You really don’t need an excuse to take to the trails on your own two feet! Hiking is such an enjoyable activity - whether you want to observe the flora and fauna, give your muscles a good workout up mountain paths or meander at leisure through a forest - all the while filling your lungs with fresh air, resulting in a wonderful feeling of well-being!
The Eastern Townships offers a plethora of places to hike - wooded areas, mountains, protected green spaces (from Quebec’s national parks to nature reserves), interpretation centres, designated hiking routes, regional parks, outdoor centres, historic sites and ecoforests. The choice is yours…
Few regions are as suited to hiking as the Eastern Townships. Not just because of the impressive choice of venues, but also due to the fact that 80% of the region is comprised of parkland and forest.
The Townships boasts no fewer than four Quebec national parks - from family-friendly, accessible areas, to tracts of wilderness, more suited to diehard adventurers - Frontenac, Mont Megantic, Mont-Orford and Yamaska. The region has some 24 lofty peaks, lying over 3,300 feet (1,000 metres) above sea level. The Summit Drive (it’s signposted) winds through 20 picturesque mountain villages.
Enjoy guided hikes by consulting the calendar of activities from Les Sentiers de l’Estrie, Parc d’environnement naturel de Sutton and the Parc régional du Mont-Ham. Guided hikes by moonlight are also available.
Other places to enjoy a hike include two networks of walking trails totalling 500km (311 miles) and 100 designated paths designed for short and medium-length walks. Add to those, wetland areas with interpretative boardwalks, a historic site where gunpowder used to be manufactured, a former woollen mill, an enchanted forest and more….. What a choice!
A hike for every mood and inclination (in both senses of the word!) - set against the backdrop of the Eastern Townships’ stunning scenery!
