saguenay fjord national park

Unique, majestic and serene are words that come to mind. Rich in history and marine life, it is a bit off the beaten path, but that is what makes it so attractive and preserves its natural beauty. Accompanied by a very knowledgeable guide and interpreter, the 6-hour cruise we took from Tadoussac up the Fjord and back was enriching and entertaining. Harbor seals were soaking up the sun on the rocks across the river from Baie Éternité and Beluga whales played alongside the boat, all of it watched over by the ever present Notre-Dame-du-Saguenay Statue, or the Lady of the Saguenay, on top of the steep cliffs at Cap Trinité. Altogether, some 100 kilometes of hiking trails offer sweeping views from lookouts along the way, but the scenery is just as impressive from the shorelines and the many bays along Saguenay River; L'Anse-Saint-Jean, Anse du Petit-Saguenay and our favorite, L'Anse-Saint-Étienne. It is just a short ride from the village of Petit-Saguenay, and we came here during low tide to explore the vast delta with its immense and beautiful, sandy beaches. But to sum it up, there is something for everyone here; kayaking, canoeing, mountain biking, salmon fishing, and of course, downhill skiing and snowmobiling in wintertime. Yet Fall is what brings out the best in nature here, as you can see from the attached photos. In many ways, Autumn is to Saguenay country what Hanami - Spring's Cherry Blossom Festival - is to Japan; a literal explosion of colors, a metamorphosis that is awe-inspiring. To take full advantage of this glittering spectacle, we traveled north on the Mountain Road (Hwy 381) from Baie-Saint-Paul to La Baie, and Hwy 170 from La Baie to Saint-Siméon and Tadoussac. In Fall, if you are lucky, you will be able to observe thousands of snow geese resting on the shores in La Baie. And a final thought; make sure to taste the legendary, local blueberries. If this review has been helpful, please let me know by clicking on YES below.

We traveled the fjord by cruise ship. Unfortunatly we were too late in the year to find any tour of the fjord. We cruised in during dark and out during dusk so we didn't see much and would loved to have experienced it first hand. We tried very hard outside the cruise terminal to find a tour of the fjord. The man at the hop on hop off tour insisted "you are in the fjord, you are standing in it" he kept trying to push us on to the bus. We finally relented and got on after paying the $15. The bus did anything BUT tour the fjord. We had a very dissapointing tour. BUT having said that I would love to return when the tours are going and see more of it. The Park is beutiful.

We used this as a stopping point doing an rv trip around Quebec state. Amazing places all around this area, scenery is great. Reminded me of home in the highlands of Scotland. Folk were friendly, prices were good, and most were happy to give you tips and advice. Just remember, if coming from smaller countries, distances on maps look nothing. In reality they are far and tiring. Keep down the mileage you plan to do for a restful break!

We made this our base of operations for our whale watching excursion at Tadoussac. The Laurentian mountains provided a beautiful landscape with the fjord majestically cutting right through. The surrounding area provides ample opportunity for viewing sea mammals. We were lucky enough to see minke whales, fin whales, beluga whales and humpback whales as well as a couple species of seals. The area provides many opportunities for hiking, though be careful, there are many bears in the area.... we saw a few and stepped in more than one pile of crap.We had 2 kids with us, 12 and 8, there is plenty of things to do in the area to keep them entertained. We visited the musee du fjord which was a great way to spend a rainy day (at least a couple hours). If you plan on whale watching, we took an excursion out of Tadoussac which seemed to be the best as it was closest to the sanctuary. If you do make it to Tadoussac we highly recommend going east on the ferry to the Parks Canada land viewing centres. We saw a spectacular show of minke whales breaching the water while chasing schools of fish, luckily there was a parks Canada employee there to explain what they were doing.Surprisingly there are a few very nice beaches on the fjord, be sure and ask the park staff.The staff were extremely nice and helpful....even though my French was not the best. Do not let the language hold you back, everyone was glad that we tried and very accommodating.A couple things to be aware of........there was zero cell phone reception........really you're heading into the mountains, it's to be expected........Also the showers are paid 1$/4min which is pretty reasonable......Definitely worth the trip, and we would go back.

Our cruise ship stopped at this small town and were we ever surprised by it! To begin with the whole town practically came out to greet the ship. They were in period dress and had dancing and snacks for us.The area is gorgeous. We used the HO-HO bus to get around. They do two different buses for the same price--$15 each. The whole town and park is beautiful.

Many hiking trails, great guides and well maintained walkways. Saguenay Fjord is the s outermost fjord in the world. This 125 sq mile park protects the marine environment of a section of the St. Lawrence Estuary.

We sailed up Saguenay River on a perfect morning. Scenery is just beautiful and humbling. The story and the statue of Notre Dame du Saguenay (Our Lady of the Saguenay) is moving. Seeing the tall white statute watching over the river is memorable. There is no single must see point, but if you like gorgeous scenery, rivers, forests and nature then visit this place. I always feel privileged to be in these unspoilt havens.

