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Driftwood

Driftwood P.P. is located on 3920 Highway 17, Stonecliffe, ON. It is known for its beautiful river valleys and fine sandy beaches on the Ottawa River. Our most recent visit here was the Canada Day long weekend, 2024.

History

Driftwood's land was reserved in 1951 with hopes to regrow a forest that burnt down in a fire in the 1930s. The bay on which it is situated was created as a result of the construction of the Rapides-Des-Joachims dam that is upstream on the river. The park began operation in 1957 with 79 campsites, of which a majority were non-electrical. 2 campsites were added later on.

The name of the park is derived from the bay it is on, Driftwood Bay. Its name comes from the vast amounts of unkempt driftwood (branches/trunks) that washed up on shore.

What the Park Offers

Driftwood offers a number of activities:
- birdwatching on the riverside
- canoeing/boating on the river
- discovery programs to teach about the extensive ecological offerings of the area
- swimming on the numerous sand beaches

Driftwood's two best trails are:

Riverview Loop - 1km, moderate

This is easily the park's best trail, right alongside its brother, Beaver Pond. This trail winds through a forest over rocky outcrops to a small lookout over the river. (no bikes)

Beaver Pond Trail - 2.5km, moderate

This is an extension of the Riverview Loop. The trail encircles a beaver pond, but beware of all of the bugs! Also, if you look below, it appears that there used to be a trail guide, yet I asked around and couldn't find one. Email me ntremblett19@gmail.com if you have one. (no bikes)

Chevier Creek Trails - 1.3-3.7km, moderate

These 4 interconnected loops explore the western edge of the park. These loops are also the only way to access the Chevier Creek itself. But beware that these trails are fairly unmaintained. (no bikes)

(sorry for the sideways images - it's due to a Google Sites glitch; apologies)

Visiting the Park

After turning off of Highway 17, you will see the park entrance sign on the right prior to seeing the park office. Park maps, ice, firewood, and other campground necessities are available here. If you drive left, you will end up at the Ottawa River Campground and the Chevier Creek Trails. If you continue straight, you'll pass by Brumm (electrical) campground before ending up at the day-use beach and boat launch.

Interesting Species

Note that the photos in this section are not explicitly from this park, they are good photos of species that live here.

Common loon (image above is a placeholder for any waterfowl)

Green frogs and American toads

Various wildflowers (and bugs [mainly deer and horse flies] around 'em)

Vast coniferous trees that define the area (pine, spruce, hemlock, etc)

Tips and Advice

Keep an eye out while driving in - you might see a variety of northern species; we saw a black bear.
LOTS OF BUG SPRAY - especially on the trails.
If you had to pick one trail, pick the Oak Highlands Trails. The Chevier Creek trails are very unmaintained in parts.
Bring a generator and book a waterfront site in the West Ottawa River Campground.

SPOTLIGHT: The Driftwood Itself

Driftwood P.P. lives up to its name - lots of driftwood. The reason for all of this driftwood is the tide that rises and lowers depending on the season. Because Driftwood Bay has lots of shade cover around it, lots of fallen trees and branches go into the water and then wash up on shore another day. Driftwood is very important as many insects (and some small critters) live inside of it - you can look for yourself. Driftwood can also stabilize a beach (keep the sand/plants in place), by acting like a border on a garden. Regardless, these driftwood pieces are not only beautiful, but essential to the park's ecosystem.

Opinions

Nash

This park is beautiful. I would 100% revisit. The waterfront sites and spots are to die for and the paddling is super underrated on the grand scheme of the Ontario Parks system. The main pushbacks for me were the horse flies/deer flies, and the non-electricity in Ottawa River Campground. Other than that, it's an 7.8/10.

Maps: https://www.ontarioparks.ca/pdf/maps/driftwood/park_map.pdf

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