Ontario Provincial Park

Egan Chute

Named after one of the granddaddy lumber barons working in this area John Egan who is also remembered in Egan Creek and Eganville.

This site is a great place for a family outing as it is part of the York River System, The Egan Chute area has recently been designated as a Provincial Park, although it remains undeveloped in a completely natural state.

This cascade waterfall is located at the end of an old forest access/mining road, just east of the town of Bancroft.

The trail to the falls appears in rough shape, and the walk into the secluded woods may discourage some. However, the path isn't as bad as it seems and the scenery at the end is worth the 10-20 minute walk. If it is warm and muggy, the bugs can be moderately thick, so be prepared.

The York River crashes through its steep rock sides with a thundering roar spraying water, making it an ideal place to spend a hot summer day. In the fall, the autumn leaves are colourful, and during the winter, it is a scenic wonder to behold as the glistening snow meets the river.

Just beyond Egan Chutes are two more prominent drops - Middle Chute and Farm Chute. Both have portages (100 meters on the left and 200 meters on the right), but these are hardly used and can be difficult to follow at times. The first trail keeps close to the edge of the river, where the second heads almost directly up and over a knob of granite. Both also have campsites on the east bank. But again, they are rarely used.

Egan Chute is one of the local hotspots, holding a high quantity of nepheline, sodalite, biotite, zircon, and blue corundum

So be sure to visit the abandoned Goulding-Keene Quarry on the access road on the way back. Look for exposures of the blue mineral "Sodalite" Bancroft is one of the only places in the world where this mineral is found in abundance. Use caution in the Quarry - the rock walls are up to 5 - 7m (15 - 20 ft) high. Rocks in the area are principally nepheline syenite and nepheline gneiss, although carbonate metasedimentary rocks also exist. The quarry is located in a giant alkaline pegmatite, with very large albite and nepheline cyrstals.

Across the river from the Goulding-Keene Quarry you can see a large rock face known as York River Skarn another favorite collecting site for rock-hounders. Where you can find transparent crystals of orange brown grossular garnet, brown vesuvianite, dark green diopside and white laths of wollastonite are common. As well as some other minerals.

Location:

Located about 15 minutes east of Bancroft. Follow Hwy. 28 east from Bancroft (10.6 Km) and watch for the sign for the Egan Chute provincial park, small Sign "Park Boundary" at turn off. The access road leads off north of the road on the left bank of the York River - about 100 m before you cross the river (i.e.. Road is just west of the river, do not cross bridge). The access road is paved for the first 300 m. There is a small parking area at the end of the paved section of the access road and picnic area. Do not drive any further or block the road. You will pass a small abandoned open pit mine (Goulding-Keene Quarry) cut into the bedrock on the west side of the river, a popular place for rockhounders to visit in the summer. The path widens slightly. Follow the sand/dirt path for another 10-15 minutes or so along the bank of the river. It will emerge from the forest onto a rocky point overlooking the chute.