Fall Family Fun Part 2: Hog’s Back Falls

I’ve posted several times before about Hog’s Back Falls, truly one of Ottawa’s hidden treasures. It’s one of my very favourite places in the city, especially in the fall. The paths are broad and easily accessible by stroller, but there are paths and steps to be scaled and stone walls to scamper across: plenty of adventure for a six-year-old who fancies himself “Tristiana Jones”.

This year, the boys were finally old enough to enjoy feeding the chickadees and nuthatches without being frightened by the light pickyness of their claws.

We brought peanuts to feed the chipmunks but we didn’t see a single one, and the red and black squirrels were too shy to take the peanuts from our fingers. They didn’t go to waste, though!

Beloved assures me he wasn’t thinking of tossing the baby into the falls, despite the look on his face!

I’ve been reading a little bit of the history of Hog’s Back. Most of us know that they mark the spot where the Rideau River diverges from the Rideau Canal. But did you know that rather than the 41 foot drop that exists today, in the time before the Canal they were simply rapids that were navigable by canoe? Also, the dam that was built to divert water from the Rideau River to the Canal at Hog’s Back actually collapsed twice during construction. You can read more about the history of Hog’s Back on the Rideau Canal World Heritage site. Or, you can just go for a lovely amble and enjoy the smell of the leaves, the dappled sunshine and the sound of water splashing over rock. Does it get any better?

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