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Discover Parks Canada

450 000 km² of memories

Fall 2022

Plan ahead and be prepared! Visit our website for the latest COVID-19-related information.

Extend your camping season

Two campers enjoying a campfire with northern lights in the sky.

Get a front-row seat to spectacular fall colours! Reserve your campsite or accommodation and get ready for those fireside snuggles.

Did you know that fall is the best time of year to enjoy the night sky? Escape the city lights and let one of these magical Dark Sky Preserves tempt you to camp under the stars. Don’t forget your camera… and marshmallows!

Explore Canada this fall

A backpacker in Nahanni National Park Reserve.

Fall is a magical season. No matter where you are in the country, Parks Canada destinations are the perfect location for a colourful hike, a scenic drive or ride.

Plan your next adventure and prepare to be blown away! Check out Parks Canada’s fall favourites on Expedia and let the fun begin.

The secret road to freedom

Commemorative plaque for The Underground Railroad National Historic Event and a portrait of Harriet Tubman overlaid on a map.

From the early 19th century until the American Civil War, tens of thousands of African Americans escaped enslavement and found freedom in the northern United States and British North America (Canada) with the help of a secret network called the Underground Railroad.

A commemorative plaque shares the story of this national historic event. Did you know there are over 2,000 plaques across the country? Parks Canada plays a role in designating people, places and events of national historic significance. Learn about recently-announced designations and plaque unveilings.

Map: Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division

Embark on a virtual journey

A Parks Canada interpreter dressed as Anne of Green Gables walks on the front lawn of Green Gables Heritage Place.

Experience Parks Canada in a completely different way: discover our newest collection of virtual exhibits on Google Arts & Culture!

Explore the diversity of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage through compelling stories; whenever you want, wherever you are!

Should I stay or should I go?

A red cardinal is perched on a branch beside a female.

Around the world, climate change is shifting life as we know it. Birds are living examples of that change. Scientists are noticing some species disappear entirely from one area, only to show up in places where they have never been seen before. But what happens when there’s nowhere else to go?

Parks Canada and partners are trying to better understand how climate change is affecting birds and how protected areas can help mitigate these effects. Find out whether birds will stay or go, and learn ways you can help.

#ParksCanadaConservation

Spotlight on…

Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site

Walk in the footsteps of the tens of thousands of immigrants who passed through Grosse Île from 1832 to 1937 when it served as the main gateway into Canada.

An aerial view of Grosse Île.
Quarantine station

For 105 years, Grosse Île was a quarantine station for the Port of Québec; an obligatory stop for thousands of immigrants looking for a better life in Canada.

The site commemorates the importance of immigration to Canada, medical achievements of that era, the 1847 tragedy, along with the rich Irish heritage of Canada.

Visitors and an interpreter in front of the Celtic Cross.
The 1847 tragedy

175 years ago, the Great Famine forced thousands to flee Ireland and embark on a journey toward North America.

Conditions aboard the ships led to a typhus epidemic causing more than 5,000 to die at sea. Another 5,424 succumbed at Grosse Île and many more perished across Canada.

A Celtic cross and a memorial commemorate the departed. Will you find an ancestor’s name?

A Parks Canada interpreter dressed as nurse Sarah Wade simulates a medical inspection on a little girl.
Journey back in time

Want to know more about the people and places that witnessed the historic events of this unique quarantine station? An immersive experience awaits you!

Get ready for a mock routine medical inspection as you disembark from the boat crossing. Then, follow the footsteps of thousands of immigrants while exploring the site. Leave your own mark by adding a message of hope to a time capsule at the end of your visit!