This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
Its glacial valley is one of the most beautiful in Quebec. Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier, near the nation’s capital, is worth an extended foray into the fall for dazzling hikes.
The Wolves, Jacques-Cartier National Park. This trail in the Center sector is one of the most legendary in the territory. It enters and climbs gently in the deciduous forest, then the drop gradually intensifies over the bends that run along the mountainside. The hiker finds on the way a succession of mineral steps lined with large ferns of an electric green. As you gain height, the scents of humus mingle deliciously with the scent of conifers under the effect of the progressive forest layering.
View of the Wolves
The thick forest leaves few visual breakthroughs before three kilometers of gradual ascent on Mount Sautauriski. But what a view awaits you! The first of the two belvederes is the outpost of one of the most impressive panoramas one can have on the Laurentian chain. From one edge to the other unfolds the intense mountain range set ablaze by fall and the trickle of the Jacques-Cartier River below. You could turn back and walk in the opposite direction towards your starting point, but you would prefer to continue for a few slightly more technical kilometers to reach the second belvedere and take in the Jacques-Cartier valley from even higher up. Not surprisingly, this 11 km trail is one of the most popular in the Quebec national parks network; classified as difficult, it allows you to get one of the most beautiful viewpoints after the gentle ascent of its 447 meters of drop.
A haven for fall
Any hiker will want to continue his discovery of the park after the Wolves trail. We will then choose to stay, why not, at the Sautauriski refuge, completely renovated in 2020, accessible by vehicle in summer and autumn, and which we reach in winter after a two and a half hour walk from the Discovery and Visitors Center . As in any refuge, there is minimalist comfort with its multiple tables on the first floor and a six-bed dormitory on the second. On the front gallery: a propane stove. In the back: a barbecue and a picnic table. Inside, the heating is provided by a wood-burning stove and an auxiliary heater. Judiciously located, it makes it possible to connect several circuits which are among the hundred kilometers of hiking trails in the park. Beginners or experienced walkers will find plenty to enjoy, whatever their level of practice. In terms of accommodation, a myriad of options are available in addition to the shelter: EXP and Echo cabins open year-round, five yurts and ten new ready-to-camp units, the latter being only available until October 15.
11 km of charm
New this year: the L’Escarpement trail, previously accessible by snowshoes during the winter, is now passable by hiking. To get there, you first take the Coulées route, 2.6 km which rises very gradually in the heart of a stand of conifers bordering rock flows. As on six other trails, dogs are allowed on a leash. You will have the choice to continue towards the service center, 2.7 km further, or to embark on L’Escarpement, 11.2 km in loop which culminates in an inviting belvedere which lets you admire the whole valley. Along the way, this course winds through the heart of beautifully moss-covered undergrowth where elevation changes (sometimes steep) and flattened sections alternate. Combined, these two trails promise a day rich in challenges and which reveals the impressive wooded mountain sides in full color. “The DNA of this park owes a lot to the meanders of the Jacques-Cartier River enclosed by these high walls”, explains Marc-André Boivin, the brand new director of this national park created in 1981. More accessible but rich in viewpoints exceptional, the L’Éperon loop (5.4 km) is an essential option in the Épaule sector. Bird watching is often part of the hike.
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