Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay

Short Hikes

Several itineraries lasting a day or less allow you to walk along the fjord atop its capes. The scents of the sea and the forest will intoxicate your senses.

Chart of hiking trails

Backpacking

A network of over 100 km of trails offers you the possibility of getting away from it all for a period of 2 to 9 days while discovering coastal and mountain landscapes on both shores of the fjord.Vehicle transportation and maritime shuttle services are offered in collaboration with regional partners. Several primitive campsites, two lean-to shelters (3 walls) and huts are available.

Chart of hiking trails

Period: late May to late October

Short Guided Excursions

Baie-Éternité Sector

On the program: Exploring the Fjord and its steep rocky walls at your own pace and at the pace of the tides! Ideal for discovering the marine environment, sea kayaking is a way to get up close and personal with nature. These kayaks are stable, comfortable and safe. No experience necessary.

Details:

• Duration: 2 or 3 hours
• Rates
• To reserve, call 1 800 665-6527.
• Period: May to October, 2013 (detailed schedule)

Baie-de-Tadoussac Sector

In a sea kayak, navigate along Tadoussac beach to L'anse à la Barque. Slip into your hiking boots and climb to the top of a mountain to have lunch with a magnificent view of the fjord. Then get back to your kayaks with hopes of seeing seals, belugas and minke whales on the way back.

Details:

• "Land and Sea Excursion" in partnership with Mer et Monde Écotours
• 1 day - meals and equipment included - departure and return: Baie de Tadoussac
• To reserve, call 1 866 637-6663.
• Departure dates: June 28, July, 1, 12, 15, 18, 27, 29, August 1, 10, 12, 16, 26, 30, September 8, 12, 15, 23, 27, 2012

Long Guided Excursions

You can also explore the Saguenay Fjord without any hassles and in total safety on one of two 3-day guided expeditions, offered in partnership with Fjord en Kayak. The expeditions are called "Wild Fjord" and "En Route to the Estuary".

Self-Guided Excursions

Note to kayakers: To kayak safely on your own on the Saguenay Fjord, you need navigational skills and experience. We strongly recommend purchasing the kayak-camping route map, available as of 2012. It contains all the security rules for a safe expedition.

The Saguenay Fjord offers a kayak-camping circuit of over 100 km (from La Baie or from Saint-Fulgence to Tadoussac or Baie-Sainte-Catherine). Kayakers can take a break on one of 13 primitive campsites that border both banks of the fjord or in one of 2 huts accessible by kayak. During your expedition, you’ll navigate the waters of the Saguenay – St. Lawrence Marine Park and spend the night on the territory of Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay. These two protected areas join forces to protect a unique natural environment.

Suggested Kayak-Camping Circuits

Details:

• Boat launch sites
• Baie-Éternité
• L'Anse-de-Roche
• L'anse de Saint-Étienne (Village Vacances Petit-Saguenay)
• L'Anse-Saint-Jean
• La Baie
• Saint-Fulgence (Parc Aventures Cap-Jaseux)
• Sainte-Rose-du-Nord
• Tadoussac

• Learn about Regulations for Marine Activities and the characteristics of Baie Sainte-Marguerite.

Suggested Reading

• Safe Boating Guide
• Tide Table
• Fédération québécoise de canot et de kayak

Important: For safety reasons, we strongly discourage the use of canoes and river kayaks on the fjord.

Take a seat aboard an inflatable boat. You’ll experience an unforgettable journey and discover the sights and sounds of the fjord. With the captain/naturalist, you’ll enter an ecosystem unique in the world. Get a front-row seat to understand the formation of a landscape that will never fail to impress you. Reserve by calling 1 800 665-6527.

*For safety reasons, no canoes or river kayaks are allowed on the fjord.

Period: June 11 to October 14, 2013

Rates

Detailed schedule

Nick-named the bateau-mouche (fly boat) because of its roof, which offers a 180o panoramic view, and its retractable windows, the Fjord Saguenay II provides direct visual access to the fjord. This trendy and ecological ship holds 125 passengers. It offers striking scenery punctuated with capes, and glides along water so infinitely deep that it’s almost mysterious. Departures from Rivière-Éternité.  Cruise duration : 1:30.

Period: June 1 to October 13, 2013 (schedule)

Rates

Five lakes and a river (waders) are available for day fishing, in the Baie-Éternité sector (south shore of the park). Five lakes are now available (truck is advised) on the north shore, in Baie-Sainte-Marguerite sector. A boat is provided on all of the lakes. Anglers can fish for speckled trout.

Period: May 24 September 8, 2013

Day Fishing Plan – 2013

Documentation and statistics

In the Baie-Éternité sector, the Méandres à Falaises trail, which combines water views and forest, is great for wildlife watching, especially in the morning. Besides a wide variety of forest and aquatic birds, visitors regularly see moose early in the morning at the mouth of the river.  Continue your hike towards the river trail near parking lot 3 to see the beaver’s habitat. With a little luck and patience, you may see this master builder at work on his dam. Whether you’re on the Sentier de la statue trail or by the bay, you may hear the call of the Peregrine Falcon. A pair of these birds nests in the nearby cliffs every year. Visitors often see the porcupine and the Ruffed Grouse throughout the area as well.

In the Baie-Sainte-Marguerite sector, the beluga whale definitely steals the spotlight. This small white whale is regularly seen at the mouth of the river, and La Halte du Béluga lookout is the perfect spot to watch herds of them, often made up of juveniles and adults. If conditions are favourable and the belugas show up, listen carefully. You may have the pleasure and surprise of hearing them make a few vocalizations. Along the way, keep your eyes peeled. It’s not a rare occurrence to see moose along the banks of Rivière Sainte-Marguerite.

