Reflecting on Hiking across Quebec on Sentier Transcanadien

Hiking the Trans Canada Trail across Quebec

It took 3 years, 3 seasons, and a lot of logistical hoops, but the 1268 km section of Sentier Transcanadien in Quebec is now complete!

“Il faut toujours viser la lune, car même en cas d’échec, on atterrit dans les étoiles.”

Oscar Wilde  

Four Seasons on the Sentier Transcanadien

In November 2019 we crossed into our fifth province on our cross-country Trans Canada Trail #Hike4Birds - Québec. The Sentier Transcanadien, as it is known here, winds through boreal forests, along the St. Lawrence Riverway, across pastoral farmlands, over rugged ridges, and into vibrant cities. It is a province where French culture, natural beauty, and outdoor adventure converge, offering both challenges and rewards to anyone who journeys through it.

Quebec stands as the only province in our journey from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic that has been completed in parts over the years rather than in one hike progressing from east to west.   As such, our trek through Quebec unfolded in three stages: on the Petit Témis from the New Brunswick border to Rivière-du-Loup in late 2019; a return in fall 2021 from Baie-Saint-Paul to Montreal through Charlevoix and the Route Verte; and a final spring 2022 push across the Petit Train du Nord and into Gatineau Park.

The Sentier Transcanadien in Quebec became more than just a line on the map. It became a living reflection of Canada’s cultural and natural diversity - and one of the most inspiring and intricate chapters of our 28,000 km #Hike4Birds journey across the Trans Canada Trail. 

Hiking Eastern Quebec: Petit Témis to Rivière-du-Loup

We began in Edmundston, New Brunswick, stepping onto the Petit Témis Interprovincial Trail, a 134 km rail trail that follows the old Temiscouata Railway through boreal forests and lakeside towns.  En route, quiet lakes reflected the last of the autumn leaves, and flocks of migrating waterfowl paused along their journey south.  It was here that we felt the shift in the landscape and culture from the Atlantic Coastlines of Canada to French Canada.   The landscapes around us were rolling woodlands crossed by railtrails and cycling pathways rather than ATV tracks and roadways. 

 
The trail here was superbly maintained, with bike repair stations, picnic areas, campgrounds, and clear signage, and it set the tone for what would become a pattern in Quebec: a province deeply invested in the value of trails and community connections.
 
Walking into Rivière-du-Loup, the bitter cold winds off the St. Lawrence River marked the close of our first season on the Great Trail. 

Charlevoix and Southern Quebec: Baie-Saint-Paul to Montreal

We returned to Quebec in fall 2021, beginning in Baie-Saint-Paul. From here, we set out on the Sentier des Caps de Charlevoix, a rugged and demanding trail that hugged the cliffs above the St. Lawrence River. Rain and early snow fell, mud thickened, and the climbs were steep — but this section also gave us some of the most beautiful moments of our entire journey.

 
En route, we enjoyed rustic refuges, terrific camping sites, and beautiful panoramic views over the St. Lawrence Seaway. One of the highlights was Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, where we stood in awe beneath skies filled with tens of thousands of migrating Snow Geese. Moments like these reminded us why we walk: to inspire people to reconnect with nature through birds and citizen science.

 
From Charlevoix, we joined the Route de la Nouvelle-France into Quebec City, pausing to explore its historic streets, cafés, and landmarks. 

Southern Quebec and the Route Verte

After Quebec City, we followed the Route Verte, a province-wide trail network that forms the backbone of the TCT in southern Quebec. This was a remarkable shift: paved or well-packed rail trails, complete with regular Hault Vélo rest stops, interpretive signs, and even bakeries and amenities for cyclists and hikers alike. The Route Verte seemed like a gift for long-distance trekkers and cyclists. 

 
We passed through towns like Sherbrooke, Magog, Granby, and Chambly, walking amid maple forests and alongside rivers dotted with herons and kingfishers. Local cafés welcomed us, and almost everyone we met - from fellow cyclists to innkeepers  - seemed genuinely invested in the trail and its role in connecting people to place. 

Montreal and the Lachine Canal: Urban Trail Magic

Few cities weave nature, history, and trail culture together quite like Montreal. On the Lachine Canal Trail, we walked past locks and towpaths, riverside art installations, and the bustling Atwater Market. It was a celebration of what urban trails can be - historic, alive, and deeply connected to the rhythms of a modern city.

This was where we hit the 10,000 km mark of our national journey. The moment was quietly humbling, celebrated not with fanfare but with a warm croissant,  a glass of red wine, and a sense of deep gratitude for how far we’d come. 

Western Quebec: The Petit Train du Nord and Gatineau Park

In spring 2022, during the final season and final year on the Sentier Transcanadien in Quebec, our trek carried us north into the Laurentians along the Petit Train du Nord, a 232 km rail trail alive with birdsong, wildflowers, and lake reflections. From Saint-Jérôme to Mont-Laurier, we crossed old railway bridges, passed through tunnels of spring green, and camped in peaceful clearings. Towns like Saint-Jérôme, Sainte-Agathe, and Rivière Rouge welcomed us with charm and hospitality.

 
With that said, this section was not without its trials – the mosquitoes and blackflies tested our patience, just as the long stretches of gravel tested our stamina.
 
Gatineau Park: The Final Chapter in Quebec
 
From Mont-Laurier, the trail wound southward through wilder country until we entered Gatineau Park, where we took our last steps in Quebec. Gatineau is a sprawling, protected forest bordering Ottawa. Here, well-marked trails led us into quiet hills, past hidden lakes, and under thick maple canopies. It was spring again, and life was returning to the forest in a thousand subtle ways.
 

From Wakefield to the Capital Region, this final stretch gave us space to reflect. As we crossed the Ottawa River, we felt a mixture of pride, awe, and disbelief. We had walked across all of Quebec — in every season, across three years, and over hundreds of unforgettable kilometres.
 
Reflections on hiking across Quebec on the Sentier Transcanadien
 
Quebec tested us, inspired us, and nourished us. It gave us the challenge of rugged trails in Charlevoix, the awe of bird migrations at Cap Tourmente, the comfort of trail angels and bakeries, as well as the cultural vibrancy of Quebec City and Montreal.
 
Quebec was a province of contrasts and excellence. Over the course of three years on the TCT, our time in Quebec offered the most consistently developed and signed trail system in the country (so far), a culture dedicated to developing and maintaining both cycling and hiking trails, and some of the most challenging as well as rewarding wilderness hikes that we have enjoyed.

Yet, it wasn’t always easy. Weather, logistics, and cost (especially in Charlevoix) meant that not all trails were accessible to all.  But Quebec never pretended to be simple - and in that, it mirrored the complexity of hiking across the entirety of Canada itself.
 
Owing to the segmented nature of how we completed the Sentier Transcanadian, by the time we had completed Quebec, it meant that we had walked from Cape Spear to the Saskatchewan-Alberta border!  

Quebec in 2 Seconds a Day

Wonder what it looks like to hike across an entire province on foot in 2 seconds a day? Check our Quebec TCT YouTube Video: 

 

 

 

See you on the trail!

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