If you are an outdoor enthusiast, love the winter hiking season, and plan on staying near the Baie-Saint-Paul area in Charlevoix, you’ll be very happy to know that there are some beautiful hiking trails nearby, all of which can be reached within a 30-minute drive from Baie-Saint-Paul. Below we present our guide to the Best winter hiking trails near Baie-Saint-Paul, with a focus on trails that we believe best maximize the effort-to-reward ratio. Although most of the trails we present are north of the town, in-and-around the mountainous Parc National des Grands-Jardins, some lie just east of the town at lower elevations and near the Saint-Lawrence River coastline.
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You might also be interested in these pages:
Top Things to See and Do in Baie-Saint-Paul
6 Quebec Hiking Trails that Are Stunning in Winter
Best Winter Hiking Trails in Mont Mégantic National Park
Best Winter Hiking Trails in Sutton (Eastern townships)
Orientation – Where are Baie-Saint-Paul & Charlevoix?
Baie-Saint-Paul is a small, quaint and picturesque town in the Charlevoix region of Québec. The town has a small population of 7,000 and is located 94 km from Québec City (roughly a 1h10 minute drive).
Charlevoix is a beautiful region of Québec known for its shores along the Saint-Lawrence River, its glacier-shaped mountains, and its quaint little towns and villages, of which Baie-Saint-Paul is the most touristic. It’s home to two stunning provincial parks (referred to as National Parks in Québec). Two trails highlighted below are part of the stunning Parc National des Grands-Jardins.
Daily access fees and Annual passes
Quebec National Parks are managed by the SÉPAQ, a government agency that manages all provincial parks and wildlife preserves in Québec.
There is a limit to the number of visitors that can enter any Québec SÉPAQ National Park on any given day. It is therefore strongly recommended that you purchase your daily right of access online before a visit or that you acquire an annual pass.
The daily pass ($9.85 (2024)) can be purchased here up to 30 days before a visit.
The annual pass can be purchased here either for unlimited access to a single national park ($49.25 (2024)) or for unlimited access to all SÉPAQ national parks ($88.50 (2024)). Even if you have an annual pass, we still recommend arriving early in the morning or mid-to-late afternoon to avoid showing up to a filled parking lot.
When to Go?
To experience a proper winter hike and beautiful white landscapes, it’s best to plan your visit between mid-December and mid-March. That being said, there are year-to-year differences regarding the early and late winter snow conditions. If you would like to visit early or late in the winter season, it’s best to check the park conditions first.
It’s also a great hike to do in the early morning. The light is perfect for photography and the trail isn’t too crowded.
Hiking and Safety Tips
It is highly recommended to wear crampons/traction cleats under your shoes or boots when hiking some of these trails (particularly for the Mont Lac des Cygnes Trail and the Mont du Dome trail – the two moderate-difficult trails listed below). You can rent some from the Grands-Jardins National Park visitor center for $8 or buy your own on Amazon for $20-$25.
The exception to that rule is in the event of large amounts of recent snowfall, in which case you might be better off using snowshoes than hiking with boots and cleats. The national park details the recent snowfall stats and the trail conditions (densely packed snow or fresh powdered snow). The visitor center also rents out snowshoes if need be.
Also, always bear in mind that no matter how cold it is at the base of the mountain, it’s going to be even colder at the summit (and windier), so remember to dress appropriately. It’s generally recommended to wear fewer layers to start with since you will warm up as you start to hike. But it’s a great idea to pack some extra warm gear for when you stop or reach the summit.
Winter Hiking Packing List
Crampons / Ice Cleats – These are a must-have to help you with those steep ascents/descents or navigate icy trail conditions.
External Battery – Cold weather significantly affects cell phone battery drainage. Best to be prepared with an external power source to recharge your phone if needed.
Hiking poles – These can be particularly useful in winter, especially when not wearing any crampons or ice cleats.
Hand warmers – if you are like us and often remove your gloves to take pictures, having little hotties around care be hand life savers in freezing weather.
All Trails subscription – 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.
Easy Trails
La Chouenne Trail
Trail Summary
This is the first trail from the Parc National des Grands-Jardins and is the easiest one on this list, but it still provides you with very wonderful views as the trail will make way up to a small summit with unobstructed views of the valley below and the surrounding mountains. In many ways, it’s an easier version of the Mont Lac des Cygnes Trail described further below (in fact, both trails share the same first trail segment – the main difference is that the latter trail will end up with a much higher vantage point providing you with better views towards the east. Most people complete this trail within 60 to 90 minutes.
Trail Details
Distance: 4.7 km
Route Type: Out & back
Elevation gain: 193 m (cumulative elevation gain: 201 m)
Start point: Trailhead & Visitor Center (30-minute drive from Baie-Saint-Paul)
AllTrails rating: (4.6, 627 ratings (2024))
Access fee: 9,55 $ (2024)
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 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.
