Hiking during Hunting Season in the Townships

Updated on Sept 19, 2024

Autumn has arrived and many people wish to take advantage of this time of year to go hiking. Careful though! Many trails in the Eastern Townships are closed during the big game hunting season. Will your favourite trail be open or not this autumn? Here’s a little guide to help you find all the information you’ll need.

Open All Year Round

Here’s a list of the most popular hiking trails in the Townships that remain open all year round; hunting is forbidden on these territories chasse.

  • Parc national du Mont-Orford
  • Parc national du Mont-Mégantic
  • Parc national de Frontenac
  • Parc national de la Yamaska
  • Parc régional du Mont-Ham
  • Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook
  • Mont Pinacle in Baldwin Mills
  • Parc d’environnement naturel de Sutton
  • Parc écoforestier de Johnville
  • Marais de la Rivière aux Cerises in Magog
  • Parc des Sommets Network in Bromont
  • Parc des montagnards and Parc écologique Jean-Paul Forand in Shefford
  • Sentiers du Morne et de la Maison du Granit
  • Piopolis Trail Network, including Mount Scotch Cap
  • Parc du Mont-Bellevue in Sherbrooke

Closed during Hunting Season

Depending on the sector, the dates reserved for hunting will vary from one year to the next. Therefore, here are some dates indicating when the region’s most popular trail networks will be closed during the autumn of 2024.


©Daphné Caron

Les Sentiers de l’Estrie

The closing dates for this trail network vary depending on the sector. In the Stoke Mountains sector ARE CLOSED :

  • Rang 8 (Montagne du 10 and Mont John Guillemette) to rang 11 from Septemebr 23 to October 4 and from October 28 to November 2024
  • Rang 11 (Grotte de l'ours) to rang 14 (Mont Chapman/Pic Bald) from Septembre 25 to October 4, October 16 to 23 and from Novembre 2 to 24 2024.

The Kingsbury North and Richmond sector ARE CLOSED from:

  • September 28 to October 23, 2024, inclusively
  • November 2 to November 24, 2024, inclusively

The trails south of route 112 (mount Singer, Glen, Foster, Chagnon and Colline Trouser) ARE CLOSED from:

  • September 28 to October 23, 2024, inclusively
  • November 2 to November 3, 2024 inclusively
  • November 9 to November 24, 2024, inclusively

*Please note that access to Mount Echo, Étang au Castor campground and Nombril and Round Top from the S05 trail will remain open. The Trois-Frères (PV1, PV2 and PV3) in the Sutton sector will also remain open via S01. Marais Réal-D.-Charbonneau and chemin des Pélerins (S40, S41, S42) are also opened.

Circulating in the Brompton zone (route 220 to route 222) and the Kingsbury South zone (route 222 to km 9) is allowed, but at your own risk because hunting is permitted from September 28 to October 23 and from November 2 to November 24, 2024.


©Pierre-Jean Moreau

The Sentiers frontaliers Trails

Trails including the ZEC Louise-Gosford, Mount Gosford sector ARE CLOSED from:

  • Saturday, September 28 to Wednesday, October 23, 2024
  • Saturday, November 2 to to Sunday, November 3, 2024
  • Saturday, November 9 to Sunday, November 24, 2024

Trails except the Gosford, ZEC Louise-Gosford sector ARE CLOSED from:

  • Thursday, October 24 to Friday, November 1, 2024
  • Monday, November 4 to Fridy, November 8, 2024
  • Access to the hikes resumes on Monday, November 25, 2024

Mount Hereford

The Hereford Community Forest hiking and biking trails ARE CLOSED from:

  • Saturday, September 28 to Friday, October 4, 2024, inclusively
  • Saturday, October 19 to Wednesday, October 23, 2024, inclusively
  • Saturday, November 9 to Sunday, November 24, 2024, inclusively

©Pierre-Jean Moreau

The Mont Bélanger Trails

The Mont Bélanger hiking trails, and the campground, are closed from September 15, 2024, and will remain closed until mid-May 2025. The trails are not maintained during the winter.

At all times, remember to wear bright-coloured clothing and to be very careful. Have a great hiking season!


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