With over 2600 km of ATV trails, Gaspésie is a must-visit destination for ATV enthusiasts. The region offers spectacular landscapes of sea, rivers and mountains that you’ll never forget!
Various types of ATV trails can be found in Gaspésie, ranging from wide, dusty and easy to ride roads through the forest that offer excellent visibility to narrower and more technical trails deep in the woods as well as trails across muddy terrain that will take you through great big puddles.
What makes the ATV trails in Gaspésie so special is that they will take you to places that are otherwise inaccessible. This is your chance to explore the Chic-Choc Mountains, soak up spectacular views of the St. Lawrence Estuary and discover Percé Rock from a completely different angle. The trails also pass through many towns and villages, making it easy to refuel, sample local cuisine and find lots of places to stay.
Touring Gaspésie on an ATV
The Trans-Québec ATV trail loops around the Gaspé Peninsula over a distance of about 1500 km. Unfortunately, sections of this trail are currently closed, making it impossible to complete a full tour of the region using only ATV trails. Nevertheless, large sections remain accessible, allowing you to plan multi-day itineraries. Consult the interactive ATV trail map to plan your trip.
Réserve faunique de Matane and the northern side of the peninsula
Home to the highest moose density per square kilometre in Québec, the Réserve faunique de Matane covers an area of 1275 km2. Trail #807 crosses this wildlife reserve in a north-south direction via Étang à la Truite, a beautiful pond at the heart of the Chic-Choc Mountains.
North of the wildlife reserve and nearly 20 km south of Cap-Chat in the heart of the mountains, the enchanting Village Grande Nature Chic-Chocs resort offers a restaurant along with accommodations in a lodge, Canadian and Scandinavian cabins, and several campsites. Some of the cabins even have their own outdoor hot tub! You can also enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities on site while surrounded by spectacular scenery.
Along the St. Lawrence in Cap-Chat, you can visit Projet Éole and admire an impressive wind farm that includes the tallest vertical-axis wind turbine in the world! East of there, you can stop to observe the beautiful La Martre Lighthouse, a wooden structure built in 1906. Painted red (with a single white stripe on the seaward side), the lighthouse has an octagonal base and is 19 metres high.
In Mont-Saint-Pierre, ATV trails will take you to places you cannot reach by road. Rather than just enjoying the view from the foot of the mountains, you can access their summits and admire superb panoramic views of the Gulf of St. Lawrence on one side and the Chic-Chocs on the other. Summer is a great time of year to enjoy these sights, but so is the fall, when the leaves change colour.
Le Rocher-Percé
The village of Percé is accessible by ATV on the trail maintained by Les VTT du Rocher, the local ATV club. However, for safety reasons, it is prohibited to ride an ATV in the heart of the village as well as on all the area’s hiking trails, including Chemin du Mont Sainte-Anne and Chemin de la Grotte. Plan for gas accordingly.
Three lodging establishments on Route 132 (Hôtel-Motel Fleur de Lys, Motel Le Macareux and Riôtel Percé) allow you to park your ATV on their premises. (You can then walk into the village.) We recommend you book your stay at these establishments in advance and that you specify that you’re travelling on an ATV.
La Matapédia
For those interested in shorter excursions, La Matapédia, which is recognized throughout the province for the quality of its ATV trails, is a choice destination. This sector offers over 690 km of ATV trails, forest roads and rural routes that allow you to enjoy day loop rides. The Matapédia ATV club has clearly marked this network of trails as well as built observation towers, lookouts and bridges that provide access to breathtaking scenery.
The ATV club has also developed a mobile app called “Club VTT de la Matapédia” that’s available in English. Once you’ve downloaded it, you can use it without data or Wi-Fi to locate local restaurants and bars, gas stations, accommodations, businesses and ATV services, attractions, landmarks for ambulance services, and more. Photos are available for most of the attractions. (Many also include a description, and some even an audio or video clip though these are in French only).
Passes and trail access
To purchase an ATV trail pass, please contact the Québec Quad Federation (FQCQ).
Note that some trails may be closed in the fall during hunting season in ZECs and wildlife reserves.
You are now ready to discover Gaspésie on an ATV. Happy trails!
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