Chemin de la Réserve faunique des Laurentides — Route du Lac Jacques-Cartier Circuit

The Réserve faunique des Laurentides sits on the Canadian Shield plateau north of Quebec City, and the forestry roads lacing its interior are the real deal — think washboarded gravel, mud holes that swallow axles after rain, and river fords that change character every spring thaw. The circuit around Lac Jacques-Cartier is a reference point locals use: you pick up the main forestry road off Route 175, push north through stands of black spruce and jack pine, cross the Jacques-Cartier River twice, and work your way around the lake’s eastern arm past abandoned warden cabins and moose wallows that outnumber the kilometre markers. The reserve is actively managed for hunting and fishing, so expect logging trucks in season — pull tight and let them through.

This is genuine backcountry. High clearance is mandatory; a locking differential saves you on the mud climbs after July rains. The reserve charges day-use and camping fees — pay at the Portneuf-sur-Mer sector entrance or online via Sépaq before you leave pavement. Best season is late June through September; spring thaw (April–May) closes several sectors entirely. Fuel up in Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury — there is nothing inside. Cell service dies at the Route 175 turn. What you get is genuine boreal solitude, excellent moose country, and lakeside dispersed camping that still feels earned.