Hiking in the middle of Indian summer!

Hiking in the heart of the boreal forest

Hike the stunning trails of Cap au Leste and explore Quebec’s boreal forest at the height of its beauty. In the fall—the Indian summer—the trees are ablaze with stunning shades of yellow, red, and orange. It’s the perfect time to fully enjoy the region’s most beautiful viewpoints and take in panoramic views spanning more than 180 degrees from 200 meters above the Saguenay Fjord. You’ll be awestruck by the vastness and beauty of the fall landscapes. Discover miles of pristine wilderness.

The boreal forest, which is particularly stunning in the fall, covers more than half of Canada’s territory. It is one of the largest forest ecosystems on the planet and is home to thousands of wildlife species. As for Quebec’s boreal forest, it consists of a vast shield of conifers covering 761,000 square kilometers—half the area of Quebec. Black spruce is the most common tree species, but the forest also contains jack pine, balsam fir, white spruce, and larch, as well as deciduous trees such as maple, sugar maple, and paper birch, which lend the forest its vibrant colors.

The varied fauna includes some 30 mammals such as beaver, red fox, coyote, wolf, mink, white-tailed deer, caribou, moose, black bear, muskrat, hare and deer mouse. More than 150 species of birds nest here, including the pileated woodpecker, the great gray owl, several varieties of falcon, owls and ducks. There are also tens of thousands of insects and spiders.

Duration of the hikes: 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the trail. Varying levels of difficulty.