Departure
Rivière-Éternité

Option 2
25.5 km

ROUTE DESCRIPTION

As you hike along the mountain trails to L’Anse-Saint-Jean (15.5 km) and then Petit-Saguenay (10 km), you’ll enjoy magnificent panoramic views of Saguenay Fjord Park while savoring the charm of a stay at a mountain hut.

Start

410 Principale Street, Rivière-Éternité, Quebec G0V 1P0
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Finish

5 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Street, L’Anse-Saint-Jean (Quebec) G0V 1J0
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50 Tremblay Street, Petit-Saguenay (Quebec) G0V 1N0
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Distance

15.5 + 10 km

Route duration

3 DAYS

Difficulty level

MODERATE WITH
STEEP CLIMBS
AND OBSTACLES
(ROCKS AND ROOTS)

Elevation gain

213 M

Itinerary

OPTION 2:
From Rivière-Éternité to Anse-Saint-Jean (15.5 km) and Petit-Saguenay (10 km)

Three (3) days of mountain trails heading toward Anse-Saint-Jean (2 days) and Petit-Saguenay (1 day)

Day 1

  • You MUST HAVE RESERVED the first night’s stay at a forest cabin through www.sepaq.com/pq/sag and confirm your reservation the day before—Phone: 1 (800) 665-6527.
  • Take Notre-Dame Street (across from the Rivière-Éternité church) to enter the Saguenay Fjord Park. Pass the park gatehouse (entrance fee applies) and continue on Notre-Dame Street. (7 km)
  • When you arrive in front of the campground on the left (418) 272-1556, look for the sign and the entrance to the mountain trail toward Anse-Saint-Jean on the right.
  • Turn right onto the Caps Trail. (1 km)
  • Lac-de-la-Chute Shelter (reservations required through Sépaq). (7.2 km)
  • Lac-du-Marais Shelter (reservations required through Sépaq). (2.1 km)

Day 2

  • As you leave the Saguenay Fjord Park, turn right onto Chemin de l’Anse (3 km).
  • At the Y-shaped intersection, pass the Chemin Saint-Thomas on your right and continue to the left. (2.9 km)
  • Cross the covered bridge
  • Arrival at the village of L’Anse-Saint-Jean. (0.5 km)

Day 3

  • From the church in L’Anse-Saint-Jean, at the end of Saint-Jean-Baptiste Street, take the Poets’ Trail toward Petit-Saguenay, which begins on the right between two houses. (1 km)
  • At the end of the Poets’ Trail, take a moment to relax on the pier. (10 km)
  • Take Rue du Quai de Petit-Saguenay to the village. In Petit-Saguenay, Rue du Quai becomes Rue Tremblay. Continue on to the church. (4 km)

Village of Petit-Saguenay

2 additional OPTIONS to choose from:

  • Or find a place to stay right there and enjoy the beauty of the area—for example, by grabbing a snack and taking a one-hour walk each way (4 km) along Tremblay Road from the church to the pier. The pier is a magnificent and popular spot on the Saguenay River. You can also stroll through the quiet, picturesque village and take the opportunity to stock up on supplies for the rest of your trip.
  • Either stock up on supplies and head straight out on Route 170 toward Sagard. Estimated arrival time: 4:00–5:30 p.m. It all depends on how often you stop to admire the majestic mountains.

SEE OPTION 1

 

Practical Tips

Plan for today's drive

  • Food (dry rations with a stove) for 2–3 days (Fjord trails)
  • Water and Snacks

Planning for the Road Ahead

  • Option 1: Plan for 3½ days’ worth of supplies
  • Option 2 to Sagard / Les Palissades / Refuge l’Épervier: Bring food (dry rations and a camping stove) for 5 days. Water (available from local residents) and snacks.

Preparing for Your Kapoah Hike

  • Be sure to reserve your accommodations, especially nights at mountain huts:
    Day 1: Lac-de-la-Chute Forest Hut—contact www.sepaq.com/pq/sag and confirm the day before your arrival:
    Tel. 1 (800) 665-6527

Points of View

Panoramic Views of the Fjord

Along the trails, discover a variety of landscapes offering unique views of the fjord. Numerous lookout points dot the route, inviting you to take a break and admire the beauty of the surroundings from different angles.

Restaurants / Food

Accommodations

Le Camp de Base Youth Hostel

5 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Street
L’Anse-Saint-Jean, Quebec G0V 1J0
Tel. (418) 272-3359

Recommended accommodations.

Allows you to resume your next day’s trip nearby.

Church of St. Francis of Assisi

50 Tremblay Street
Petit-Saguenay, Quebec G0V 1N0
Tel. (418) 272-2091

(groups). Don. Accommodations subject to availability.

Les Deux Pignons Vacation Rental

115 Dumas Street
Petit-Saguenay, Quebec G0V 1N0
Tel. (418) 272-3091

Auberge du Jardin

71 Dumas Street
Petit-Saguenay, Quebec G0V 1N0
Tel. (418) 272-3444

Website

Things to Do in L’Anse-Saint-Jean and Petit-Saguenay

A Brief History of the Stopover Town

Petit-Saguenay

The Petit-Saguenay River and village are named after the Saguenay River and its fjord because of the terrain that extends them a few kilometers inland, with cliffs that bear the marks of the Ice Age. First Nations people used to come here to fish for salmon.

The first settlers arrived in the 1830s. As early as 1842, a sawmill was built, which William Price of the Société-des-vingt-et-un would purchase six years later. A township was established in 1877 and named Canton Dumas. One of its hamlets, Anse-Saint-Étienne, was destroyed by a major fire in 1900. Fifty years later, in 1950, a power plant was built, which was later owned by the Petit-Saguenay Electricity Cooperative. In 1979, the municipal township of Dumas was renamed Petit-Saguenay. This change coincided with a shift in the area’s economic focus; moving from forestry to agriculture, it became increasingly centered on tourism thanks to the new Saguenay Park, as well as the recently established Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park.

 

Photos: Jonathan Gagnon on Unsplash.

Next step: Departure from Petit-Saguenay (Option 1) or Departure from Sagard (Option 2)

VIEW DETAILS FOR OPTION 1

VIEW DETAILS FOR OPTION 2