PandemQuébec Trip Part 2: Parc National des Grand-Jardins - Arthabaska Water Trail

Leaving Mont-Tremblant might have made us sad, were we not headed directly for a park we absolutely adore.

And about which we were going find even more to delight us!

We made our first visit to Parc National des Grands-Jardins in June of 2016, and it was our first experience climbing via ferrata - we fell in love with the breathtaking mountainscape and vowed to return to explore it more thoroughly, as there are several hiking trails and other things to discover. When we began to plan our 2020 trip, it was actually the first campsite I reserved, partly because the Pied-des-Monts campground was already quite booked up. I chose us a site that seemed to have a mountain view, and did a bit of research on paddling opportunities as I knew we'd be taking my board and Tanker's kayak. Since the mountain we'd climbed for via ferrata was "Mont du Lac-des-Cygnes" (Swan Lake Mountain), I figured there must be something close by...but it turns out Swan Lake itself is actually outside the park.

Side benefit of visiting Grands-Jardins - you drive right past La Chute-Montmorency on the way!

I did, however, find out about a water trail that spanned 5km from Lac Arthabaska down to Wabano Dam - it was in a different secteur of the park, but only a 20-ish minute drive away. So, we planned to investigate that when we arrived, as there was precious little information I could find online.

This wasn't a lot to go on.

We figured it would all make sense when we got there, so off we went.

The mountains are calling..

Not having cleared Québec City until after 5:30pm, we made sure to pick up some firewood when we stopped for gas & groceries in Baie-Saint-Paul. We were pushing our poor little car hard as we climbed into the heart of the mountains of Charlevoix, loaded as she was with watercraft and camping gear. Fortunately with a 5-speed it's no trouble to drop a gear, and while we might have ended up in 2nd a couple of times (yikes!), she took it like a champ!

The road goes up and the sun goes down
(Yes, our windshield could use a good cleaning)

It was 7pm by the time we arrived, and it gets dark fast in the mountains...but fortunately we're quite practiced at pitching our gear, so by 7:30pm we were nicely accommodated and putting on warmer clothes. While the temperatures at Mont-Tremblant had not dipped below about 14c with hot, sunny days, it was predicted to be a clear night with a low of 7c that would feel like 5c in the chill wind, and the drop from that region's high for the day of 17c had definitely begun by the time we got there!

The Pied-des-Monts (Foot of the Mountain) campground is aptly named

More clothing than either of us had worn in weeks - a refreshing break from the heatwave!

The clear skies exploded into an endless tapestry of brilliant stars as we lit a campfire and enjoyed a delicious dinner of rice and veggies and steak, then we rolled into our cozy bed below the peaks to rest up for the next day's adventures.

Listen to me: there's no reason to relegate yourself to weenies and marshmallows when camping. You can cook much more nourishing meals, which will keep you stronger and healthier to enjoy the experience!

We awoke to brilliant sunshine and a predicted high of 22c, with virtually no chance of precipitation. 

I will never tire of waking up to this.

Since I'd ended up running longer than expected at Mont-Tremblant and we'd had less time to paddle than we hoped as a result, we decided to check out the water trail first thing so we'd have plenty of opportunity to explore it to our heart's content.

But first: COFFEE
(with no pants)

I made us a filling breakfast of bacon & egg bagel sandwiches, then made a couple of hefty regular sammiches of turkey deli meat to take along with us, as we'd heard the whole water trail was about a four hour round-trip. I even found dessert around the edges of our campsite!

The tiniest strawberries I've ever seen, but they packed huge flavour!

We were pretty lazy about getting moving, but eventually we were in our paddling gear and loaded into the car for the trip to the Arthabaska Visitor Centre. The drive alone was worth the price of admission!

The really craggy bits are in the Mont du Lac-des-Cygnes area

Softer, more forested hills abound in Arthabaska, along a road just made for motorcycles!

A dramatic river valley runs alongside the road

Arriving at the Arthabaska Visitor Centre, we asked about a map of the water trail, but were told that they only have one copy for the centre and it's really easy to follow. I took a photo, then looked closer and had to have a bit of a discussion with Tanker.

"Présence de roches et de petits rapides" (Presence of rocks and small rapids)

I was definitely not up for trying to shoot rapids on my designed-for-smooth-water paddleboard, with its 10" fin that means lovely tracking but is also a major falling hazard when it catches on rocks in shallow water (board stops suddenly, and I fall to my knees on the board at best). I also wasn't sure I was up for portaging, so we decided we'd leave the sammiches and extra nalgenes of water in the car, and just go paddle as much as we felt like, especially since it was already half past noon.

