Le Pioui Trail

Le Pioui Trail is a 10.4 km loop hike in Parc national des Grands-Jardins near Saint-Urbain (Charlevoix, QC). The route is kept for a day hike and is graded as difficult, with sustained climbing and steep sections plus exposed ridgelines.

Expect terrain that shifts from forest to tundra/taiga-like conditions near the top. The summit area supports arctic-alpine vegetation, including a small peat bog site on/near the higher ground.

The ascent is steady before the trail works out onto ridges. Late in the hike, you’re hiking above the surrounding valleys and can see out toward the Saint Lawrence River.

Elevation gain is about 545 m, which is the main driver of the difficulty. Plan on roughly 3.5 to 5 hours for the loop, depending on your pace on the climb and the time spent on the higher sections.

Seasonality is driven by park access: Route 60 is typically open from mid-May to mid-October. In practice, that window lines up with when hikers plan Le Pioui as a summer loop.

Many visitors pair Le Pioui with an extension to Mont du Lac des Cygnes to add distance and another round of high viewpoints, rather than keeping the day to the 10.4 km loop alone.

More information: Quebec Escapade Guided Hiking Tour - 10 Adventures, Autumn Colours of Eastern Canada - Ramble Worldwide, Le Pioui trail - Saint-Urbain