Chasin’ the Trails in Gaspé

Overlanding solo among this famed peninsula led to challenging experiences with famous landmarks along the way.

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Words and photos by Mathieu Godin

Instagram @math_godin

With all the travel restrictions in place this past year, many off-road destinations in Eastern Canada have become quite popular among enthusiasts. While I had planned a multi-week overland trip to Costa Rica last spring with a group of friends, my international plans were cancelled, causing me to run a late summer solo adventure through Quebec’s scenic and challenging Gaspé Peninsula.

The first time I visited this region was three years ago and since I had enjoyed the coastal area, the mountains were calling me this time around. Rather than just run the traditional Gaspé Peninsula loop, I decided to travel mostly inland through the Chic-Chocs mountain range of the Appalachians. From Gaspésie National Park, I travelled east to Murdochville and then exited at Gaspé. At the same time, however, I left the tarmac behind to explore some dirt roads along the way.

As usual, my pre-trip planning began by doing some online research to learn what local overland enthusiasts had to say about the area. Apparently, driving on the rural Route du Lac-Sainte-Anne from Route 299 to Murdochville would provide some great scenery while having the chance to get off the beaten’ path.

After checking out the area on Google Maps, as well as the new Backroad Mapbooks web map, I plotted the route on my Gaia GPS to follow via Apple CarPlay. I also plotted a few optional trails along Route du Lac-Sainte-Anne, even though there are never any guarantees they will be accessible, given conditions, weather, grading, etc.

Additionally, I decided to reach out to my Land Rover/Ford PR contact in Montreal to see if a 2020 Ford Ranger XLT FX4 was available (that’s provided for automotive journalists) to run for my two-week trip. To my luck, it was. As a result, I would not only be experiencing a scenic overland trip but I would be doing it while checking out the off-road cred of the FX4.

When I went overlanding in Gaspésie three years ago, it was also my first solo trip. I now always make a point to run some trails for a few days single-handedly at least once a year. I experienced a little nostalgia when I stopped at Sainte-Anne-des-Monts on Route 132 to fill up on fuel before connecting to Route 299 to the entrance of Gaspésie National Park. This rural community has everything you need from fuel and groceries to other essentials. Plus, arriving to the park from the north on Route 132 offers great, immediate views of the Chic-Chocs.

I first established my basecamp at the Cascapédia Lake Campground, which is my favorite within the park. Even though there are more hiking trails than 4x4 trails, they offer the chance to explore the area. If you’re travelling with a partner or spouse, the national park is also home to the four-star Gîte du Mont-Albert hotel that provides a good break if you have been off-grid and roughing it for a while. It’s managed by the park and every room offers a view of Mont-Albert.

The next morning, I left the park and made my way to Murdochville via Route du Lac-Sainte-Anne as planned. Unfortunately, the route and trails I had plotted between Murdochville and Gaspé had an area blocked to vehicles and another route had a closed bridge. But, again, this is all to be expected when exploring unknown trails.

Nevertheless, I did make it to the exit for Gaspé and drove south toward Percé, the location of the famous Percé Rock. I also decided to visit Île Bonaventure and booked a boat trip so I could hike and observe the colony of gannets. Île Bonaventure is a protected area managed by SEPAQ and is home to approximately 116, 000 of these majestic seabirds. The next morning, I returned to Percé and checked out Percé Geopark with its glass platform that provides a great perspective and views of the area. Just past its parking area is a 4x4-only trail that leads to another lookout up Mont Ste-Anne.

While on the trail, I encountered a few hikers who told me about a significant washout further up with limited space to turn around if I couldn’t make it. They also explained that a Chevrolet Colorado had just passed through, so I thought if a Colorado can do it, a Ranger can easily manage as well. The trail was rocky but dry and all I had to was choose the best lines and let the Ranger do the work in 4 Low. The rear locker wasn’t needed, but 4 Low was a necessity.

After running the trail, I departed Percé Rock and drove north toward Forillon National Park. The plan was to establish a basecamp and explore another potential 4x4 trail I had plotted on Gaia GPS, the Montée de Corte Real. It started on the tarmac and soon led me deep into central Gaspésie, which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. It also follows along the scenic Dartmouth River and links to several other trails. The last few kilometres had been cleared and the Backroad Mapbook’s web map indicated that I was on Crown Land. So, I decided to keep going while carefully assessing the conditions.

As the trail became softer, I reached its end just before coming to a creek. Technically the trail was a few kilometers longer, but water crossings are prohibited in Quebec. So I turned around and made it to the exact POI I had saved on GPS. I really liked using its Apple CarPlay feature and it worked well in the Ranger. Although the trails were challenging and gave me a sense of accomplishment, it also provided the ideal testing grounds for the FX4, which proved it could take a beating and managed the conditions without any issues.

I initially plotted a trail from Montée de Corte Real to return north-west and exit on Route 132, but it appeared to be an ATV trail only so I decided not to risk it. However, the potential for overland exploration in central Gaspésie is huge. The trail network forms a gigantic maze where one could easily get lost. Had I travelled with other overlanders, I would have stayed off-grid much longer on this trip, which is really not a problem in central Gaspésie with proper planning.

There were a lot of trails accessible from Montée de Corte Real and I explored many of them. I found some great off-grid camping spots along the way and you won’t have any problem finding challenging trails on the Crown Land; you’ll just have to venture a bit further into the backcountry and be ready to turn around every so often.

My return to Gaspésie allowed me to explore the Gaspé Peninsula from a different perspective. Although I didn’t venture off-grid as much as I had anticipated, I enjoyed my return trip to the area. It’s a great overland destination with many opportunities for all types of travellers. While there is still a lot to explore in Quebec, maybe next year I’ll venture to the other side of the Saint Lawrence River­–the Côte-Nord.

Trip planning information

For all the details of the area and to get your free travel guide at https://www.tourisme-gaspesie.com/en/home.html

I also carried a Garmin inReach Mini on this trip due to central Gaspé’s remoteness. I definitely recommend a two-way satellite communication device of some sort if you plan to explore Gaspé’s backcountry. https://www.garmin.com/en-CA/