Mont Saint-Joseph Trail

Mont Saint-Joseph Trail is a hike in Parc national du Mont-Mégantic (Quebec) that climbs fast from the start. The route is built around reaching the Mont Saint-Joseph summit area, where you’ll find a historic chapel built in 1913.

Expect a sustained, steep initial ascent and plan for a hard workout even though it’s a popular day hike. Typical outings run about 3 to 3.5 hours, depending on how long you spend at the top.

Measured distance varies by how you structure the hike: there’s an out-and-back option around 7.1 km, and a longer loop option around 10.5 km. Mapped distance for this route is 9.83 km.

Elevation gain is roughly in the ~486–542 m range depending on the exact line you follow. This is the kind of climb where the difficulty is front-loaded right after you start.

The summit area connects with other nearby points in the Parc national du Mont-Mégantic high-country network. Just 1 km from Mont Saint-Joseph’s summit, Pic des Crépuscules is commonly visited for an additional panoramic lookout.

In winter, the same hike is used with snow travel gear: snowshoes are commonly needed, and ice cleats/crampons are frequently required on steeper or rockier sections. In summer, bring mosquito repellent as the trail is used year-round.

More information: Parc national du Mont-Mégantic – A winter hike on the Mont Saint-Joseph..., Mont Saint-Joseph Hiking | Trail Map Guide Cantons-Est, The Best Hiking Trails in Mont-Mégantic