Forillon National Park of Canada
Winter Activities
From December 30, 2009 to March 15, 2010
"Les Petites Maisons du parc," the lodging and winter activities concessionaire authorized by the park, offers unique experiences in the snowy and magical landscape of Forillon.
Winter camping
Petit-Gaspé Group Campground
The site is almost 2 km from the parking lot and is reached by snowshoeing or skiing on an ungroomed trail. Campers have access to a dry toilet but not to a cooking shelter.
Loop C of the Petit-Gaspé Campground
The site is 1 km from the parking lot. Campers have access to a dry toilet and a service building equipped with firewood, a wood stove, and picnic tables.
Registration is required and camping fees are payable at the park's administration office or the operational centre. If you wish to contact us about this activity, please call 418-368-5505.
Cross-Country Skiing
Skiers can enjoy their favorite sport on more than 40 km of maintained trails. For their added comfort, there are shelters equipped with wood stoves, picnic tables and dry toilets along most trails.
There are three departure points for the cross-country ski trails:
- Le Portage parking area, near Penouille;
- La Vallée parking area, at L'Anse-au-Griffon;
- Le Castor parking area, near Cap-des-Rosiers.
La Vallée
Length: 9.2 km (round trip)
Access: 1 km from Route 132, at L'Anse-au-Griffon.
Features: Fairly flat terrain, sheltered from the wind, this trail follows the Anse-au-Griffon River and eventually reaches Le Portage trail. A shelter is located at the trail's mid-point.
La Cédrière
Length: 11.2 km (loop)
Access: Via the La Vallée or Le Ruisseau trails.
Features: This trail takes skiers to the park's mountainous heights. Along the way, you will come across a two-hundred-year-old cedar grove.
Le Ruisseau
Length: 9.6 km (loop)
Access: Via the La Cédrière trail to the west or the Le Castor trail from the east.
Features: The Le Ruisseau trail takes you over hill and dale through the scenic countryside.
Le Castor
Length: 7.6 km (loop)
Access: Via Route 132, 5 km from Cap-des-Rosiers or via the Le Ruisseau trail to the west.
Features: This trail crosses the Cap-des-Rosiers lowlands. You will discover a magnificient maple grove.
Le Portage
Length: 20 km (round trip)
Access: 0.5 km from Route 132, near Penouille.
1 km from Route 132, at L'Anse-au-Griffon
Features: In the south, the trail passes through a wooded area, and opens onto fields further north. It joins the La Vallée and La Cédrière trails.
Regulations
- A daily or annual permit is required for all park users (skiers, snowshoers, dogsledders, hikers, etc.) other than those going to Penouille. Permits are available at the park's administration office, at the operational centre, at the Reception Centre in Penouille (from Thursday to Monday) or from retailers located near the park trails.
- It is forbidden to sleep in kitchen shelters.
Information
- Marked and maintained trails are for skiers exclusively.
- Domestic animals are not allowed in shelters and on trails, except on Le Portage trail where dogsledding is permitted.
- Some circuits are shared by snowshoers, skiers, and dogsledders. Be cautious.
Code of Conduct
- Please obey the signs on the trails.
- Keep at reasonable distance from the skier in front of you.
- On down-slopes, wait until the person in front of you has reached the bottom before starting down.
- Move off the trail promptly if you fall or decide to stop.
- Offer your assistance to anyone in difficulty, and notify a park warden if necessary. Phone: 418 892-5553 or 1 888 762-1422 (outside of office hours).
Equipment rentals at Penouille reception centre, open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from December 30, 2009 to March 15, 2010. Information: Les petites Maisons du Parc, 418-892-5873.
Off-Trail Skiing
North Area
The 5.4 km long trail leads to Cap-Bon-Ami, where some of the most impressive seascapes and cliffs can be found. There is a service building equipped with firewood, a wood stove, picnic tables, and a dry toilet.
South Area
Skiers are invited to follow the South Area route for 11.3 km. The marked trail goes alongside Gaspé Bay to the tip of the Forillon Pensinsula, in Cap-Gaspé. At the Petit-Gaspé Campground (loop C) and at Grande-Grave, skiers can use a service building equipped with firewood, a wood stove, picnic tables, and a dry toilet.
Penouille
The trail (2 km in one direction) is for the entire family. At the end, skiers can use the service building equipped with firewood, picnic tables, a wood stove, and a dry toilet.
Snowshoeing
Many areas in the park are well-suited for snowshoeing.
- Le Promeneur trail (2 km, one way), from the Park’s southern sector parking area to the Petit-Gaspé beach;
- Mont Saint-Alban Tower (4.7 km in one direction), from the South Sector parking lot to the tower;
- Park's southern sector - Grande-Grave - Cap-Gaspé (a shelter is open in Loop C of the Petit-Gaspé campground);
- Northern sector (a shelter is open at Cap-Bon-Ami campground);
- Le Portage trail;
- Penouille Peninsula (a shelter is open at the tip of Penouille Peninsula).
Equipment rentals at Penouille reception centre, open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from December 30, 2009 to March 15, 2010. Information: Les petites Maisons du Parc, 418-892-5873.
Kicksledding
Kicksled rides are also offered in the Park. For information on kicksled rentals, please contact Les petites Maisons du Parc, at 418-892-5873.
Dogsledding
This increasingly popular activity can be practiced on Le Portage trail.
To know more about guided dog-sledding trips, please contact Les petites Maisons du Parc, at 418-892-5873.
Snowmobile
Use of snowmobile is forbidden everywhere on the park's territory, except for the park's boundary corridors.
Interpretation Activities
You are invited to come see the snowy side of Forillon! Bring your tuque and boots and come hike with an interpreter, who will help you rediscover the park. To learn more about these activities, please call 418-368-5505.