Neat caribou display outside the Visitor Centre

We drove the car down to the top of the big, sandy hill down to the water, and unloaded our watercraft. Tanker parked the car back in the Visitor Centre lot, while I carried my board - carefully, in the gusty on-shore wind - down to the edge of the lake, then walked back up to help Tank carry his boat and gear down to get prepared. As I attached my leash, extended my paddle, and waded into the water to try to get deep enough for my fin, a young man strolled down the beach into the lake ahead of me and turned to speak to me in French - something about the wind. When I looked at him quizzically, trying to work out what he'd said (my comprehension is pretty good when I'm reading, but I find it much more challenging to decipher spoken French), he continued in English - telling me I should maybe head for one side of the lake where the winds were lighter, and maybe I should stay on my knees until I got over there. I told him I'd been paddling for quite awhile and wasn't too concerned, but thanks anyway. I made sure Tank was about ready to launch, got on my board on my knees and then quickly popped to my feet, then paddled at a good clip away from the mansplainer, directly upwind across the middle of Lac Arthabaska. Heck that guy - if you really want to offer advice, maybe try someone who is using a rental board, not someone who brought their own. I may look chubby and awkward (ok, I am chubby and awkward), but I don't have to look like an athlete in order to pull water.

"Boy BYE"
(Photo by Tanker, who reports the other dude just stood there with his mouth hanging open as I zoomed away)

Tank in his kayak, with the Visitor Centre at left, and a tiny speck of mansplainer back on the beach

My annoyance was quickly replaced by joy and gratitude for the chance to paddle among such beautiful surroundings.

The wind was stiff, but hadn't blown up much chop yet, so we had a pretty pleasant time paddling across the lake to its southern outflow.

It was only getting prettier!

As we passed a narrow strip of land into more of a river-like environment, I noticed a blue sign on a metal post - they had actually put up a map!

I couldn't get very close, as the water was shallower than my fin would permit.

Tanker caught up to me by this point, and as we came into the lee of the land and the wind diminished a bit, we lazily made our way along.

I had my phone in a waterproof pouch, and he had our waterproof camera.
The photos are a mix of the two.

Headed downstream

It was only another minute or two before an obstacle appeared - we'd already reached the Arthabaska Dam!

At which point I decided I wasn't done yet.

It really way quite a short postage anyway

Barrage Arthabaska 

A brilliant chunk of quartz I spotted on the postage; picked it up to take a photo, then put it right back where I found it

For a predicted high of 22c, we were both starting to overheat in our sun shirts, so like idiots we took them off and stowed them in Tank's kayak before we launched into the narrow stream below the dam.

With as fast-flowing and shallow as this section was, I wondered how difficult it might be to paddle back upstream..

Tank took the lead for a bit

The view from his kayak

Poor fellow had a dork on his tail..

Paddling along, we soon reached a wooden bridge over the river that required me to duck underneath, but also had another map attached to it.

This one I could actually get close enough to read.

We followed the river in winding curves as it widened out, but remained quite shallow.

Also very calm and wind-shadowed, which was nice.

It wasn't to last, though - as we emerged into Pemmican Lake, the wind hit us full-force once more.

Still not much chop, though - I was glad we'd got after it earlier in the day, before anything nasty blew up.

RAMMING SPEED

Finding a spot with a bit more shelter from the wind, we stopped paddling and just drifted for a few minutes while I had a really good drink off my nalgene. Unfortunately, this is where the danged horseflies made their appearance - within moments my right foot had been viciously attacked, and was starting to swell. Time to go!

As we headed south out of Lac Pemmican, I suddenly remembered something about "presence of rocks and small rapids.."

We'd definitely found some rocks

I decided to give it a try, as my polarized sunglasses offered a pretty decent view of any rocks close enough to the surface of the water to snag my fin. It took some careful maneuvering, though, as the wind tried to blow me around and I picked a circuitous route through the submerged obstacles. I had to stay alert.

Which meant no selfies for a few minutes - mon dieu!

I was starting to feel pretty confident about completing the whole water trail, when the "small rapid" hove into view.

Approaching with caution.

Upon initial inspection, it seemed like the best course was to portage my board around the rapid, as the water was only a handful of inches deep and certainly wouldn't permit my fin to pass. Tanker kindly offered to carry it for me, and even gave me the option of paddling the little rapid in his kayak if I'd like. 

I was highly tempted, as I do have some whitewater experience in kayaks and canoes..

We moved in closer, then tried to stay out of the way as a mature couple coming the other way climbed out of their canoe and began to tow it up the rapid while I picked my way across the rocks with my board in hand. The problem was that the rounded riverstone offered rather treacherous footing, particularly with the wind catching my paddleboard like a sail and trying to set me off balance. I was still being attacked by horseflies, too, which was agitating me to no end.

It was so tempting just to try it in Tank's yak..

Tanker made one final offer - to carry both my board and his yak both ways so we could continue down to Wabano Dam and the end of the water trail. I considered this, while a lone gosling suddenly appeared swimming and waddling over the rock to get up through the rapid, wandered right past me, then took off at turbo speed in the swift water above us.

Fuzzy on the move!

