Chemin du Lac Jérôme — Réserve faunique des Laurentides Northern Plateau Circuit

North of Quebec City, the Réserve faunique des Laurentides swallows you whole. The Chemin du Lac Jérôme punches into the reserve’s northern plateau from the Route 175 corridor, climbing through mixed boreal forest onto exposed Canadian Shield terrain where the road surface alternates between washboarded gravel, exposed bedrock ledges, and soft clay that turns treacherous after rain. The Rivière aux Écorces crossing at roughly the midpoint is the route’s key obstacle — a shallow but wide ford with no bridge, running fast in spring and early summer. Logged sections give way to old-growth pockets where moose stand in the road like they own the place, because up here they do.

This is a moderate to difficult overland route depending heavily on seasonal conditions. High-clearance 4WD is mandatory after June rains or during spring breakup; a stock Tacoma or 4Runner is the minimum sensible vehicle. The reserve charges a day-use access fee at the main gate on Route 175 — carry cash. Fuel in Stoneham or Chicoutimi before you commit; there is nothing inside. Best run July through September before October snows start sticking to the plateau. Dispersed camping is permitted in designated zones along the route. You earn absolute solitude and a sky full of stars that urban Quebec residents forget exists.