Forillon National Park

You'll find Forillon National Park of Canada (French: Parc national du Canada Forillon) at the final Land's End of Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula, where the mighty Chic-Choc Mountains collide head-on with the sea. Its unique landscape — an intoxicating juxtaposition of forests, mountains, and shore — means Forillon is a varied place that wears many hats. For hikers and nature lovers, there are nearly 72 km (45 miles) of trails that pass through ten distinct ecosystems, each with a cornucopia of diverse plant and animal life. If getting out on the water is your game, there are whale watching cruises, sea kayaking and paddleboarding excursions — or perhaps you'd rather just bask in the warm, shallow waters of Penouille Beach. Even history buffs have a place at Forillon's table, with a beautifully preserved 19th-century fishing village that pays homage to the hardworking families of old that made their living off the rich bounty of the sea.

Understand
Located at the far northeastern extremity of the Gaspé Peninsula, Forillon National Park is a roughly triangular expanse of 242 km² (94 square miles) sandwiched between Gaspé Bay and the St. Lawrence Estuary. The Canadian national park is contained entirely within the municipality of Gaspé, and the main entrance is only 15 minutes by car from the town centre.

History
For several millennia before the arrival of Europeans, what is now Forillon National Park was known to the local Mi'kmaq people (and, earlier, the rival Mohawks as well) as a fertile hunting and fishing ground. As well, — a long, rocky sand spit extending off the south shore of the park into Gaspé Bay — was a source of stone used to produce arrowheads and other tools, with archaeological excavations unearthing chipped rock, fire pits, and pottery dating back as far as 600 BC.

Although the cod that once teemed in the adjacent Gulf of St. Lawrence attracted a motley mixture of Basque, Spanish, Portuguese, and French fishermen to the region beginning shortly after Columbus' voyage, the first European to extensively explore the region around Forillon was Jacques Cartier, who, in 1534, sailed past Cap Gaspé and briefly anchored in Gaspé Bay to wait out a passing storm, before coming ashore in what's now the city of Gaspé to claim the entire region for the French crown: the birth of the colony of New France.



Despite European colonial ambitions and the enduring popularity of the surrounding waters with fishermen, it wasn't until two hundred years after Cartier's voyage — by which time Great Britain had conquered all of France's colonial holdings in what is now Canada — that the first permanent European settlements on the Gaspé Peninsula itself were established. The largest village located within what is now Forillon was Grande-Grave, which thrived in the 19th century as a fish processing centre and site of the main offices of William Hyman and Sons. Grande-Grave was named for its large pebble beach (grave in archaic French) which locals found to be an ideal site to dry and salt their catch in preparation for export to Europe. As well, there was a small farming and logging community at L'Anse-au-Griffon, on what is today the north shore of the park. The Gaspesian fishing economy thrived into the beginning of the 20th century, but declining catches coupled with the impacts of the Great Depression and World War II brought the fishing industry into a sharp decline that it was never really able to extract itself from.

The Canadian government's establishment of Forillon National Park in 1970 was extremely controversial: the private firm contracted to evict the 100 or so families who were living within the boundaries of the proposed park was said to have used bullying tactics to scare them into selling their land to the government at less than market value. The former residents of Forillon finally received an official apology from the government in 2011. The same year, Parks Canada introduced a program through which all entrance fees to Forillon were waived for those whose land was expropriated for the creation of the park, as well as their children and grandchildren (and spouses thereof), and which allows free access to cemeteries, former home sites, and other places of personal importance. Special commemorative events and reunions for former residents are also held occasionally.

Landscape
Forillon may be small in size, but there's a mind-boggling diversity of landscapes packed into it. Like the Gaspé Peninsula as a whole, the majority of the park's infrastructure (and visitors) hug the shoreline. Near the water you'll find the park's best-known feature: Cap Gaspé, the rocky headland at the tip of the peninsula that gives the region its name (from gespeg, a Mi'kmaq term meaning "land's end"). But that's just the beginning of the story: on Forillon's shores there are also fossil-rich seaside cliffs, dazzling rock formations (it's thought that the word forillon refers to an offshore sea stack that has since crumbled into the ocean), quiet pebble beaches where century-old fishing shacks still stand, salt marshes, and sand dunes. The park's boundaries also extend offshore for a short distance, protecting the rich eelgrass beds (most abundant in the shallows off La Penouille) and the abundant marine and bird life that live, feed and breed among them.

