Located in Québec’s Lanaudière region, about 90 minutes from Montreal or 45 minutes from the Mont-Tremblant, Mont Kaaikop is the second-highest peak in the Laurentians and is a popular hiking destination near the resort village of Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm, itself a popular spot for weekend getaways among beautiful mountains and majestic lakes. The Mont Kaaikop trail is one of our favourites to do in the area with spectacular views from the summit, so we put together this Mont Kaaikop Hiking Guide to help you plan your outdoor adventure here, which will include details on the trail difficulty, how long you can expect the hike to take, and the various viewpoints the trail offers. At the end of the guide, we will compare this hike with other popular trails in the area to help you decide if you are hesitating between a few different hiking options.
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You might also be interested in these pages:
Best Hiking Trails Near Mont-Tremblant
Best Hiking Trails Near Montreal
Best Hiking Trails in the Eastern Townships
Quebec Hiking Trails that Are Stunning in Winter
Mont Kaaikop Location and Map
Mont Kaaikop is located in the Lanaudière region, just east of the border with the Laurentian region (link to Google Maps). The trailhead is about 20 kilometres south of the resort village of Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm.
How to Get to Mont Kaaikop
The easiest way to reach the Mont Kaaikop trailhead is by car. Although you can reach Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm by bus from Montreal (via the Circuit 125 bus), you will have to figure out an alternative means to reach the trailhead from there.
From Montreal: about 1h30 drive (120 km)
From the Mont-Tremblant area: about a 45-to-60 minute drive (60-70 km), depending on whether you are leaving from the town of Mont-Tremblant or the ski resort area.
From Ottawa: about a 2h30 drive (200 km)
From Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm: about 20 minutes (20 km)
From Trois-Rivières: about 2h20 drive (180 km)
If you need to book a rental vehicle for your hiking excursion, we highly recommend using Discover Cars to get the best rates on your rental in Montreal.
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Mont Kaaikop Hiking Trail Access, Fees, and Parking
Trailhead & car park location: Mont Kaaikop car park. The last few kilometres to reach the trailhead are on a slightly bumpy gravel road (follow the signs to reach L’Interval) – regular sedans can pass here, there is no need for high-clearance vehicles or 4x4s. From the car park, you’ll have to cross several campsites to reach the trailhead.
Trail access & parking fees: 8,70$ + tx per person, you will cross a small booth shortly before arriving at the car park. Credit cards are accepted.
Trail opening Hours: 24 hours – though staff typically isn’t present to take payments before 8 am, in which case you show pay on your way out. The trail is managed by the Interval Coop – For trail usability updates you can consult the Interval Coop website or contact them directly. Current trail conditions are also often available on AllTrails via recent user reviews (see the next section below for a link to the Mont Kaaikop AllTrails page).
Parking lot: medium-sized. It does fill up quickly on weekends and during the autumn leaf-peeping season. It’s best to arrive early (or late afternoon after the morning rush has ended).
Facilities: Toilets are available near the trailhead by the campgrounds.
Mont Kaaikop Trail Details and Map
Distance: 5.8 km
Route Type: Out & back
Elevation gain: 318 m (cumulative elevation gain: 355 m)
Start point: Car Park
AllTrails rating: (4.5, 1063 ratings (2024))
Duration: Most people complete the trail in about 2h-2h30
Not an AllTrails member yet? We highly recommend signing up for either their free or paid membership plans. The free plan allows you to find new trails and plan routes but it can only be used while hiking if you have access to mobile data. The paid membership plan (AllTrails+) allows you to download trail maps for offline use and provides live progress updates and off-route notifications.
If you are still uncertain – you should know that the All Trails mobile application was voted the 2023 iPhone App of the Year by Apple.
Other Mont Kaaikop Trail Details
– Canine companions: Dogs are permitted on leashes.
– Summit: Mont Kaaikop summit is located at an altitude of 838 m.
– Trail environment: Forest (you will be under tree cover for most of the trail).
