Les Loups, Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier

From the car park beside the Rivière Jacques-Cartier, at km 16 of the valley road, the path climbs steeply north-east up the valley wall. Near the top a short spur leads left to the first lookout (1er belvédère). Back at the junction, the trail turns south-east along the rim and the flank of the Montagne de la Sautauriski to the second lookout (2e belvédère), above the meeting of the Jacques-Cartier and Sautauriski valleys. Return the same way, without the spur.

It is 9.8 km there and back with 457 m of ascent; allow about 3½ hours. The grade is Moderate: one of the park's steepest climbs, on roots and rock, then a rim path.

The lookouts are unfenced cliff edges, and black bears live in the valley. SÉPAQ caps walker numbers on Les Loups and shuts the trail when the limit is reached, so arrive early on fine weekends. Adults pay a daily access fee; under-18s go free with a free access authorisation. From the first snow to mid-May the road is cleared only to km 10, so cars cannot reach the trailhead.

The La Vallée entrance is about 40 km north of Québec City off route 175; the paved valley road leads 16 km to the trailhead. Weekday road works beyond km 20 do not affect it.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.