Away from the water lies a different world entirely: the intrepid backcountry campers and hikers that penetrate the interior hinterlands (often via the International Appalachian Trail, the mainland portion of which ends at Cap Gaspé) can lope over craggy mountains blanketed in thick forests, and fish in cool mountain lakes and fast-flowing, crystal-clear streams.

Flora and fauna
To match its wide range of landscapes, the park boasts an equally wide range of animal and plant life that are found in the various habitats. The diversity of Forillon's fauna is perhaps best displayed by its bird life, with over 225 species making their home here for all or part of the year. Seabirds are especially numerous: the waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence are a copiously abundant food source for razorbill, black guillemot, double-crested cormorant, and, especially in the vicinity of, black-legged kittiwake. Other birds stay close to shore: on the wave-lapped pebble beaches you're liable to find specimens of sandpiper, common tern, osprey, and the great blue herons that flock to the salt marshes at La Penouille to feed. The shoreline is also home to four species of seal and porpoise, and whales — fin, humpback, minke, pilot, and even the elusive blue whale — are a common sight in nearby waters.



In Forillon's forested interior you'll find still more birds: an assortment of species common to eastern Canada such as thrushes, warblers, woodpeckers, and sparrows abound, and there are also rough-legged hawks, American kestrels, and other birds of prey. The forests are also home to beaver, red fox, coyote, red squirrel, ermine, porcupine, eastern chipmunk, moose, and black bear (see the Stay safe section for more on the latter two).

Speaking of the forest: thick stands of birch, maple, and balsam fir cover 95% of the surface area of the park, making up by one measure the bulk of its plant life. But Forillon's flora is, once again, diverse — much more so than at first blush. Higher up in the mountains as well as on the faces of the seaside cliffs, exposed to the full force of the winds that whip over the Gulf of St. Lawrence, you'll find plant life that's more typical of the Arctic tundra: Forillon's populations of purple mountain saxifrage, white dryad, and tufted saxifrage are relics from thousands of years ago, when the glaciers of the last Ice Age had only just begun to recede and the climate of the region was far colder than today.

Closer to shore, the brackish waters around La Penouille and in other marshlands along the coast play host to salt meadow grass, Carolina sea lavender, and other plants that provide an important food source for shore birds, shallow-water fish, and insects. The eelgrass beds that lie just offshore are a similarly important component of Forillon's marine ecosystem.

Climate
Given its northerly latitude, Forillon's climate is surprisingly mild: the moderating influence of the Gulf of St. Lawrence tempers extremes of both summer heat and winter cold, and also assures ample precipitation all year round.

If you're arriving from further-south Quebec, you'll notice it's quite a bit chillier than whence you came, with daytime highs seldom climbing much higher than 25°C (77°F) even in the height of summer, and overnight lows around 10°C (50°F). An interesting summertime phenomenon well-known to local sailors are the easterly thermal breezes that occur on Forillon's south shore in the morning and afternoon, caused by the confluence of the warm waters of Gaspé Bay with the cooler air of the open sea. These breezes generally reach their maximum strength — about 25-30 km/h (15-20 mph) — between 12:00 and 14:00, and die down by 18:00.

Conversely, if you're planning to be one of the few wintertime visitors to this part of the world, you'll be happy to know that temperatures in Forillon are generally comparable to Montreal and actually a bit warmer than Quebec City: a typical January day sees a high of -7°C (20°F) and a low around -18°C (0°F). However, as in the rest of Gaspé, winters are extremely snowy, with almost 4 metres (over 12 feet) of the white stuff falling on the park in the average year, generally between November and April. All park services shut down between mid-October and the beginning of June (see the Fees and permits section below) and mobile phone service is spotty, so if you get stuck in a blizzard you'll likely have to fend for yourself.