We took a yellow glass roofed boat from La Baie to L'Anse St Jean returning by coach. The voyage was two hours long and uneventful. The fjord is not what we anticipated and certainly not in the Norwegian bracket. The same views can be had from a cruise ship arriving or departing so taking this trip is duplicating this if you are on a ship, as we were! The boat holds over 100 passengers and is well equipped with a refreshment bar and toilets. Folks rushed to sit upstairs, outside but the cold soon drove all but the hardiest of souls down into the warmth.

We opted to rent a car and drive to the National Park. It cost $7.50 to access the park and from St. Jean we viewed the fjords from viewing platforms. If you like to hike there are many trails. We drove to another access and decided to hike to the Madonna. Big mistake. It is a long long way and we turned back after an hour hike up, then another hour back. There were a few viewing platforms along the way but we just did not have the time or energy to go all the way to the Madonna. We bought a postcard of her in the gift shop instead.

We went on a zodiac ride on the fjord. The scenery is breathtaking! !!!! You get to see the 8 meter tall Madonna out in the wilderness. We saw seals also. Good explanations are given about the creation of the fjord millions of years ago and about the marine life.

Wonderful scenery, great people, whale watching, kayaking, and much more! Do not miss the chance to see when in Quebec

We camped at Baie-Sainte-Marguerite for three nights, and it was an unforgettable experience. Our campsite was on the water, so we had a fantastic view of the tide coming and going, beautiful sunsets, and gorgeous starry nights. It was a short walk to the lookout with the beluga interpreter. We could climb down to the beach from our campsite, where we swam and watched the belugas playing for hours. They were so close we could hear the sound of their breathing!The walk in is 2.3km, but it's a nice gravel pathway with just a few small hills - I would consider a bicycle on a future trip. The park rents carts, which we didn't know in advance. We were quite pleased to discover that we didn't need to pack everything in on our own backs. The only hitch is that you have to take everything across the suspension bridge by hand and then repack into a different cart.We were also a bit surprised to find a very nice pavillion with flush toilets and a large room with tables and a sink where we could do dishes. We were lucky to have good weather but it was nice to know that there was a place to go for shelter if the weather turned ugly.Overall, an amazing experience and we plan to do it again.

In the end of June we spent a week in Saguenay Fjord National Park area; we lived at L’Anse Saint-Jean. There are 4 sectors in a park and a few entrances to the park. We visited 2 sectors: L’Anse-Saint-Jean Sector & Baie-Éternité Sector. Entrance fee to the park is $7.50 per person, per day. We did a few hikes in Saguenay Fjord National Park including: • La grosse chute (nice short hike 3km roundtrip to a beautiful waterfall) • Anse-de-Tabatière (short & easy 0.5 km loop hike to a fantastic view of Fjord from different view points) • Lac April (skip it – strenuous hike through woods to almost disappeared lake) • Montagne Blanche (long and strenuous hike, 13.8 km roundtrip, with beautiful view of La grosse chute waterfall from above and view of Fjord and area)• From l’Anse-Saint-Jean to Petit-Saguenay (we did half of the hike and back ~10 km, beautiful views of Fjord, Intermediate difficulty) • Notre-Dame-du-Saguenay Statue (Intermediate to difficult hike,7km roundtrip, a lot of steps up & down, but beautiful views, the best of all hikes that we did, also great job by ranger)We did hikes in order that I listed above. I will recommend this order. Some hikes were better marked and were in better condition than other. Don’t forget mosquito repellent!Kayaking is also available in the parkWe enjoyed the area a lot!

Baie St. Marguerite - trail is 3 km each way, easy gradation, great for kids with a suspension foot bridge over river and amazing beach in the bay. Kids can explore out 200+ meters at low tide in the shallow waters. Beautifully maintained, and nice information house/snack bar/gift shop at beginning. We went at low tide in July (noon to 4pm) and had a wonderful hike. Belugas come at high tide which was around 9am or 5-6pm, so we missed them but one sees belugas many places in the area. Great day trip and way to experience the fjord. Worth considering staying in one of their ready-made camping tents or cottages for the next visit.

Such a beautiful place! So much to do!Saguenay Fjord National Park (which is actually a Quebec Provincial Park) connects to the St-Lawrence-Saguenay National Marine Park (which is a true national park) and makes for an immense area to explore.We did some of the trails near Baie-Ste-Marguerite and saw beluga swimming in the river during low tide. The hike is easy enough with a really good trail (small vehicles can travel this trail) but it's 4km each way. There are times of day that are better than others to see the beluga, so check with park staff before you go.The views of the fjords, Saguenay River and its smaller tributaries, and the whales are simply incredible! An experience you will not soon forget!