Quebec is an underrated hidden gem of stunning natural beauty in Canada, with gorgeous glacier carved valleys and rugged granite mountains. The Acropole des Draveurs Trail, located in Parc national des Hautes‑Gorges-de-la-Rivière‑Malbaie, is one of the best ways to experience Quebec’s dramatic landscapes for yourself, climbing to the top of Montagne des Érables and overlooking the Rivière Malbaie and the surrounding valley.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Acropole des Draveuers hike, one of the most dramatic hikes in Quebec.
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About the Acropole des Draveurs
Here are some quick stats about the Acropole des Draveurs hike:
- Length: 10.8 km (6.7 miles)
- Elevation gain: 875 meters (2,870 feet)
- Difficulty: Challenging
- Trail map
How to get to the Acropole des Draveurs trailhead
The Acropole des Draveurs trailhead is located here in Parc national des Hautes‑Gorges-de-la-Rivière‑Malbaie, in the Charlevoix region of Quebec. It’s about a two hour and 15 minute drive north of Quebec City.
The best way to get there is to drive. Alternatively, there is also a private shuttle, operated by Quatre Natures, from Quebec City that runs to the park from May through October, although its schedule may be a bit tight to finish the whole Acropole des Draveurs hike.
Entering Parc national des Hautes‑Gorges-de-la-Rivière‑Malbaie
To hike the Acropole des Draveurs trail, you’ll need to enter Parc national des Hautes‑Gorges-de-la-Rivière‑Malbaie, which costs $10.10 CAD per adult to visit. You can either purchase tickets online or in person at the visitor’s center.
On weekdays, you’re allowed to drive to a parking lot near the actual trailhead. Even though my husband, Justin, and I purchased our tickets online, we had to wait in line at the visitors center to get a slip of paper from the ranger with a code to open the park’s gate.
On weekends or holidays, though, you have to take a complimentary shuttle from near the visitors center to the trailhead.
It starts running at 8 AM and, during busy periods, like in the fall, people can start lining up well before the first shuttle starts running. The shuttles operate continuously every ten minutes or so until about 5 or 6 PM, which will depend on when the sun sets. So be sure to check the schedule to day of your hike to make sure you don’t miss the last one!
Timing your visit to Acropole des Draveurs
One of the most important things to know about visiting Acropole des Draveurs is that hikers are required to start hiking the trail within a certain timeframe to ensure they’re not hiking down in the dark. If you arrive after this timeframe, you will not be allowed to hike on the trail.
Here are the permitted timeframes when hikers are allowed to start the trail:
- From the second Friday of June to September 2: Sunrise to 2 PM
- From September 3 to Monday of Thanksgiving weekend: Sunrise to 12 PM
Similarly, there are required timeframes when you have to turn around at the last viewpoint along the trail. A ranger hikes up and corals everyone downhill to make sure they’re off the trail at the time.
Here’s the turnaround time:
- From the second Friday of June to July 31: 5:30 PM
- From August 1st to September 2nd: 4:30 PM
- From September 3rd to 30th: 3:30 PM
- From October 1st until closing: 3 PM
So when you’re planning your trip, be sure to arrive with plenty of time to hike up and take any photos or videos before you’re herded back down the mountain by a ranger!
What to expect along the Acropole des Draveurs hike
The Acropole des Draveurs trail is pretty straightforward and well-marked.
From the trailhead, the rocky pathway almost immediately starts climbing steeply uphill through a forest, following along a small stream. You’ll stay along this forested trail until about 0.6 km in, where you’ll pop out into a small clearing, which provides the first vista over the Rivière Malbaie and the gorgeous surrounding valley. Most of the trail is heavily forested and the views of the surrounding valley are on the more limited side—so be sure to enjoy them when you can!
After drinking in the views here, the trail winds back into the forest and follows along seemingly countless tight switchbacks, with a mix of rocky stairs, built into the hillside and a steep dirt incline.
At 2.1 kilometers into the trail, it will flatten out for about half a kilometer, before it starts climbing uphill again, albeit, this time a bit less steeply Here, the pathway skirts around a pretty lake, Lac du Pic Chevelu—it’s buried pretty deep in the forest, but you’ll get occasional peek-a-boo glimpses of it through the trees.
After lots more tight switchbacks and rocky stairs, the trail will flatten out through the forest and, at 4.6 km in, you’ll finally emerge at the first of three viewpoints on top of the ridgeline for Montagne des Érables, with breathtaking views of the surrounding rocky granite cliffsides and the sweeping valley, almost 1,000 meters below.
Just be prepared for your breath to be taken away quite literally—it can get SUPER windy and cold here. When we hiked here, we actually didn’t get too close to the edge, because we were literally worried we were going to get blown off!
The trail continues on for another 0.6 kilometers, with a very gentle incline, to two other viewpoints, providing even better perspectives of the surrounding scenery and two nearby lakes, Lac du Moucherolle and Lac du Pic Maculé.
To be honest, it was SO cold and windy when we reached the top that we turned around at the first summit, but the view of the lakes from the third viewpoint looks stunning!
Once you’re done taking in the views from the summit, you simply turn around and retrace your steps back to the trailhead. There are some REALLY steep downhill sections, which are definitely tough on the knees, so I’d highly recommend bringing along some trekking poles!
When to hike Acropole des Draveurs
While Parc national des Hautes‑Gorges-de-la-Rivière‑Malbaie is open year-round, Acropole des Draveurs is only open from around the second Friday in June to the Monday of Canadian Thanksgiving weekend (i.e., the second week of October).
Accordingly, there’s really no bad time to hike on Acropole des Draveurs when it’s open—it should always be free of ice and snow.
That being said, the trail is at its most beautiful when the fall foliage is at its peak. This changes from year to year, but fall foliage typically happens from the last week of September to early October. You can track fall foliage in Quebec on this state-operated website, which is regularly updated, starting each September.
Just be prepared to share the trail with others during this period of time—it’s definitely one of the most popular fall hikes in Quebec!
The good news is that there are LOTS of cool fall hikes to enjoy in this region of Charlevoix, like Mont du Dôme in Zec Des Martres and L’Eperon Trail in Jacques-Cartier National Park.
Tips for hiking Acropole des Draveurs
Check the weather forecast
If you can visit Hautes‑Gorge on a day with limited or no clouds, I’d definitely recommend it. Clouds seem to drape over the top of the mountains in the national park, obscuring the views from the summit.
Not to worry if this happens when you visit. The summit was pretty socked in by the time we reached the top, but, after about half an hour of waiting, it cleared up enough to get some views of the surrounding valley. And, as we were hiking back to the trailhead, we noticed that the summit area was totally clear and sunny.
So it’s worth hanging out for a half hour or so at the top if it seems too cloudy in case the weather gods decide to smile upon you and have the views open up a bit.
Use the bathroom at the visitors center or the trailhead
There are a handful of outhouses along the trail, but they’re not regularly cleaned and honestly, REALLY disgusting. Be proactive and use the bathroom before getting on the trail, like the one at the visitor center or even the one at the trailhead, which is usually reasonably clean.
Leave your drone at home
We love our drone as much as the next person, but, unfortunately, like all Canadian National Parks, they’re strictly prohibited in Hautes‑Gorges. You can actually be fined up to $25,000 for flying one in the park!
I hope you love Acropole des Draveurs as much as we did—it’s one of our favorite hikes in Quebec! Do you have any questions about this trail? Let us know in the comments below!
