 kilometers (16 mi) section is marked by continuous class II-IV whitewater , and should only be paddled by expert canoers. The flow of the river depends greatly on the water level management in the Cabonga Reservoir. The name of the river may be attributed to Louis Antoine de Bougainville (1729-1811), aide-de-camp to Marquis de Montcalm . In 1757, he wrote in his journal: " Têtes-de-Boule brought by
195-399: The southern part of the reserve, contain brook trout (speckled trout). Cabonga Reservoir The Cabonga Reservoir ( French : Réservoir Cabonga ) is a man-made lake in central Quebec , Canada , with a total surface area of 677 square kilometres (261 sq mi) and a net area (water only) of 484 square kilometres (187 sq mi). It is located on the boundary between
210-457: The spring there are whitewater rivers to canoe , in particular the Gens de Terre River . In the summer it is a great place for fishing , hiking , swimming , and canoe camping . In the autumn, hunting is permitted. Popular game animals include moose and white-tailed deer ( black bear hunting in the spring). Permits and payment of fees are required for any of these activities. Le Domaine
225-455: The unorganized territories of Lac-Pythonga and Réservoir-Dozois , and fully within the La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve . The First Nations reserve of Rapide Lake is on its western shores. Its name is derived from the Algonquin kakibonga and means "completely blocked by sand." The reservoir has two outlets: the Gens de Terre River flowing to the south-east which is a tributary of
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