The Baie-de-Tadoussac sector takes on its full meaning in the summer on La Pointe-de-L’Islet trail, where you can watch marine mammals from the shore. Comfortably seated on the rocks, all you have to do is keep your eyes on the water and listen: you may just see a beluga’s white back or hear the “pssshh!” of a minke whale’s breath. In the fall, the whales head off to their wintering spots, but the migratory birds arrive to present their show. Amateur and expert bird watchers will be interested in the marine terraces, where the Observatoire d’oiseaux de Tadoussac (OOT) counts no less than 300,000 birds every year, including 15,000 birds of prey!

See our list of species (in French only) and take part in the discovery activities (in French only) presented by the park wardens, a great way to plunge into the incredibly diversified world of Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay!

In the winter, Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay is a well-kept secret for many outdoors lovers. For short treks, there are several trails in the Baie-Éternité sector, such as the Blanche-Éternité trail, which runs along the river. The park offers a snowshoe rental service. A vehicle-moving service is also available for Le Fjord and Les Caps trails.

On the north shore, a section of Le Fjord trail is open for short treks, offering a magnificient view of Baie Sainte-Marguerite. Backpackers will love Les Caps trail, which links Rivière-Éternité to L'Anse-Saint-Jean and Le Fjord trail, which links Baie-Sainte-Marguerite to Ferme 5 étoiles via l’Anse à Pierrot.

Snowshoes rental is available at the Baie-Éternité Information Kiosk.

Period: mid-December to late March (depending on snow conditions)

Chart of hiking trails

Winter suggested backcountry circuits

Map of hikes trails, Baie-Éternité sector (in French only)

The park offers over 50 km of trails for short and long treks through magnificent areas and landscapes. Backcountry skiers will love Les Caps trail, linking Rivière-Éternité and L'Anse-Saint-Jean, and Le Fjord trail, which links the Baie-Sainte-Marguerite sector to Ferme 5 étoiles via l’Anse à Pierrot (marked, non-groomed trails). Climbing skins are strongly recommended.

A partner offers baggage transportation service on Le Fjord trail. A vehicle-moving service is also available for Le Fjord and Les Caps trails.

Period: mid-December to late March (depending on snow conditions)

Chart of hiking trails

Winter suggested backcountry circuits

Map of hikes trails, Baie-Éternité sector (in French only)

In the winter, the Saguenay fjord turns into a colourful little village on the ice. This unique fishing site gives you the chance to enjoy exceptional tranquility, since the only way to get there is by taking our shuttle service (reservation required). Fishing fans can try their luck catching bottomfish: redfish, cod, turbot, and in certain places, smelt. You can go day fishing or stay overnight in a cabin.

Period: mid-January to mid-March

Hok skis are a versatile gear combines the qualities of cross country skis and snowshoes. They are almost exclusively used off track. The bottom of the ski is partially covered with a climbing skin for uphill traction. It also has a universal binding that fits several kinds of boots. Hok skis are very easy to handle and are therefore perfect for beginners. They allow faster off-track displacement than snowshoes. Experience this new snow toy invented by a Quebecker, which was inspired by a thousand-year-old activity practiced in the Altaï Mountains.

Equipment rental is available at Baie-Éternité Information Kiosk. Call 418 272-1556 to reserve.

Period: mid-December to the beginning of April (according to snow conditions)

With a magnificent waterway etched all the way through it, Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay offers a wide range of outdoor adventures in the backcountry. Winter and summer alike, hikers will have close contact with lakes, forests, mountains and valleys. The ever-present fjord, with its succession of bays, coves and tidal moods, is the common thread running through all backcountry excursions.

Summer

Whether for a stay or for a day, you can hike your way into the summer backcountry zone. Above the steep rock faces that wall in the fjord, a 228 km2 playground offers adventurers a succession of peaks, valleys and cliffs that will delight anyone who loves the wilderness and breathtaking scenery. Take Des Caps trail, connecting the south-shore villages of Rivière-Éternité and Petit-Saguenay to Mont Céleste and Montagne Blanche, from which you’ll see magnificent views of the fjord.

Summer backcountry zone

Winter

The winter backcountry covers an area of 280 km2, accessible on snowshoes or backcountry skis.

From Route 172 on the north shore, summer roads in the fishing lakes sector lead to some large lakes - Otis, Hibou and Biscambi.  In this sector, which is located on the high plateaus between the hamlet of Saint-Basile-de-Tableau and the village of Sacré-Coeur, the hardiest trekkers will discover old forest roads leading to Anse de l’Ermite at the foot of Rivière Saguenay.

On the south shore, the area between the road to Baie-Éternité and the village of L’Anse-Saint-Jean offers the most adventurous trekkers a territory dotted with lakes encased in valleys and summits culminating in barren peaks. Changing weather conditions here may present a number of physical challenges. A mature, slightly open forest invites fans to explore a wilderness with a thousand-and-one faces.

Winter backcountry zone

Reservation Terms and Conditions

To enter the backcountry, it is mandatory to hold an access permit. See Reservation Terms and Conditions for all the important details.

Access and Parking

Periods:

• December 15, 2012 to March 31, 2013
• May 17 to October 20, 2013

A place for conservation and education, Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay is a laboratory in a natural setting. Come to class with our dedicated park wardens or welcome them to your school! The beauty, integrity, and cultural/historical characteristics of this territory have inspired four recreational/educational activities. Aimed at elementary, high school or college students, these activities will help them get in touch with their environment, make them understand its fragility, and take them through a memorable real-world experience ...

Consult the brochure School activities (in French only)