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Yesterday, SÉPAQ (Société des établissements de plein air du Québec) announced that it would begin its phased reopening of Quebec's national parks on May 20, places which provide some of the best hiking near Montreal.
During this first phase, visitors can expect to take advantage of parks' hiking and biking trails, as well as lakes for fishing during the day; however, buildings that handle services like washrooms and the sale of access passes won't be accessible. All other activities, like canoeing or kayaking on open water or access to chalets and equipment rentals won't be permitted until later.
If you want to plan some day trips from Montreal, use the online system from SÉPAQ to purchase passes for access and fishing beforehand; different parks have different costs, so plan accordingly.
Here are the national parks that will be accessible on May 20, and what you can do in them:
- Îles-de-Boucherville: Hiking and biking
- Jacques-Cartier: Day hikes and fishing
- Mont-Tremblant: Hiking and biking (day fishing from May 22, 2020)
- Mont-Saint-Bruno: Hiking and biking
- Mont-Orford: Hiking and biking
- Gaspésie: Hiking (day fishing from June 13, 2020)
- Mont-Mégantic: Hiking
- Oka: Hiking and biking
- Bic: Hiking and biking
- Aiguebelle: Day hikes and fishing
- Fjord-du-Saguenay: Hiking (day fishing from June 6, 2020)
- Frontenac-secteur Sud: Hiking and biking
- Grands-Jardins: Hiking (day fishing from June 5, 2020)
- Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie: Hiking and biking (day fishing from June 5, 2020)
- Lac-Témiscouata: Hiking, biking (day fishing: from June 5, 2020)
- Opémican: Hiking, biking, day fishing
- Plaisance: Hiking and biking
- Yamaska: Hiking and biking
Other parks like Monts-Valin, Pointe-Taillon, Migausha and Anticosti will open in the weeks following weeks at different dates and will offer different kinds of activities, according to a release from the Quebec government.
"We have implemented a number of measures in line with public health recommendations," reads the organization's announcement regarding COVID-19. "These measures will be implemented gradually according to the plan for the gradual resumption of our activities and services."
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