~11,000 YEARS-AGO ~11,000 YEARS-AGO ~18,000 MILLION-YEARS-AGO ~500 MILLION-YEARS-AGO ~850 More information at the Ottawa Valley lookout and interpretative sign near Foymount. near sign interpretative and lookout Valley Ottawa the at information More context. for shown are cities and rivers present-day of Locations Get the whole picture! whole the Get Opeongo Rd Opeongo FOYMOUNT a Graben a Cross-section of of Cross-section RECREATIONAL About Mineral Collecting THE SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE OF RECREATIONAL GEOLOGY GEOLOGY in the Essentials Hobby mineral-collecting in Ontario is a privilege, not a right, so there are In a Rockhound’s Backpack some rules to be aware of. The Mineral Collecting Policy of Ontario is the Taken, in part, from Mineral Collecting in Ontario: a Guide for Rockhounds Madawaska legislation that governs this activity, and the Central Canadian Federation Mineral collecting requires little in the way of equipment apart from an FOSSILS IN EGANVILLE, #14 AND 15 ON THE MAP of Mineral Societies Code of Ethics provides additional guidelines. interest in rocks and a love for the outdoors. There are a few pieces of gear Please familiarize yourself with these best practices before you go off in that will allow a rockhound to collect and protect a wider range of samples. Valley search of your very own buried treasure. BASIC GEAR LOCATIONS, MAP AND INFORMATION FOR ROCKHOUNDS • Geologist’s pick, mason’s hammer • Sturdy boots or shoes Where to Look or small sledge hammer (no open toes) In addition to the public collecting sites listed here, you can find great • Prybar and chisels (1/2-inch to • Notebook, to record your findings potential to explore just about anywhere in the region (anywhere there’s 1-inch) rock to be seen), including plenty of freely accessible crown land. • Hardhat, if you plan to work in For more links and resources about where to find rewarding mineral • Plastic bags and newspaper, for quarries or near rock faces collecting destinations, check out Ontario’s Highlands online resources wrapping samples • Area maps and guidebooks for recreational geology. • Packsack or utility pails (topographical, geological, land status) Be aware and obtain all necessary permissions before entering a site and • Safety glasses engaging in a particular activity. Always obey any posted signage with • Sturdy gardening or work gloves • Flashlight to shine into samples respect to entry. Note that a red circle painted on a tree or similar marker to check for gem rough means no trespassing. Private property often isn’t marked, so make sure TRAILHEAD AT THE DEADY QUARRY, #2 ON THE MAP you research your intended destination beforehand. Safety First! Local Ministry of Natural Resources offices, the Southern Ontario • Never go out in the woods alone. Plan your trip; make sure someone Resident Geologist, and Land Registry offices can help you find knows where you’re going, and when to expect you back. information about crown land, mining rights, and property ownership, • Make sure you have, and know how to use, the appropriate outdoor Visit ontarioshighlands.ca for more information on recreational geology. respectively. gear for your trip (safety, first-aid, survival, navigation, etc.). Understanding the protections offered to a property owner who might • Bring food and drink, as well as bug repellent and sunscreen. Barry’s Bay Railway Station consider allowing recreational use of their rural property can help open • Dress appropriately. Being caught in the beaming sun without a hat, Art Centre | Visitor Information | Museum doors. Ontario’s Highlands Recreational Access Toolkit is designed to or unprepared for sudden rain is no fun. Sturdy footwear is a must. TOWNSHIP OF MADAWASKA VALLEY facilitate access negotiations. Also consider joining a Central Canadian • Avoid trekking around in the woods during hunting 19503 Opeongo Line/Hwy 60 • Barry’s Bay 613-756-5885 | www.madawaskavalley.ca | [email protected] Federation of Mineralogical Societies affiliated club. season (mostly in the late fall). Contact the local Ministry of Natural Resources office for schedules. HOURS May long weekend to June, Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am–4 pm • Aside from the typical, natural hazards that one might encounter, such July and August, daily from 10 am–6 pm, and Fridays 10 am–8 pm as cliffs, dead-fall, loose slopes, etc., also be aware of the potential to September to Thanksgiving, Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm Between the Algonquin Dome and the Ottawa Valley lies the encounter constructed features such as old buildings, unmarked mine Thanksgiving to May long weekend, Wednesday to Saturday, 10 am–4 pm Township of Madawaska Valley. At its heart is the Madawaska River. hazards, abandoned wells, etc. And stay out of old mine