Visitor information
Maps, brochures, and other park information are available in season at Forillon's two visitor centres:
 * Park website


 * (Centre d'accueil et de renseignements L'Anse-au-Griffon).
 * (Centre d'accueil et de renseignements La Penouille).

By car
As elsewhere in the Gaspé Peninsula, the main road to and from Forillon is Provincial Route 132, a lasso-shaped route that circumnavigates the entire peninsula. If, like most visitors, you're arriving from the direction of Montreal or Quebec City, take Autoroute 20 (A-20) eastbound to the end of the road at Trois-Pistoles, where you'll pick up Route 132 heading toward the Gaspé. Forillon is 915 km (570 miles) from Montreal and 700 km (430 miles) from Quebec City — a 9½-hour and 7-hour drive respectively, assuming ideal traffic conditions — and stunning scenery abounds, especially the closer you get to the park.

If you're arriving from the Maritimes or certain parts of eastern New England, the route through New Brunswick may be a more direct alternative. Take New Brunswick Provincial Route 17 to Campbellton, then cross the bridge into Quebec where you'll pick up Route 132 headed east through the Chaleur Bay region and Gaspé. Forillon is a little over four hours past the bridge, a distance of about 325 km (200 miles).

Forillon's main entrance is located in the southern sector of the park at La Penouille, about 19 km (12 miles) from downtown Gaspé via Route 132 ouest (west). From there, it's another 14 km (9 miles) via Route 132 and Boulevard de Grande-Grave to the tollbooth at Petit-Gaspé, where you pay the park entrance fee. There's also a secondary entrance and tollbooth in the northern sector at Cap-des-Rosiers, which may be more useful to those travelling along the south shore of the St. Lawrence Estuary without stopping in Gaspé first.

By plane
In most cases, taking a flight to Forillon means landing at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (Aéroport international Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau) in Montreal or Jean Lesage International Airport (Aéroport international Jean-Lesage)  in Quebec City, then continuing by car via A-20 and Route 132.

Another option is to hop a connecting flight on Air Canada Express from either of those two airports to Michel Pouliot Airport (Aéroport Michel-Pouliot) in Gaspé; round-trip ticket prices start at about $800 from Montreal-Trudeau and about $750 from Quebec City. (If you are coming from the Îles de la Madeleine, there are direct flights from there as well.) There is a National car rental office on the airport property, as well as Budget, Sauvageau, and Thrifty facilities elsewhere in Gaspé, from which you can rent a car for the 20-minute drive from the airport to Forillon's main entrance at La Penouille.

By bike
The tentacles of the Route Verte, Quebec's interconnected, provincewide network of dedicated bike paths and lanes that's the largest on the American continent, extend to Forillon as well. Route Verte 1 enters the park from the north as a dedicated bike lane on the paved shoulder of Route 132. At L'Anse-au-Griffon the route veers sharply to the southwest and cuts perpendicularly across the interior of the park: along the shoulder of Chemin du Portage for the first 1.2 km (three-quarters of a mile), then roughly parallel to the L'Anse-au-Griffon River via the Le Portage hiking trail. Cyclists should beware of steep inclines along the interior portion of the trail, especially heading southward from the crest of the mountains toward Gaspé Bay. Route Verte 1 emerges on the other side of Forillon just east of La Penouille, then turning westward and heading out of the park toward Gaspé, again as a lane on the shoulder of Route 132.



On foot
Long-distance hikers can access Forillon National Park via the International Appalachian Trail (IAT; in French Sentier international des Appalaches or SIA), a northeastern extension of the U.S. Appalachian Trail that continues past Mount Katahdin in Maine through Canada, Greenland, various countries of Western Europe, and Morocco. The Katahdin-to-Forillon sector of the IAT was the first to open to hikers, in 1995.

From the west, the IAT enters Forillon at Rivière-Morris, proceeding for about 37 km (22 miles) along the Les Lacs and Les Crêtes trails (see below) through the rugged, mountainous terrain of the park's interior, before emerging on the shore of Gaspé Bay at L'Anse-Blanchette. From there, the IAT runs concurrent with the Les Graves trail for another 8 km (5 miles) through somewhat easier terrain. The North American mainland portion of the IAT ends at Cap Gaspé, and the trail picks up again on the other side of the Gulf of St. Lawrence at Port aux Basques, Newfoundland (there are no scheduled connections by boat).