Easy-Moderate Trails
Marine Forest Trail
Trail Summary
Unlike the other trails on this list, there are no sweeping viewpoints of the surrounding mountains – but that doesn’t make the trail any less interesting, as it follows a scenic river (though mostly frozen in winter) with several viewpoints along small waterfalls and cascades. Although there is over 400m of elevation gain, the trail is very well-manicured and maintained, with several sections of manmade steps to tackle the steeper sections. Most complete this trail in around 2h15-2h45.
Trail Details
Distance: 7.7 km
Route Type: Out & back
Elevation gain: 290 m (cumulative elevation gain: 403 m)
Start point: Maritime Museum Car Park (cross the road to reach the trailhead; 17-minute drive from Baie-Saint-Paul)
AllTrails rating: (4.6, 454 ratings (2024))
Access fee: Suggested 8$ donation
Paysan Trail
Trail Summary
This is one of the most interesting and unique trails on this list as the first section goes through various sections of farmland, interspersed with small forested sections. It’s also one of the less frequented trails, so you might find yourself alone for long sections of this trail (that was the case for us). Eventually, you’ll go through a longer forested section of the trail, to eventually reach a viewpoint platform with great views to the west. Continue onward for a few dozen meters and you’ll reach another viewpoint towards the north. Most people complete the trail in about 2h15-2h45. *We hiked the trail in early winter when there wasn’t much snow on the ground, but it’s definitely a 4-season trail.
Trail Details
Distance: 8.0 km
Route Type: Out & back
Elevation gain: 206 m (cumulative elevation gain: 351 m)
Start point: Eboulmontaise cattle farm car park (behind the farm – follow the signs from the road); 15-minute drive east from Baie-Saint-Paul.
AllTrails rating: (4.6, 168 ratings (2023))
Access fee: Free
Moderate-Difficult Trails
Mont Lac des Cygnes Trail
Trail Summary
This trail is a more challenging version of the La Chouenne trail described earlier, both in terms of length (more than double) and elevation gain (more than double). The additional rewards here are definitely worth the extra effort: 360-degree sweeping views from the summit, beautiful forested sections, and a stop by the beautiful frozen Lake Georges. The final section can be somewhat challenging in icy conditions, so proper footwear (ice spikes/traction cleats) is highly recommended. You can rent traction crampons/ice cleats to attach to your boots for 8$ at the SEPAQ visitor center near the trailhead or purchase some on Amazon for 20-25$. Most will complete this trail in around 3h-3h30.
If you do both this trail and the La Chouenne trail highlighted earlier in the same day, you will only have to pay a single access fee since both trails are part of the Parc National des Grands-Jardins.
Trail Details
Distance: 8.9 km
Route Type: Out & back
Elevation gain: 421 m (cumulative elevation gain: 434 m)
Start point: Trailhead & Visitor Center (30-minute drive from Baie-Saint-Paul)
AllTrails rating: (4.8, 1324 ratings (2024))
Access fee: 9,55 $ (2024)
For more information on this trail, check out our Hiking Guide for the Mont-du-Lac-des-Cygnes trail.
Mont du Dome Trail
Trail Summary
The Mont du Dome trailhead is just a few kilometres north of the previous trail (Mont Lac des Cygnes Trail – though it is not part of the Grands-Jardins National Park) and presents different challenges than the latter. You should know that part of the initial ascent is very steep and that the use of ice crampons or hiking poles is highly recommended. We also recommend ascending the straight section of the loop and then coming back down the curved section of the loop (i.e. clockwise) – see map below). Once the ascent section of the loop is completed, the rest of the trail is fairly straightforward. Most people complete the trail in 3h-3h30.
Trail Details
Distance: 8.4 km
Route Type: Partial Out & back, Partial Loop
Elevation gain: 320 m (cumulative elevation gain: 461 m)
Start point: Car Park (a 30-minute drive from Baie-Saint-Paul)
AllTrails rating: (4.6, 934 ratings (2024))
Access fee: suggested donation of 5$.
For more information on this trail, check out our Hiking Guide for the Mont du Dome trail.
Where to Stay in Baie-Saint-Paul?
If you would like to spend a night (or more) to have the chance to enjoy several trails in the area, there are a few great accommodation options in and around the town. We particularly enjoyed our stay in the Deluxe Queen Suite at the Gîte TerreCiel, situated in the heart of the old village, close to many restaurants and a short drive away from the hiking trails listed above.
You might also be interested in these pages:
Top Things to See and Do in Baie-Saint-Paul
6 Quebec Hiking Trails that Are Stunning in Winter
Best Winter Hiking Trails in Mont Mégantic National Park
Best Winter Hiking Trails in Sutton (Eastern townships)
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
Travel Insurance
SafetyWing is a travel insurance company that offers comprehensive coverage for travellers. Includes Medical Insurance and Travel Insurance. Primarily geared towards long-term travellers, digital nomads, and expats.
e-Sim cards
Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. With Airalo eSIMs, travellers can get connected the moment they land at their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges
eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.
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)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Guide on the Best winter hiking trails Baie-Saint-Paul (Charlevoix) and that it will prove useful for planning your trip to the beautiful Charlevoix region of Québec.
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