Ange and family enjoy Appalachian Park

Just because the new school year is just around the corner (or underway) doesn’t mean that summer escapades have come to an end! We took advantage of our last days of vacation to immerse ourselves in nature, at the Parc des Appalaches. We’d been there before, and were charmed by the wilderness aspect of the place, which is minimally developed to leave as much room as possible for nature’s grandiosity!

Paddling in the great outdoors!

We began our visit with a kayak outing on the Rivière Noire, in Sainte-Lucie-de-Beauregard. Access is ultra-easy, single or double kayaks can be booked for one, two or four hours, and the river is adjacent to the reception area. So as soon as you arrive, you’re on the water! The river is calm and shallow, making it an ideal place to learn this sport while marvelling at the surrounding environment.

We opted for the two-hour option, which allowed us to take our time with the kids and explore the river at a leisurely pace. We’d packed a picnic lunch and nibbled away on the water, watching the ducks as they too ate their dinner.

Discover a peat bog... by bike!

We then headed for Saint-Just-de-Bretenières, where we wanted to discover a peat bog by bike. Unfortunately, an unforeseen puncture put the brakes on our plans. Although we didn’t make it all the way to the bog, we found that the trails were very accessible to families (no mountain biking equipment or experience required).

By mid-afternoon, we were on our way to our prêt-à-camper, which the kids were eager to discover. The receptionist from Saint-Fabien-de-Panet was particularly friendly, offering educational activities for the kids while sharing her favorite hikes in the area – across the park’s 130 kilometers.

Footbridges, river, marsh and... marshmallows!

So we set down our luggage and didn’t wait any longer to immerse ourselves in the enchanting forest that surrounded us. We chose the Cascade Noire trail, with its footbridges crossing streams and rivers, offering a unique view of lakes and marshes, but also passing through a maple and cedar grove. The perfect hike to whet our appetites before returning to the campsite to make hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire.

Family camping in a ready-to-camp trailer at Camping du Randonneur in Appalachian Park — ©Family camping in a Camping du Randonneur ready-to-camp unit|Ange Hébert-Corriveau

Observe Petit Lac des Vases, on the Petit-Lac-des-Vases trail in the Saint-Fabien-de-Panet sector of Appalachian Park. — ©Observe Petit Lac des Vases, in Appalachian Park|Ange Hébert-Corriveau

Observe the flora on the Petit-Lac-des-Vases trail in the Saint-Fabien-de-Panet sector of Appalachian Park. — ©Observe the flora on the Petit-Lac-des-Vases trail in Appalachian Park|Ange Hébert-Corriveau

Sibling hike on the Petit-Lac-des-Vases trail, Saint-Fabien-de-Panet sector, Appalachian Park — ©Brother-sister hiking on the Petit-Lac-des-Vases trail in Appalachian Park|Ange Hébert-Corriveau

Fire, waterfalls and mushrooms!

After strolling under the stars for a while, we slept like babies in the prospector’s tent, which was quiet and comfortable.

When we woke up, we built another fire (my son’s delight) to roast our toast (my pleasure), and set off again for a walk, this time towards the Chute du Ruisseau des Cèdres. The idea of overlooking the crests of the 30-metre-high waterfall and its cascades made us long for more. We were even able to cool off in the superb pools at the foot of the falls. We particularly enjoyed this verdant trail, with the unique smell of abundant moss, cedar and spruce, heightened by the humidity. As a mushroom enthusiast, I was won over by the fact that there were several varieties on our path, and in surprising quantities! I even got my hands on a handful of chanterelles for the return trip.