Actually it was quite easy to climb King Mountain during a 'bus/active transportation' morning last fall for leafing. Here's what I did:
Simply park at the P3 area (200-300m down the pathway from there, on Gamelin) and walk into P3 to the bus stop. Take the yellow school bus for 10 minutes, with stops at Pink, Mackenzie King, King Mountain and Champlain Lookout.
The trail on the mountain was busy but not overrun, the parking/bus transfer was super easy and not chaotic (as it can be super stressful and chaotic to drive all the way up and park at the site).
In all, we had a great day. The parkway opened as we were leaving, for the afternoon 'car availability'. The parking lot at King and at the lookout was full immediately, cars were backed up down the parkway, and people looked super stressed, as we casually rode back down on the bus.
Contrary to LRT's friend, the bus is the ONLY way I'll be heading to parkway spots from now on (other than to ski-in during winter, because that's truly the best). It was much more fun and relaxing.
If you simply refuse to step foot on a school bus, I recommend Luskville Falls trail, you can mash your car into the parking area with the million other cars there, and have a great day on the slopes.
My experience is that Gatineau was underused in the 90's and 00's. It was always easy to go up whenever and have just a handful of cars around (except maybe fall). Now it's like every day of the year it's super busy. The park is having a real renaissance, and made even busier by COVID. There's nothing worse than trying to go to O'Brien parking and getting turned away because the lot is full.
Quote:
Originally Posted by phil235
I honestly think that this is pretty dramatic. I'm sure that visits to trails right off the bottom of the Parkway like Pink Lake are down, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. They were really overrun and could use a breather.
My experience on other trails (which I always access by car) is that they are just a busy as they were before, if not more. Given that I am in a car, I don't really find going a bit farther to be a huge imposition. Obviously you are free to make your own choices, but refusing to go anywhere in Gatineau Park ever again because a couple of roads are restricted seems like a case of cutting off your nose to spite your face.
P.S. - Gatineau Park was an amazing resource during Covid, at least when the provincial border was open.
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