As the older couple passed us, they spoke first in French and then in English, telling us they'd capsized earlier and swamped their boat, but luckily had been able to reach shallows to tip it out and get on their way again. That - along with the fact I'd drank more than half the water I had on hand, and the sun seemed to be getting even hotter - was the last straw for me. Tank's sit-on-top kayak is made for angling on smooth water; it had nowhere to brace knees for proper control in a rapid, and I had no helmet to protect my head from the unforgiving rocks. We'd made it almost exactly 4km out of the full 5km water trail, and while I'd have loved to have seen the rest, it simply wasn't the day for it. We had big plans for later in our trip, and they required me to be in very good physical condition; I couldn't risk an injury, so we turned around there and headed back.

Through all the rocks again.

I had a bit of a scare anyway, as my fin caught a rock I either hadn't noticed or had thought I was already past, then bumped up and over it - my board stopped momentarily, throwing me forward so I nearly fell to my knees, then as I tried to compensate it shot forward again so I nearly toppled backward. I was just barely able to keep my balance, and took a moment to breathe deeply afterward; had I fallen backward, I might have struck my head on the same rock my fin had hit, lurking just below the water.

Then another horsefly started circling and biting me, so I paddled out of there as fast as I could.

Noping the heck out.

The tailwind back across Lac Pemmican was nice, though it made it easier for the horseflies to keep pace with me - I started killing them, flipping them off, and hurling insults. Only one of these things actually had any effect on them, and I sustained a few more bites.

I'LL TELL YA WHAT YOU CAN BITE

I could feel myself baking in the sun as we made our way back upstream, and vowed to put my sun shirt back on when we reached the dam - hot or not, I needed the shade!

None to be found out here

The return trip went by quite quickly, I suppose as I spent more time paddling (and slapping at flies) and less time taking photos. Soon we arrived back at Barrage Arthabaska, and the current was fortunately easier than I expected to overcome.

You can just barely see the fish ladder on the right hand side

Tank portaging his yak, with some fresh new scratches from the rocky section above the rapid.

There were dozens of other people out on the water trail on that beautiful afternoon, mostly using rented kayaks and paddleboards - Sepaq had set up bottles of disinfectant spray and paper towels with posters about the best practices for sanitizing between renters right at the racks above the beach.

I had the bright idea to soak our sun shirts in the water so we could benefit from both cooling and shade, so we both dunked, suited up, and got back to paddling.

Now down to my last sip of water and with my shoulders getting tired, I was kinda ready to be done.
Clearly, turning back was a good decision.
Also: horseflies are jerks.

Tank was in the same boat...or rather in his own boat.
But, he apparently wasn't troubled by horseflies.
I tried not to be bitter about this.

Back on shore once more.

We left Tank's boat on the beach while I carried my board and gear up the big hill, past the rental racks, while Tank wandered off to the parking lot to get the car and bring it down so we could load up. 

One last look at Lac Arthabaska, and the rather empty rental boat racks

We were tired and sunburned, but had a really wonderful experience - we'll have to go back sometime and maybe rent sit-in kayaks so I can check out that rapid after all!

Wheee!
(My Garmin data is here, if anyone is interested)

We stopped into the Visitor Centre once more to buy 2 more bundles of firewood, as it was going to be another chilly night and we'd burned most of what we'd brought up the night before. We also had more plans for later in the day, so wanted to make sure we didn't miss our opportunity, as opening times have been reduced somewhat during the pandemic. We decided not to eat our sandwiches until we got back to our campsite to change, and got on the road back "home".

Just as beautiful on the way out.

We'd only driven for a couple of minutes when I spotted a picnic table that seemed to be stuck on the side of a mountain, overlooking the dramatic river valley we'd passed on the way in. I saw a turnout up ahead and asked Tank if he'd like to have a picnic, to which the answer was an emphatic turn of the wheel and foot on the brakes!

As lunch spots go, this one was definitely a winner!

We had our simple lunch of turkey sammiches and water, while marveling at the beauty of the alpine landacape around us.

I could gaze off into those rolling hills for ages.

Happy punks!

The water trail was an amazing experience, even if it was not without some fallout: Tanker got both of his shins badly burned, as he'd relied only on his sun shirt for sun protection and not sunblocked his legs. Me? I might have done the same, but it wasn't my shins..

Crap.

That was less of an immediate concern than my right foot, though - it had swelled up alarmingly from the half-dozen horsefly bites around the top of my arch and ankle.

Not to mention the pain and itching...but I needed to be able to put on shoes for what we had planned next!

Still, I'd highly recommend it to anyone interested in exploring a beautiful landscape by water. The trail offers loads of options - including a side trip into Islet Lake that we didn't do, accessible via a 10m haul-over portage - for everyone from first timers through experienced paddlers, and it would be difficult for anyone but the most addled to get lost. With kayak, canoe, and paddleboard rentals available for a reasonable cost (including PFDs and safety kits), you needn't let lack of equipment stop you, either!

Such fun!

The rest of that day's adventures will have to wait until next week, though - we need to pack for a quick little local trip we're heading out for tomorrow. Enjoy the long weekend everyone!