Trail of the Lac-à-l’Empêche and the du Four Mountains

Length: 14 kilometers, loop + 7 kilometers round trip (3.5 km one way) from the parking lot.
Difficulty: Difficult (+585m, -585m)

This trail takes us through a landscape of taiga and tundra while offering spectacular views of the surrounding high plateaus. It features vast expanses of lichens and subarctic plants. Please be careful not to trample on this extremely delicate vegetation which takes years to regenerate.

“In the ranking of the most beautiful hikes to do in Quebec, it should be in the top tier.”

– Yves Ouellet, Le Soleil newspaper

Hikers will even be amazed to see debris from a military plane that crashed in the area in 1955!

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Access: through the entrance of the Zec des Martres located at km 26.8 on Route 381. The parking lot is located about 500 meters behind the Zec des Martres reception office.

The Zec requires an access fee of $14.35 per vehicle for the use of the road leading to Lac-à-l’Écluse, where the trail begins (it is possible to drive on the road, but parking at Lac-à-L’Écluse is not allowed). There is also a mandatory $6 fee for the parking located 3.5 km from the trailhead. It is forbidden to park at Lac-à-l’Écluse if you do not have a permit. The fees do not cover the maintenance of the hiking trails supported by our organization. We suggest a contribution of $7 per person for the use of our trails.

Pro tip: To get to the trailhead more quickly, bring your bike (dirt road)!

Caution: The Zec road is not maintained during the winter.