Hike the Les Coulées Trail at Parc Nat'l de la Jacques-Cartier

After entering the National Park you will have to continue to drive 10km to the starting point in the middle of a little canyon. There you can find restrooms, an information center and an area to relax. This is where the Les Coulées and other trails start and end. 

The hike is 10.5km (incl. viewpoint) long, elevates over 250m on a quite steep trail towards the top. This part is about 3km long. Once reached, it continues to be easier and easier. You will have to choose at one point if you want to descend and continue the way on the initial track or take a detour for a viewpoint (1km in/out). But trust me - even after there is barely sunlight left to enjoy the valley, it is worth it. 

Once back on the trail you will begin to descent quite fast. The trail leads you to an intersection where you will turn left and walk along a side arm of the river until you reach the the actual one. From there on it is about 5km long and you will pass different cabins and campgrounds until you reach the starting point again.

The total loop took me about 3 hours in total on snowshoes with snow on the trail. Plus, I am not the fastest hiker so I took my time going up hill, taking photos or appreciating the beautiful mountain scenery.