10 Winter Activities in Québec That Will Take Your Breath Away
Québec is a winter wonderland that offers some of the best winter hikes in the world. Whether you're looking for scenic views, adrenaline-fueled adventures, or just a peaceful escape from the city, these ten activities are the perfect way to spend a winter day in the province.
I personally never truly learned how ski or snowboard, so it took me years to start appreciating what Québec has to offer during winter. It’s only last year, when I visited Québec for the first time after being stuck overseas during the pandemic that I fell in love with those snowy landscapes that look like they’re straight out of a fairytale. Ever since my first winter hike (and after investing in good ice cleats), I’ve been hooked!
In this post, I share the best winter activities I have done so far! There are options for all fitness levels and I hope the below will motivate you to go play outside!
*Disclaimer: all prices, distances and durations indicated in this blog article are approximative and may not be 100% accurate. Please use them as reference, but always do your research before visiting any of these locations.
1- Hike Mont Sutton’s Round Top via Lake Spruce
Park network: Sépaq
Entry fee: $10 per person
Duration: 7.1 km (3 hours)
Elevation: 441 m
Enjoy the stunning panoramic view of the valley and surrounding mountains at the top of Mount Sutton. On your way up, you’ll appreciate a break near Lake Spruce, where I would recommend taking the time to eat a little something. This is a relatively easy hike for those who are new to winter hiking, however make sure you’ve got ice cleats on your boots!
2- Hike the Mont Gosford Circuit
Park network: Zec Louise-Gosford
Entry fee: $5 per person/day & $12.95 per vehicle/day
Duration: 17.4 km (6 hours)
Elevation: 600 m
Mount Gosford is the highest peak of the province (1,193 m) located near the US border, and its rough vegetation at the top of the mountain is guaranteed to leave you speechless. In winter, there is approximately 40km of trails available either by snowshoe or boots & ice cleats. The higher you get, the more you’ll appreciate the views. If you’re lucky, you’ll probably get the visit of some cute Perisoreus.
3- Hike to the top of Mont Mégantic
Park network: Sépaq
Entry fee: $9.25 per person
Duration: 11.7 km (4 hours)
Elevation: 525 m
Explore this stunning protected dark sky reserve and marvel at the beauty of the stars if you manage to visit at nighttime or sleep at one of the nearby cabins. Once you get to the top of the mountain, you’ll be thrilled to discover the beautiful observatory and the surrounding views. I would highly recommend going there for sunrise/sunset; the colours are truly magical!
4- Go Ice Skating at the Domaine Enchanteur
Entry fee: $22 per person
Duration: At least 2 hours
Explore the beautiful forests of the Domaine Enchanteur while venturing out on their beautifully maintained ice trails (15 km total). You are guaranteed a whole lot of fun, and if you get lucky and it starts to snow while you’re there, it’ll make the experience even more magical! Note that they also have a beautiful farm with animals such as emus, deers, alpagas, and more. If you don’t have a pair of ice skates at home don’t worry, they have all sorts of winter gear available for rental, including ice skates at the cost of $10.
5- Go on a snowshoeing adventure around the Valley of the Ghosts
Park network: Sépaq
Entry fee: $8 per person
Duration: 3 hours (6.5 km)
Elevation: 330 m
Located in the heart of Monts-Valin National Park, the Valley of the Ghosts can be accessed on a multi-day journey by sleeping in one of the various cabins available in the park. It can also be access daily if you book a spot on their daily shuttle, a caterpillar track vehicle that will fast track your visit! My friend and I chose the latter because we were short on time and didn’t regret the experience at all. It takes 45 minutes for the shuttle to get to the start of the trail and from there, you’ll need approximately 4 hours to do the hike to Peak Dubuc if you want to go off track [with a guide] and explore the ghostly valley created by the breathtaking beauty of the snow-covered trees. It is a memorable experience, which I highly recommend to anyone who likes playing in the snow! Do make sure to book your stay ahead of time, as access is capped to a maximum number of visitors per day.
*Note: please check the Sépaq website for all current prices, but at the time of my visit the cost for the shuttle was $54.25 return per passenger (Mon-Thu) and $63.75 return per passenger (Fri-Sun & Christmas/Spring Break Holidays)
6- Hike to Mont Kaaikop’s summit
Park network: L’interval coopérative de solidarité de plein air
Entry fee: $9 per person
Duration: 3.5 hours (5.5 km)
Elevation: 350 m
Climb to Mount Kaaikop’s summit and enjoy the breathtaking view of the surrounding landscapes and frozen lakes. You’ll get to see Mont-Tremblant in the background and on a clear day, you can also see Mont-Royal on the horizon. There are two loops you can do there in winter, a long one and a short one. Personally I’d recommend doing the short one only, since the landscape isn’t particularly appealing on the long loop. The hike is quite challenging and you will 100% need to wear ice cleats.
7- Hike to the top of Mont du Dôme
Park network: Zec des Martres
Entry fee: $5 per person
Duration: 4 hours (7.8 km)
Elevation: 360 m
Located in the heart of the Parc national des Grands-Jardins, this hike is one of the most popular in Charlevoix, and it’s easy to understand why! The whole trail is surrounded by beautiful nature, and once you reach the top, this mountain offers 360 degree views on the surrounding area. For anyone who wishes to hike in the Zec des Martres area, you’ll need to either register yourself online, or at the start of the trail and leave the paper in on your dashboard.
8- Hike to the top of Mont du Lac à l'Empêche & Lac Dufour
Park network: Zec des Martres
Entry fee: $5 per person & $11.50 per vehicle
Duration: 6 hours (12.5 km + 8km)
Elevation: 230 m
Charlevoix has so many hikes to offer that it’s hard to only select a few. In winter, the road that leads to this mountain is closed, therefore you’ll need to go park at the Zec des Martres Welcome Station and start your hike from there (this adds 8km to the hike). During the first 4 kilometres, you will be walking along Lac à l’Écluse, and it’s only when you reach the end of it that the hike will start going up. I have found that the climb wasn’t that steep, and totally manageable. I guarantee your head will always turn to enjoy the panoramic views of the frozen lakes and valleys of the Charlevoix region.
9- Explore the ice formations at the Rapides des Gorges de la Rivière Sainte-Anne
Park network: Parc naturel régional de Portneuf
Entry fee: $8 per person
Duration: 1 hour
Elevation: Flat
For those of you who don’t enjoy hiking, this regional park is worth a stop to admire its amazing frozen rapids and stalactite-like water cascades. You could spend anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour exploring the shores of Sainte-Anne river. When the weather starts getting very cold, the river freezes and people may cross it and venture behind the ice formations.
10- Sleep in an igloo shaped dome at Diamants de l’Éternel
Last but not least, I figured I’d add this as a must-do activity for those who would like to enjoy the winter landscapes without actually having to go outside! Jokes aside, I think this activity is best paired with another one (for instance, I stayed there while exploring Monts-Valin National Park). There are two restaurants located near the hotel: Yourte Bistro, which is nice for dinner and Café Giallo, which is a great spot for breakfast! There are multiple hotels like this one all over the province (incl. Dômes Charlevoix & Repère Boréal). They are sure to make you feel like you’re in some sort of fairytale. Even better when it’s snowing outside!