Imagine what it’s like to be an eagle, soaring on great, powerful wings across a cool autumn sky. Below is a still pond, surrounded by patches of green, gold and fire-orange trees as far as the eye can see in any direction. From below, humans stand at the edge of a cliff, quietly watching you fly by.
How beautiful it must be to see the earth from the perspective of the eagle. It has always been a dream of mine to fly. Hang-gliding and skydiving are certainly in the cards for my future, but until I round up the courage to do so, the next closest thing I can think of is taking a trip up to some of the Ottawa Valley’s most beautiful lookout points.
Eagle’s Nest Sacred Site is among one of the Ottawa Valley’s treasures. Located no more than 3km from Calabogie Peaks Resort, Eagle’s Nest Sacred Site is a breathtaking lookout point that is sacred to the Indigenous peoples of the area. The area’s first inhabitants were the Algonquin and some of the Ojibway people, or as they refer to themselves, the “Anishnabe”. These peoples have always regarded the eagle as a very spiritual creature, or “manitou” meaning spirit.
The sign on the way up reads:
The Eagle is sacred to all First Nations People upon Turtle Island (North America). Eagle soars in the sky and sees things clearly in all the Sacred Directions and Colours; East, South, West, North, Below, Above and Centre. Thus, the Eagles is a bird of Great Wisdom and Vision and we visit its nest to be nourished and inspired by all Eagle represents. When Eagle flies highest he transforms into Thunderbird, the Manitou or Spirit that flies closest to Kitchi Manitou – The Great Spirit. Where Eagle exists is considered sacred; a place of power and Good Medicines where people may come to see a “great view” or even to “vision quest” for spiritual guidance not only from Eagle, but from all Manitous and the Great Spirit.
Visitors can hike up just to see the Eagle’s Nest, or take a longer hike through the trails. The total hike is 8km from Calabogie Peaks and back, but there is an alternate entrance off Calabogie Road for those who wish to get to the lookout point faster.
There is vast wildlife to be observed if you are quiet and attentive. You might encounter raccoons, squirrels, porcupines, beavers, chipmunks, deer mice, striped skunks, minks, red otters, and – very rare, but still present – coyotes, timber wolves, and black bears. The trees native to the area are Red Oak, Sugar Maple, Big Tooth Aspen, Eastern White Cedar, White Pine, and Eastern Hemlock. Birds you may witness flying overhead or across the water are turkey vultures, ravens, blue herons, or, if you’re lucky, the bald eagle.
During my last visit there I had the privilege of watching the majestic bird soaring back and forth across the sky above us, perhaps looking for a meal, or as I believe, it was the Great Spirit making its presence known in our lives.