workings! madawaskavalley #MadawaskaValley @madawaskavalley As it cascades through a billion years of Earth’s history, • Assess carefully, and act within the limits of your own the river reveals an important part of the unique geological heritage ability. These resources are presented for informational Authors: Michael Bainbridge and Don Webb | Illustrations: Blakeney Malo, www.seedandstonefarmstead.ca that is the foundation of life in Ontario’s Highlands region. A FOSSIL ON DISPLAY AT THE BONNECHERE CAVES purposes; their use is entirely at your own risk. Graben Illustrations: Michael Bainbridge | Photos: Courtesy Bonnechere Caves, Beth Kennedy, Don Webb 2. Deady Quarry (Causeway Quarry) 5. Madawaska Kanu Centre (MKC) 10. Beryl Pit and Rose Quartz Pit The quarry operated from 1942 to 1948. During that time, the Opeongo View the enormous boulder surrounded by the patio at MKC. It was Whether you’re looking for fine examples or rare minerals, pretty rocks Mining Company shipped 260 tons of potastic-feldspar (K-Spar) and 323 placed there over ten thousand years ago by retreating glaciers, and for your garden, gem-quality amazonite, rose quartz and aquamarine, or RECREATIONAL tons of quartz from the quarry. At this time a causeway was constructed is now incorporated into the deck’s design. Then walk down to see the just something different to do with the family this summer, you’ll find it across the lake to link the mine with the newly constructed Highway 60. mighty Madawaska River, channeling through the rocky shores. MKC is all in Quadeville. Passes and directions to the Beryl Pit can be obtained This feature lays slightly below the lake-level, clearly visible below the 14 km south of Barry’s Bay, at 247 River Rd, off of Siberia Rd. at the General Store in Quadeville. The Rose Quartz Pit requires a surface, and can be seen from both the mine and highway. Feldspar and reservation, including a guided tour. GEOLOGY 6. Crooked Slide Park quartz are the primary minerals of interest. Quartz was an important in the 11. Madawaska River Rentals material to early peoples for the manufacture of stone tools and nearby Crooked Slide Park and Rockingham Creek are situated in a valley formed archaeological sites indicate that the ancestors of the Algonquin people by a glacial spillway over 13,000 years ago, during the breakup of the Madawaska River Rentals shares their passion for geology with their Madawaska Valley lived in this area for at least 10,000 years. Situated 13.6 kms west of last Ice Age. Also at the park is a seismic thrust-fault — one of several extensive local collection. See and learn first-hand how to identify Barry’s Bay (from the intersection of Hwys 60 and 62), the site is a short in this area that are responsible for low-magnitude earthquakes that area rocks, crystals and minerals. Participate in the Quadeville Rocks walk from the recreation trail that crosses Highway 60. Limited parking. occasionally rumble through the area. That fault also forms the granite Exchange! by bringing an interesting rock you’ve found, put it in a sealed sill over which the falls and historic timber-slide now flow. Located on bag with a note saying what it is (if you know) and where it originally 3. Bonnechere Provincial Park Old Barry’s Bay Rd, 3 km east of Hwy 62. came from, then trade with us for one of our local specimens! Here you’ll find beautiful scenery and rewarding interpretive programs 7. MacDonald Mine 12. Foymount: Ontario’s Highest Populated Place about the region’s unique geological and human history. Want to learn 1. Spectacle Lake Quarry Site how people lived in ancient times? Be sure to ask about archeological The MacDonald Mine was one of the biggest feldspar producers in the Peer into the depths of the Ottawa-Bonnechere Graben from high atop region, resulting in a large, artificial cavern that used to draw visitors Ontario’s highest populated peak. The Royal Canadian Air Force chose This site dates back to the Second World War when large quantities of programming in the area. to marvel at an inside view of a giant pegmatite. The caves have since Foymount as a site for a radar station on the Pinetree Line due to the high feldspar and quartz were mined locally as raw material for the Allied war 4. Whispering Pines Lookout been filled in with material from the mine dump, but this means great vantage point provided by the durable rocks of the Canadian Shield. Although effort. The quarry (operated by the Opeongo Mining Co. of Barry’s Bay) Hike to the top of Kwe Asin, the Anishinaabe name for Woman’s Rock, new opportunities for rock hunting as fresh material has been brought the base was decommissioned in 1974, the abandoned buildings still remain. was part of a regional mining industry that employed local workers in the in Bonnechere Provincial Park to enjoy a sweeping view of the valley.