Forillon National Park
Address City
122, Gaspé Boulevard , P.O. Box 1220 Gaspé
Province Country
PQ Canada
Postal Code Phone
G0C 1R0 418-368-5505 / 418-368-6050
 
Fax: 418-368-6837

Size in Hectares or Square km: 244 Square km

Location: Eastern Quebec. Take Hwy 132 along the Gulf of the St Lawrence to Forillon at the tip of the peninsula at the Gaspé Cape

  
The beach at Cap-Bon-Ami in Forillon National Park
Mountain Biking: You can mountain biking on La Vallee and Le Portage Trails and the gravel road leading to Cap-Gaspé. You can rent bikes nearby the park.
 

Backpacking: There are backcountry campsites located along the "Les Crêtes" trail. They include dry toilets and picnic tables. Registration is required at a Reception Centre or Toll Kiosk but there is no cost for camping at backcountry sites.

Hiking: There are approximately 60 km of trails. Here are some of the day hikes:

  
Erosion creates interesting rock formations in Forillon National Park
 
Prélude à Forillon : 0,6 km (loop) , Une tournée dans les parages : 3 km (loop) La Chute : 1 km (loop) , Les Graves : 7,8 km (return trip) , Mont Saint-Alban : 8,5 km departure from the beach at Petit-Gaspé or 9,1 km departure from Cap-Bon-Ami, Les Crêtes : 17,9 km (one way) , Le Portage : 11 km (one way), La Vallée : 9,2 km (return trip). Brochures on the trails and topographical maps are for sale at the Reception Centres and at toll kiosks.
 
Backcountry and Cross Country Skiing: There 40 km of groomed trails in the park. Departure points for the cross-country ski trails are: Le Portage parking area, near Penouille, and La Vallée parking area, at L'Anse-au-Griffon and Le Castor parking area, near Cap-des-Rosiers. There are fees for the use of maintained trails. Phone the park wardens office for more detail at: 418-892-555  
 
A view of the bay from Cap-Bon-Ami camping area in Forillon National Park
 
Snowshoeing: There is snowshoeing in the park but you must stay off of the maintained ski trails.
 
Dog Sledding: There is a dog sledding route on Le Portage trail.

Winter Camping: Winter camping can be done at Petit-Gaspé group campground (Southern Sector). Located 3 km from the parking area. You can reach it on snowshoes or skis via an unmarked trail. The cost for winter camping is $2,00 a person.

  
Seabirds including cormorants and black-legged kittiwake can be seen on these cliffs at Forillon National Park
 
Kayaking: Sea kayaking is a great way to explore around the Gaspé Cape but remember The waters of the Gaspé Bay and the Gulf of St. Lawrence inherent dangers of the ocean so if you don't have experience with ocean kayaking there is an outfitter/guide in the park called Cime Aventure Inc. They are located at the Recreation Centre in the southern sector of the park. You can rent sea kayaks there, take a guides tour or even take a lesson in kayaking. For more information call: (418) 892-5088 or (418) 892-5153.
 
 
Forillon National Park has an interesting mix of marine life, land mammals and birds because of its position in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence on the Gaspé peninsula. There are 7 species of whales, harbour seals and gray seals, sea urchins, crab and a host of others which inhabit the tidal pools. The seabirds include, double-crested cormorants, black guillemots, black-legged kittiwakes, gulls and razorbills. In the Park's forests you might encounter moose and black bears. Some of the smaller mammals, include beaver, red fox, coyote, snowshoe hare, porcupine, woodchuck, American mink, ermine, eastern chipmunk and red squirrel and, if you're very lucky, the rarely sighted lynx.
 
 
Check the links for Parks Canada National Parks web sites