Québec National Parks Day: Book Ahead as Free Admission to Sépaq Parks Returns Sept 12

If a day outdoors sounds better than another weekend indoors, Québec National Parks Day is giving you a good reason to head into nature.

CNW Group/Société des établissements de plein air du Québec

Sépaq will offer free access to Québec national parks on Saturday, September 12, 2026, alongside special programming at participating parks. This year’s theme is “The Great National (Dis)connection,” built around the simple idea of stepping away from daily distractions for a little while. You can hike, explore a new park or simply find a quiet place to slow down.

In Quebec, provincial parks are called “national parks”, and are managed by the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec, also known as Sépaq.

One of the day’s more unusual activities will happen simultaneously across the national park network. From 1 p.m. to 1:10 p.m., visitors are invited to join a 10-minute “nature bath,” a collective pause that Sépaq says is meant to help you “slow down, refocus, and experience the benefits of nature.”

Day access is free, although the number of participants is limited. Sépaq strongly recommends booking your daily access pass online in advance. Passes are now available.

You can also expect special activities at individual parks, with Sépaq releasing programming progressively. Outdoor events may be delayed or cancelled if weather turns unfavourable, while watercraft rentals will depend on conditions such as wind and water temperature.

And if one day outside doesn’t feel like enough, you can turn the outing into a weekend with camping, ready-to-camp tents, or cabin accommodations available for booking.

Québec National Parks Day

WHEN: Saturday, September 12, 2026 | Free admission – Online reservation

HOW MUCH: Free, Online reservations are recommended to access the parks, as only a limited number of tickets will be available.

WHERE: at Québec National Parks

Here are a few of the parks to explore:

• Aiguebelle (Rouyn-Noranda): Cross a dramatic suspension bridge, explore ancient rock formations and paddle quiet lakes in an Abitibi landscape shaped by nearly three billion years of geological history.
• Anticosti (Port-Menier): Discover towering cliffs, deep canyons, waterfalls, caves and clear salmon rivers across a remote island known for wild scenery and striking Gulf of St. Lawrence landscapes.
• Bic (Rimouski / Saint-Fabien): Follow rugged shoreline trails past coves, islands and rocky capes, watch seals near the water and stay for spectacular sunsets over the St. Lawrence.
• Frontenac (Saint-Daniel / Sainte-Praxède): Explore forests, wetlands and beaches around Grand lac Saint-François, with peaceful opportunities for paddling, hiking and wildlife watching in a quieter corner of southern Québec.
• Gaspésie (Sainte-Anne-des-Monts): Hike through the Chic-Chocs and McGerrigle mountains, where alpine tundra, high peaks and expansive views create some of Québec’s most impressive mountain scenery.
• Grands-Jardins (Saint-Urbain / La Baie): Walk through Charlevoix highlands filled with conifer forests, lichen-covered landscapes and rugged viewpoints that bring an unexpected taste of Québec’s Far North farther south.
• Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie (Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs): Follow the Malbaie River beneath towering mountains, hike to panoramic viewpoints or paddle through one of Charlevoix’s deepest and most dramatic valleys.
• l’Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé (Percé): See famous Percé Rock, explore Bonaventure Island and encounter a huge Northern Gannet colony along one of the most recognizable stretches of Québec coastline.
• Îles-de-Boucherville (Boucherville): Escape city life without travelling far. Cycle, hike or paddle among St. Lawrence islands, marshes and channels where birds and wildlife replace Montréal’s urban soundtrack.
• Jacques-Cartier (Québec City area): Step into a spectacular glacial valley where the Jacques-Cartier River winds beneath steep forested walls, with hiking and paddling adventures surprisingly close to Québec City.
• Lac-Témiscouata (Saint-Michel-du-Squatec / Saint-Juste-du-Lac): Combine lake views, waterfalls, ancient forests and archaeological history in a landscape shaped by thousands of years of human presence around beautiful Lac Témiscouata.
• Miguasha (Nouvelle): Travel roughly 380 million years into the past through remarkably preserved fossils that reveal an important chapter in the evolution of fish and early vertebrates.
• Mont-Mégantic (Notre-Dame-des-Bois / Scotstown)
  Climb mountain trails by day, then look skyward at night in a destination known for astronomy, observatories and exceptionally dark skies.
• Mont-Orford (Orford): Hike through mature maple forests, climb Appalachian peaks and enjoy sweeping Eastern Townships views, especially impressive when autumn colours transform the surrounding mountains.
• Mont-Saint-Bruno (Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville): Discover five lakes, hardwood forests, an orchard and a historic mill close to Montréal, with accessible trails and abundant birdlife making it an easy nature escape.
• Mont-Tremblant (Lac-Supérieur / Saint-Donat): Explore a vast landscape of mountains, rivers and lakes where hiking, paddling and wildlife watching come together in one of Québec’s classic wilderness destinations.
• Monts-Valin (Saint-Fulgence / Saguenay): Rise above the Saguenay region on mountain trails approaching 1,000 metres, with broad viewpoints, boreal forests and the famous snow-covered Vallée des Fantômes in winter.
• Oka (Oka): Pair a sandy beach on Lac des Deux Montagnes with forest trails and history, including the Calvaire d’Oka route climbing toward old chapels and lake views.
• Opémi’can (Témiscaming): Walk beneath cliffs along Lac Témiscamingue, explore pine forests and waterways, and discover traces of logging history preserved around a former forest depot.
• Plaisance (Plaisance): Paddle, walk or cycle through wetlands, bays and islands along the Ottawa River, where marshes attract geese, ducks, herons and plenty of other wildlife.
• Pointe-Taillon (Saint-Henri-de-Taillon): Cycle easy trails, relax on long sandy beaches and paddle Lac Saint-Jean at a peaceful peninsula where shoreline scenery and sunsets take centre stage.
• Fjord-du-Saguenay (Rivière-Éternité / Sacré-Cœur / Tadoussac): Hike high above the Saguenay Fjord or kayak beneath towering cliffs, with dramatic viewpoints and opportunities to spot belugas around Baie-Sainte-Marguerite.
• Yamaska (Roxton Pond / Granby): Follow gentle trails around Réservoir Choinière, cycle through forest or paddle calm waters at an approachable Eastern Townships park rich in wetlands and wildlife.