Jacques-Cartier National Park

The Jacques-Cartier river runs through a valley cut about five hundred and fifty metres into the Laurentian plateau, one of the deepest in eastern Canada, and the striking part is proximity: it is half an hour from Quebec City. The river below the main viewpoints is flat enough to paddle in an open canoe or on a raft, with steep forested walls rising directly on both sides, so beginners get scenery usually reserved for expeditions. Moose are common in the valley. Autumn colour on the slopes peaks in late September and early October, and the park is one of the more reliable places in Quebec for it.

History

The Innu and the Wendat lived on these lands, and in the 17th century Huron guides led Jesuits through them between Quebec City and Lac Saint-Jean without using the St. Lawrence. From the mid-19th century the area produced large amounts of lumber, and in 1895 the Laurentian Wildlife Reserve was created; a 1972 Hydro-Québec plan to dam the river and flood the valley was dropped under public pressure in 1975, the year logging ended, and in 1981 the park was formed from the southernmost lands of the reserve (Wikipedia, Jacques-Cartier National Park).

Highlights

• The glacial valley - walls rising five hundred metres from the water.
• The flat-water paddle - canoe and raft trips under the cliffs.
• The moose - a substantial population in the valley bottom.
• The autumn colour - peak foliage in late September and early October.

When to go

June to October; canoe and raft rentals run in summer, and autumn colour peaks late September. The park stays open in winter for snowshoeing and skiing, with reduced access.

What to expect

Canoe rentals and shuttles book out on summer weekends. The road in is winding. Autumn colour weekends bring heavy traffic from Quebec City.

Nearby

Quebec City lies south; Wendake is between them.

Key facts