Quebec's 28 Sépaq national parks plus federal parks. Complete overview with fees, best parks by region, hikes and booking tips for 2026.

Quebec national parks: the complete guide to Sépaq and federal parks

Quebec has one of the most comprehensive national park networks in North America, organised across two distinct systems that most visitors never clearly separate. The provincial Société des établissements de plein air du Québec (Sépaq) manages 28 “national parks” under Quebec law, plus 13 wildlife reserves and additional historical sites. The federal Parks Canada separately manages four national parks within Quebec (La Mauricie, Forillon, Mingan Archipelago, and parts of Saguenay–Saint-Laurent Marine Park). Together these protect more than 50,000 square kilometres of Quebec wilderness, and navigating which park to visit — and which pass to buy — benefits from a clear map.

This guide covers the overall system, the most important parks by region, and how to plan a multi-park visit economically.

Sépaq (Quebec provincial “national parks”) vs Parks Canada (federal)

The naming is confusing because both use “national park.” Quebec’s Sépaq parks are legally provincial but branded “parcs nationaux.” The two systems are fully separate:

SystemParks in QuebecOperatorPass
Sépaq28 national parksProvincial (Quebec)Sépaq Annual Card or daily pass
Parks Canada4 national parks + 1 marine parkFederalParks Canada Discovery Pass or daily

Your pass only works on its own system: a Parks Canada pass does not admit to Sépaq parks and vice versa. Plan accordingly.

Sépaq fees (2026)

  • Daily access: $10.25 adult (18-64), free under 18.
  • Sépaq Annual Access Card: ~$85 adult, $130 family — pays off at 8-9 visits.
  • Backcountry camping, cabins, huts: separate fees per night.

Parks Canada fees (2026)

  • Daily access: ~$9.25-$12.50 adult depending on park, free under 18.
  • Discovery Pass (annual, all Canadian federal parks): ~$75 adult, $150 family — pays off at 7-8 visits.

Which to buy?

For a week in Quebec with 2-3 park visits, daily passes are most economical. For a 2+ week trip or dedicated park-focused travel, the Sépaq Annual Card pays off quickly if your visits are mostly within Quebec. If combining Quebec with Banff or Maritime national parks in the same year, the Parks Canada Discovery Pass is the better buy.

The four Parks Canada national parks in Quebec

La Mauricie National Park

The canoe-country park of Quebec — 536 km² of Canadian Shield lakes, mixed hardwood forest, and old-growth stands. One of the best canoe-camping destinations in eastern Canada. 2 hours from Montreal, 1h30 from Trois-Rivières.

Forillon National Park

The first federal national park in Quebec (1970), on the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula where the Appalachians meet the Atlantic. Dramatic limestone cliffs, whales visible from shore, Cap-Gaspé “land’s end” lighthouse.

  • Best for: whale watching (shore + zodiac), coastal hiking, dramatic scenery.
  • See Forillon Park.

Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve

A remote archipelago of ~1,000 limestone islands off Quebec’s Côte-Nord, famous for dramatic sea stacks (monoliths) eroded into cathedral shapes. Accessible only by boat from Havre-Saint-Pierre.

  • Best for: geology and photography, serious road-trippers who reach the Côte-Nord.
  • See Mingan Archipelago.

Saguenay–Saint-Laurent Marine Park

Co-managed federal/provincial marine park protecting the confluence of the Saguenay Fjord and St. Lawrence — prime whale watching territory from Tadoussac. Not a walk-in park; experienced via boat tours.

Top Sépaq national parks by region

Near Montreal

  • Parc national du Mont-Tremblant: Quebec’s largest Sépaq park (1,500 km²), 1h45 from Montreal. Lakes, moose, winter activities.
  • Parc national d’Oka: smaller but beloved; beach and Calvary hill; 45 min from Montreal.

Near Quebec City

  • Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier: a dramatic glacial valley 45 min from downtown Quebec City. Cliffs rise 550 m above the river; paddle-and-picnic country.
  • Parc national de la Chute-Montmorency (technically Sépaq urban park): the famous falls taller than Niagara.

Charlevoix

  • Parc national des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie: “the deepest canyon east of the Rockies.” Via ferrata, Acropole des Draveurs hike, Malbaie River cruise. See park guide.
  • Parc national des Grands-Jardins: arctic-boreal landscape with alpine tundra. See park guide.

Saguenay

  • Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay: the Saguenay Fjord with 300 m cliffs. Kayaking, hiking, the Sentier de la Statue. See park guide.
  • Parc national de la Pointe-Taillon: lake-edge cycling paradise on Lac Saint-Jean.

Gaspésie

  • Parc national de la Gaspésie: the Chic-Chocs mountains, highest peaks in Quebec outside the Laurentians. Moose and caribou. See park guide.
  • Parc national de l’Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé: Percé Rock and the gannet colony on Bonaventure Island. See park guide.
  • Parc national de Miguasha: UNESCO World Heritage for Devonian fossils. See park guide.
  • Parc national de Forillon (federal — see above).

Bas-Saint-Laurent

  • Parc national du Bic: dramatic coastal cliffs, seal colonies. See park guide.

Laurentians and Outaouais

  • Parc national du Mont-Tremblant (see above).
  • Parc de la Gatineau (Commission de la capitale nationale — not Sépaq or federal, but effectively a national park). See park guide.

Far north and remote

  • Parc national de la Gaspésie (see above).
  • Parc national des Pingualuit (Nunavik): meteorite crater lake in the Arctic. Very remote, fly-in.
  • Parc national Kuururjuaq (Nunavik): Arctic tundra park.
  • Parc national Tursujuq (Nunavik): rocky cliffs on Hudson Bay, Inuit heritage.

Booking and reservations

  • Day use: walk-in is fine for most Sépaq parks; Parc national du Mont-Tremblant in peak summer sometimes requires daytime reservation for Lac Monroe access.
  • Camping: book 6-12 months ahead through the Sépaq website for peak dates.
  • Cabins, chalets, yourts: extremely popular; some sites open bookings a year in advance.
  • Wildlife sightings: no guarantees, but the Chic-Chocs for moose, Hautes-Gorges for peregrine falcons, the Côte-Nord for seabirds.

Practical tips

  • Off-season visits: many Sépaq parks are open year-round, though services (rentals, restaurants) are summer-seasonal.
  • Dog rules: dogs are permitted on some trails in some parks and prohibited in others. Check the specific park website.
  • Services: most Sépaq parks have a service centre with rentals, small shop, showers. Parks Canada parks are similar but typically larger.
  • Respect for wildlife: bear-proof food storage is required in the wilderness campgrounds.

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