Here are four easy or moderate hikes to do in the fall to discover three protected ecosystems in Forillon National Park: the forest, fresh water and the coast.
La Taïga: A hike along the Penouille sandspit (easy)
Jutting out into Gaspé Bay, the Penouille sandspit is a unique environment that’s home to astonishing biodiversity. The salt marsh to the north teems with life and attracts a wide variety of birds, including Canada geese, which like to graze on eelgrass, and great blue herons looking for fish. Beyond the wooden footbridge, La Taïga welcomes hikers along a trail of about 1.5 km (one way). This area is home to lichens, mosses and various other plants that are unusual at this low altitude. The trail is relatively flat and leads to a beach along the Gaspé Basin.
Fun facts: The Penouille sandspit is between 970 and 1700 years old. Compared to the Appalachian Mountains, which are hundreds of millions of years old, it’s a very young landform! As early as the 20th century, remnants of fishing stations used by French fishermen were found in the Penouille sector. From 1970 to 2024, Parks Canada archaeologists excavated First Nations artefacts as well as objects from the French, English and Euro-Canadian periods in this area.
La Taïga will take you through a fragile ecosystem, so it’s important to stay on the trail at all times.
Du Banc: A hike along a restored coastline (easy)
For locals, the banc refers to the pebble beach that connects the entrance to the village of Cap-des-Rosiers to the harbour. The Du Banc trail winds along the upper part of the beach for 2 km (one way) and features rest areas that highlight nature and culture.
Starting from the Cap-des-Rosiers parking lot, the Du Banc trail offers stunning views of many of the park’s habitats: the long beach at Cap-des-Rosiers, a pond fed by a stream, and a young mixed forest bordering a cedar grove. Further on, the observation tower invites visitors to spend a moment contemplating this landscape of sea, mountains and colours.
About halfway along the trail, the Irish Memorial commemorates the tragedy of the Carricks, which ran aground nearby in April 1847. The trail ends at the Visitor and Discovery Centre near the harbour, where a few fishing boats still linger. This is the perfect opportunity to visit the exhibition or fill your water bottle before heading back!
Fun fact: In 2021, an ambitious coastal restoration project was implemented in the Cap-des-Rosiers area. By removing the road and restoring the beach to its natural state, Forillon National Park helped protect infrastructure and cultural resources from shoreline erosion.
La Vallée: A hike upstream (moderate)
Much to the delight of hiking enthusiasts, the beauty of the La Vallée trail reaches its peak in the fall! The orange of the alders, yellow of the birches and red of the maples transform the L’Anse-au-Griffon Valley at this time of year. The scenery changes as the leaves fall: slanting light filters through the increasingly sparse-looking woods where you may spot a dozing moose, scurrying hare or chirping chickadee family. Halfway along the trail, you can rest for a moment at the Répi-Nord shelter. The La Vallée trail follows a former forest road on relatively flat terrain and connects with the Le Portage trail, so you can choose to complete a 9-km loop or return along the river.
Fun fact: The park’s conservation team has focused on the L’Anse-au-Griffon River as part of an ecological monitoring program. You may therefore spot park employees collecting invertebrates, measuring water temperatures or monitoring fish populations as you hike through this area. Be sure to say hello—they’re all very friendly!
Les Graves: A hike through a stunning cultural landscape (moderate)
A favourite trail in every season, Les Graves runs along Gaspé Bay for about 8 km (round trip), from the Grande-Grave harbour to the Cap-Gaspé Lighthouse.
In terms of nature, the coastline steals the show. The coves are prime resting spots for marine wildlife. On quiet mornings, seals frolic near the beach while seabirds dive a little further out. And since the crisp fall air will allow you to see farther across the water, your chances of spotting the blow of a whale are higher than usual!
In terms of cultural discoveries, Les Graves has plenty to offer. Visit the heritage sites in Grande-Grave to discover a rich human history. In the Hyman and Sons General Store, which was built in 1864, interpreter guides take history buffs back to the golden age of cod fishing. This is a great place to visit on a rainy day!
Fun fact: The Rimouski bird observatory operates a banding station at L’Anse-aux-Amérindiens. A scientific partner of the park, they study forest bird populations during the fall migration.
This fall, plan a hike to explore the various ecosystems found in Forillon National Park!
This blog post is sponsored by Destination Gaspé.
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