Spent a wonderful afternoon at the Cascades (falls). These weren't waterfalls as you would see, say at Niagara. The flow of water (in July) was gentle enough in some areas for little kids to play in yet strong enough in other areas that a man could be knocked off his feet. The water flowed such that it formed small, shallow pools for one to sit in and cool off. Careful, some of the rocks are slippery. Bring insect repellant for the mosquitoes and horseflies. Also watch out for leeches. Bring water and something to eat or you'll have to return to the snack bar near the parking lot.
Our 3 day stay in Parc de La Mauricie were one of the highlights of our trip to Canada. We stayed inside the park, in one of the OTentTik bungalows (it was not cheap, but very comfortable, quiet and worthwhile, with everything we needed). The park itself was very beautiful and peaceful. The trails were marked and not crowded and wildlife was all around us. A true holiday :) Hope to return soon.
The roads in this park are well-maintained. We enjoyed great scenery and tried to imagine how all of the various shades of green would look in the fall (Guess we'll have to come back and find out). A young lady at the Info Center was very helpful. The parkway is 62 km and can easily be done in about 3 hours if you just want to soak in the scenery and have a picnic lunch.
Drove from Trois Rivieres to the park . Travelled through traditional small quebecois villages, beautiful and very hospitable people. At the end we got to the park and were astonished with the beauty and abundance of the natural resources.We didn t camp and used a day pass. We spent 8 hours to go through the scenic paths and walks . it is absolutely a unique experience of beauty, peace and magnificent serenity
I've made a number of trips to this national park and each time I come away with great memories, particularly on the incredibly friendly and helpful staff. I recently traveled to Mauricie for a cross-country ski race (Le Yeti) with my kids and left one pair of skis behind. The Parc Canada employee took the time to find my phone number from the race registration list and offered to package and ship them back to me by bus -- on his day off! Certainly not the often typical not-my-job attitude I've faced at some of the provincial parks. And make sure to stop in Shawinigan for some finger-lickin' good french fries on the main strip -- calorie-watchers and cardiac patients should abstain.
We camped for three nights at Wapizagonke campground with our 5 kids. I highly recommend this park. There is two park entrances with visitors centre but the one near St-Jean-des-Piles has some exhibitions which the kids enjoyed and you can also watch a 3D movie about the park. You can also pick up the Xplorer booklet for the kids. It is the same principle as the Junior ranger program in the US where kids do some activities and fill out the booklet. When completed, they get a medal. The Wapizagonke lake was nice for swimming so was lake Edouard. We did a few hikes. The trails were well marked and beautiful. Also, the viewpoint Le passage is a must see.
One of the best parks in the system and often ignored by many people. Beautiful lakes and super services. To get the most out of it visit the official website. Also open in the winter.
I go to this Park at least 3 times a year. Twice in summer and once in fall. I have seen the area around Lac Gabet and the areas closest to the park's entrances. I have also seen the magnifcent view of Iles Aux Pins. I don't go deep inside the park because I do not like canoeing. There is something for everyone is this park: the diehard outdoor person, the amateur, the nature lover, families, or a person who just wants to breathe pure air and get out of the city for awhile. No one is disappointed. I keep going back and I am not the diehard outdoor person. I would want to camp next time. Even if you are reluctant to stay in a tent, there are cabins that you can rent by the Lac des Peches. It is worth it. All your stress will go away even if you only stay 4 hours in this park.
The parkoffers possibilities for everyone: long or short hikes, canoeing, ... We especially liked the hike to Chute Waber: first canoeing, then walking to the waterfalls, then returning by canoe.The people in the visitor centre are extremely gentlly and helpful.
We drove through the park from the Shawinigan entrance to the St.-Jean-des-Piles exit/entrance, which runs under an hour, viewing quiet, forest-filled landscapes of lakes and valleys. We regret not going to Le Passage viewpoint because you are very high up and we drove by vistas of majestic nature. We did stop and hike Les Cascades trail, which is easy and allows you to have a quick dip into the shallow lake/waterfalls at the Shewenegan stopover. My kids loved the break and the frogs that were hiding out in the area! The Parc family pass for the day costs under $20.