Mont du Lac à l’Empêche – Beautiful Fall Hike in Quebec

Mont du Lac à l’Empêche one of the most beautiful hikes in Parc national des Grands-Jardins in the Charlevoix Regional County Municipality, and in my opinion, one of the best Fall hikes in Quebec.

From the summits, you’ll look out over valleys full of golden trees for miles in leaf-peeping season and since this trail is less crowded than other nearby hikes, there’s a good chance you’ll have the views almost to yourself. We only saw a couple of other people when we hiked it.

We hiked Mont du Lac à l’Empêche at sunrise and even caught a surprise snowfall, which made the experience feel extra magical. The trail takes you to not one but several summits, so you’re rewarded with panoramic views for most of the hike.

You can hike it as a shorter 8km out-and-back to the main viewpoint, or take on the full 12.7km loop that continues to Mont du Four for even more stunning vistas. We decided to cut our hike short at 8km because it started snowing and was FREEZING.

This hiking guide covers everything you need to know before you go, from trail stats and route options to tips for tackling it in fall, sunrise and even snowy conditions.

Mont du Lac à l’Empêche – Everything You Need to Know

Tips for hiking Mont du Lac à l’Empêche

Where to stay nearby:
Budget: Maison Chez Laurent – where we stayed
Fancy: Hôtel & Spa Le Germain Charlevoix – 30 mins drive

Best time of year: Fall!

Hiking pass: None

Trail difficulty: Moderate

Hike Stats for Mont du Lac à l’Empêche

Hike Stats for Mont du Lac à l’Empêche et du Four

Finding the Trailhead

We found the trailhead for this hike kind of tricky. Make sure you use the map below to find the parking lot rather than searching for the name of the trail in google maps as this will try to direct you to the middle of the trail where there is no parking or vehicle access.

To get to the trailhead, you will be taken off the main road down a gravel road until you reach the pin on the map below. You will probably see a couple of other cars parked here.

Click here to open the map in Google Maps!

Hiking Permits

There is no hiking pass needed to hike Mont du Lac-à-l’Empêche et du Four, however you might need to pay for access to the road.

We did not come across anyone asking for a fee to access the road, however reading recent trail reviews on Alltrails, it seems that this may be a possibility, as well as the rental of a hiking bib in hunting season.

Trail Difficulty

Mont du Lac-à-l’Empêche et du Four is a moderately difficult trail. The elevation is not insane, however some of the hiking trail does get a little rooty so you need to watch your footing and the trail is fairly long.

How Long Does it Take to Hike Mont du Lac à l’Empêche

If you are only hiking to the first summit as an out and back, it will take you about 2.5 hours and if you are hiking the whole Mont du Lac-à-l’Empêche et du Four trail, it will take you about 4 hours.

Trail Description

The trail starts out pretty flat where you will be walking on a relatively wide trail. You will pass a cabin/chalet pretty soon after starting hiking on your right which you can stay in but will need to book via the website here.

Continue hiking, following the pink markers through the trees. The trail becomes a bit tighter but is still pretty well maintained. You will hike up and down all the way along the trail to get to each summit.

2023 Note: There have been a lot of comments this year about a beaver damn along the trail where you will either need to get your feet wet or hike back the way you came. Check AllTrails before you set out to see if this is still there.

Tips for Hiking Mont du Lac à l’Empêche at Sunrise or Sunset

When we hiked Mont du Lac-à-l’Empêche as an out and back trail, we hiked up in the dark so that we would arrive by sunrise to watch the golden light light up the valley. It was mid-October when we hiked this trail and it was started to get pretty cold. The trail gets very exposed at the summits so make sure you bring layers with you to stay warm.

If you are hiking at sunrise or sunset, make sure you have the following:

• A headlamp for hiking in the dark.
• Layers in case the weather turns. On this hike at sunset during Fall, we each had
  • Fleece
  • Puffer Jacket
  • Beanie
  • Raincoat or windbreaker
• Navigation device such as All Trails maps – The trail is pretty well marked but it is always good to have a back up, especially when you are hiking at night
• Snacks for enjoying whilst watching the sunset and plenty of water.

Where to Stay Near Mont du Lac à l’Empêche

• Maison Chez Laurent – this is where we stayed. It was a pretty basic motel but very clean and the staff, although could not speak English were super friendly.
• Hôtel & Spa Le Germain Charlevoix – This place looks amazing and is about a 30 minute drive to the park!

Where to Eat Nearby

Baie-Saint-Paul is the closest town to the trail and has lots of great restaurants such as Le Saint-Pub Microbrasserie Charlevoix which has local bar bites and a cosy pub-like feel to it and also L’Orange Bistro which serves a varied French menu.

What We Wore and Packed for Mont du Lac à l’Empêche

Here is everything that we wore and packed to hike Mont du Lac à l’Empêche in early October during Fall. We hiked in the early morning in the dark to reach the lookout for sunrise and it was COLD.

Click here for a full list of what we bring with us on a day hike.

Other Hikes Nearby

Mont Du Dome

Distance: 8km loop | Elevation Gain: 467 metres | Time: 3 hours | Difficulty: Moderate

Mont Du Dome was our favourite hike in Quebec to do during our Fall road trip. The views from the top were insane and so so colourful! If you have time for only one hike, I can recommend this one!

If you are planning a trip to Quebec, you might also enjoy:

• Mont Du Dome: One of Quebec’s Best Fall Hikes
• Where to find the Best Fall Colours in Quebec
• How to Spend One Incredible Day in Quebec City
• Where to Stay in Quebec City
• Best Fall Hikes in Quebec

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