– Number of viewpoints: The trail boasts 2 main viewpoints summit viewpoints, but two additional viewpoints can be added to the trail. A first short detour near the trailhead takes you to the shore of the beautiful Lac Legauglt, and a longer detour (20-minute out-and-back detour) around the midpoint of the trail takes you to an aerial viewpoint of the same lake.
– Trail Surface / Technical Trail: Though it never reaches the point of scrambling, the Mont Kaaikop is quite technical. Large sections of the trail are very uneven, rocky and filled with large tree roots. The trail is also notorious for being quite muddy in certain sections, even after several days of good weather. Although the more technical sections aren’t too difficult, they will definitely slow you down, particularly when mixed in with the muddy sections, which is why it takes the average person more than two hours to complete the trail even though it’s only 5.8 km in length.
– Average trail slope grade: 12% (though most of the ascent is around a 20% grade, the average is brought down by the fairly flat first and last km of the trail).
– Trail difficulty level assessment: Moderately Challenging
(based on our personal assessment, taking into account the trail length, slope grade and trail surface – 5-point difficulty scale: Very easy, Easy, Moderate, Moderately Challenging, Challenging)
Mont Kaaikop Trail Description and Summary
Before you even start ascending the trail, we highly recommend the short detour to reach the shores of Lac Legault (though you could also do this detour on the way back).
It’s not only a very scenic lake, particularly come autumn, but it’s also more of a shortcut than a detour. This is because the AllTrails path to reach the Mont Kaaikop follows path #1 before connecting with path #7 when in reality you can join path #7 earlier (see map above), and that will take you along the lake’s shoreline. The path is actually generally separated from the lake by a few trees, but there are a few open spots that provide access to the lake’s shore).
Once you go beyond the lake, the trail starts to ascend quite sharply and quickly becomes more technical: lots of tree roots branches, small, medium and large boulders to navigate either around or over. Nothing too difficult, but it definitely slows down your pace, particularly when certain sections are quite muddy as well.
Instead of distance markers along the trail, you’ll see markers that indicate when you’ve made it to the 1/4 mark of the trail, 1/2 mark of the trail and 3/4 of the trail.
Shortly before reaching the 1/2 mark, you’ll see an optional detour to a viewpoint (follow Trail #12). We are unsure as to whether fully recommend it or not. The viewpoint is nice, though not great, and the trail to get there was both one of the more technical and more muddy sections of the hike.
We found the second half of the ascent easier, even if it’s still similarly steep in places, as the trail surface becomes more even and less rocky, allowing you to maintain a better pace.
Eventually, you will reach the summit, where two awesome viewpoints. Although they aren’t fully 360-degree panoramic viewpoints, they are still open enough to enjoy wide unobstructed views of the surrounding and distant mountain scenery. Both viewpoints are separated by a short 100m path.
The view from the first viewpoint:
The view from the second viewpoint:
Once you’ve enjoyed the views up top, perhaps with a picnic, it’s time to head back down. We recommend returning along the same trail you came up on. It’s a shorter and easier descent, even if you are likely to encounter more traffic. The alternative is to follow Trail #8 and then Trail #9 to complete a loop (you can follow this AllTrails Map to do so). Although this loop trail is roughly the same distance as the out-and-back version of the trail, it takes most people more time as the return along Trail #8 is steeper, which isn’t ideal when going downhill. Also, there are no additional viewpoints along the return trail, so we don’t really recommend it.
Mont Kaaikop Hiking & Trail Tips
– During the peak summer and fall months, the parking lots can fill up quickly, particularly on weekends. Try to arrive early in the morning or late afternoon to guarantee a spot.
– Mosquitoes and black flies can be a nuisance at certain times during the year. The exact dates vary from year to year, but they are generally most present from mid-May to mid-July. Regardless of when you come, it’s always a good idea to carry some bug spray with you, just in case.
– Stick to the designated path to protect the surrounding environment.
