Jacques-Cartier National Park

About this place

Jacques-Cartier National Park is a park in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec, about 42 km in a straight line north of Quebec City, run by the provincial park agency Sépaq. Its heart is the valley of the Jacques-Cartier River, a deep glacial valley whose wooded walls rise about 550 m above the river. The area was once a major source of timber, and in the 1970s a plan to dam the river and flood the valley was stopped after a public campaign, which led to the park's creation in 1981. Its mixed forest of maple, birch and fir turns deep red and gold in early autumn, one of the finest displays near Quebec City. The valley road follows the river, and visitors can paddle it by canoe or kayak, raft its livelier sections, or fish. Hiking trails range from easy riverside walks to Les Loups, a steep climb to a lookout over the whole valley. Moose, beavers and black bears live in the park, and in winter the trails are used for snowshoeing and skiing. A daily access fee is charged at the entrance. The park is a popular day trip from Quebec City, and the valley is busiest on autumn weekends.