Carpool to the 'Grand Jardins' and gorges in Quebec from Vermont?

[dom15931]

This is all tentative and I am just starting to seriously look into it, but I am wondering if anyone from the states is interested in taking this Canada trip. It would be a weekend event leaving from northern Vermont at 5 oclock on a Friday afternoon and returning Sunday nite at approx. midnite. The drive would be about 6 hours or so and the plans would be to camp Friday and Saturday. One of my hiking friends is up for the trip so that leaves room for 1 to 2 people in my car, but I am fine with a multiple car group if the interest is there. I really want to go somewhere that I havn't already been, and this place looks cool and within reach. Anyone interested or have some advice/recomendatons/pictures?

 

[hikingfish]

Hi!
Les Grands-Jardins are truly amazing! Be sure to do le Mont du Lac-des-Cygnes: You have an amazing view of the area that was hit by a meteor (comet?) that formed the Charlevoix valley. I went last August (2004) and it was already hitting 0C at night...so it must get fairly chilly at night this time around. Watch out for bears!

Let me know if you need more info on other hikes in the area, I'll look it up in my Quebec hiking guide.

Grands-Jardins Pics

Fish

 

[el-bagr]

We often turn normal weekends into long ones by forgoing sleep on Friday and Sunday nights in order to penetrate into Quebec and back.

As you suggest in your initial message, in addition to Grands-Jardins, try to visit the Parc des Hautes Gorges de la Malbaie -- immense granitic cliffs. If you get there, don't miss the hike to the Acropole des Draveurs (the big "famous" hike there).

In Grands-Jardins, I second the Mont du Lac-des-Cygnes recommendation. That whole secteur is great; lots of woods-walking, but with rocky outcrops and ponds that make for excellent scenery. Up high, there are interesting scrub barrens (what they call "taiga").

Foliage should be great this weekend, I'd think.

 

[hikingfish]

As you suggest in your initial message, in addition to Grands-Jardins, try to visit the Parc des Hautes Gorges de la Malbaie -- immense granitic cliffs. If you get there, don't miss the hike to the Acropole des Draveurs (the big "famous" hike there).

If you're willing to do a bit more driving, going to les Hautes Gorges is an awesome experience and it's about 45min away (North-East'ish) from les Grands-Jardins. Most non-hikers going up will stop the second you get to the exposed part...don't be fooled! There is still a little ways to go on the right side of where you exit the trees.

Hautes Gorges Pics

Fish

 

[prino]

Grand-Jardins is a wonderful park and this is a great time of year to visit.
I have stayed at the old hunting cabins in the park which now belong to Sepaq (The Quebec park authority) and can be rented through their website at...
http://www.sepaq.com/En/index.cfm

If you are lucky you may spot the herd of woodland caribou that roam the park.

Have Fun!

 

[dom15931]

Thanks for all the great info guys. Nice pics Fish, those are some good ones. I will probably be doing this in the next few weeks before it gets really cold. That hike in the gorges sounds fun with some exposure, a must for sure when I get up there.