– Best time to visit: We tend to prefer hiking in this area from mid-August to early November. The weather will be pleasant and the likelihood of being harassed by bugs is significantly reduced. Moreover. Note that trails are quite busy during the weekends of the leaf-peeping season (typically from late September to mid-October), so it’s best to arrive early or to try to come on a weekday.
The trail is also very beautiful come winter, but we haven’t tried it ourselves that time of year.
Hiking Packing List
All Trails subscription – This comes in really handy for areas with little or no cell reception, as the annual subscription allows you to download trail maps for offline use.
External Battery – If you are using your phone to track your progress along the trail or to help with navigation, you certainly don’t want your phone to die on you. That’s especially true in the unlikely event that you might get hurt or need assistance.
Hiking poles – These can be particularly useful in steep trails or muddy/boggy trail conditions.
Comparison with Other Nearby Trails
(updated in 2024)
| Mont Ouareau | Montagne Noire | Mont Kaaikop | Mont L’envol | Mont Sourire | |
| Difficulty | Moderate | Moderately Challenging | Moderately Challenging | Easy | Easy |
| Time required | 1h45-2h15 | 3h30-4h30 | 2h15-2h45 | 1h-1h30 | 30-45 min |
| Dogs | yes (leash) | yes (leash) | yes (leash) | yes (leash) | yes (leash) |
| Access Fees | 10$ | Free | 8.70$ + tax | $9.85 + tax* | Free |
| Busy/popular | +++ | ++ | ++ | + | ++++ |
| Viewpoints | 4a | 4b | 3c | 2 | 1 |
b The best viewpoint is atop a wooden tower on the mountain’s summit
c The summit has two viewpoints, but a slight detour halfway up the hike offers a third
* Free with the SEPAQ annual pass
Which trail has the best bang for your buck (the best rewards for little effort)?
We would have to go with the Mont L’envol trail. Although there is some elevation gain (220m), the slope is gradual and the trail surface is mostly flat. In the end, you are rewarded with two of the best viewpoints in our opinion.
Which trail is the most technically difficult?
We would have to go with the Mont Kaaikop trail. Large portions of the trail are very rocky with a variety of small-to-medium boulders, mixed in with lots of tree roots and several very muddy sections (even after several days of nice weather). Fortunately, the viewpoints are spectacular making all that effort worthwhile.
We gave the Montagne Noire trail the same overall difficulty rating but that’s mostly due to the length of the trail, which is more than double that of the Mont Kaaikop trail.
Which trail offers something different?
This one is easy – the Montagne Noire trail. Why? Particularly because near the summit you will come across a famous plane crash site – the Liberator Harry that crashed here in 1943 (the worst accident in Canadian military aviation history). There weren’t any trails on the mountain back then, nor did anyone witness the crash. It took more than two years for the wreckage to finally be located. There are lots of informative panels around the site where you can learn more about the history of the plane and its crew.
Where to Stay near the Mont Kaaikop trail?
Though many visit the area as a day trip, spending a weekend (or longer) here can be a rewarding experience and would allow you to visit more of the region (and try out several of the beautiful hiking trails in the area). We particularly enjoy staying in the small town of Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm, which is strategically positioned between this trail and some of the other more popular trails in the region.
For great self-catering options, we can recommend one of the following Condo Lac Archambault units: 295, 326, 314, and 316. There is also this fantastic large modern wooden chalet with 3 bedrooms.
If you prefer a hotel, look no further than the Hotel Le Suisse, the town’s largest and best-rated hotel.
Want to Discover More Hiking Trails In Southern Québec?
You might be interested in these pages:
Best Hiking Trails Near Mont-Tremblant
Best Hiking Trails Near Montreal
Best Hiking Trails in the Eastern Townships
Quebec Hiking Trails that Are Stunning in Winter
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
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Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Mont Kaaikop Hiking Guide and that it will prove useful for planning your hiking trip.
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