By bus
The network of RéGÎM, the rural transit organization that serves the region, includes a bus that passes through Forillon: Route 21, which traverses Highway 132 from L'Anse-au-Griffon to Place Jacques-Cartier in downtown Gaspé. There is one departure in each direction every weekday, with stops at La Penouille Visitor Centre as well as Fort Peninsula. Gaspé-bound buses leave L'Anse-au-Griffon bright and early at 6:29AM, reaching La Penouille at 07:05 and arriving in Gaspé at 07:35. Return trips to L'Anse-au-Griffon depart Gaspé at 16:47, stopping at La Penouille at 17:10 and arriving in L'Anse-au-Griffon at 17:38. Fare is payable in cash ($4) or with tickets ($3 apiece, available in books of ten from participating retailers or directly from the bus drivers). If you're planning on making heavy use of RéGÎM during your stay in the Gaspé Peninsula, it might be useful to buy a prepaid Access Card (available online for $5), which are good for a whole month and entitle you to the same discounted $3 fare as tickets.

Long-distance bus service in the Gaspé Peninsula is handled by Orléans Express, which plies the same route through Forillon as the RéGÎM buses. There are no official stops within the park boundary, but passengers without checked luggage can be dropped off at the roadside anywhere along the route, subject to the driver's discretion. Coming from the direction of Gaspé, you'll want to purchase a ticket for Rivière-au-Renard, the first stop. Buses depart from Motel-Restaurant Adams in downtown Gaspé every morning at 09:00; fare is $14.95 per person including tax.

By boat
For those visiting Forillon by boat, there's limited docking space at (Quai de Grande-Grave). Rates depend on the size of your boat: 90¢ per foot per day.

Fees and permits
Daily (2024) Seasonal passes are available for less than the cost of 5 day passes, and less than the cost of 4 day passes if purchased late May and late June.
 * Adult $9.00/$4.50
 * Senior $7.75/$3.75
 * Youth and children free
 * Family/group $17.50/$9.00

In Quebec the term "national park" is used to describe two different categories of park, the distinction between which is important when it comes to annual passes. The term can refer either to parks run by Quebec's provincial park service, Sépaq, or those run by the Canadian national government through Parks Canada (for the latter category, road signs and travel brochures in Quebec will generally use the term "National Park of Canada" so as to avoid confusion). Forillon is run by Parks Canada, which means that while your Parks Canada Discovery Pass is good for admission to the park, the Annual Parks Quebec Network Card won't do you any good.

Forillon National Park is open every year from late May to mid-October. If you're planning to visit during shoulder season (defined as the periods before June 25 and after Labour Day), keep in mind that the park operates with reduced services during those times — visitor centres, the gift shop, the snack bar, and many of the campgrounds and historic sites are closed — with entry fees discounted by around 25% to compensate. From October to May, Forillon is nominally closed; though it's possible (and free) to enter, all services are shut down and the park is completely unstaffed, so you're on your own.

Get around


Being a relatively small park, getting from place to place within Forillon is a fairly straightforward proposition.

With the exception of long-distance hikers and cyclists (q.v. the On foot and By bike sections above, respectively), the vast majority of visitors to Forillon arrive at and travel through the park by car. Route 132 is the main artery though the park for cars: it enters the park at its northwest corner and runs parallel to the St. Lawrence Estuary as far as Cap-des-Rosiers, then cuts across the interior of the park in a hilly zigzag along the Montée Laurencelle before finally reaching the shore of Gaspé Bay at D'Aiguillon, whereupon it makes a sharp turn back toward Gaspé. If you're driving Route 132 in this direction, signs will say est (east), though only on the part along the St. Lawrence Estuary will you actually be heading eastward.

As well, Provincial Route 197 runs from Rivière-au-Renard south to Saint-Majorique, marking the western boundary of the national park, and Boulevard de Grande-Grave branches off Route 132 at D'Aiguillon, passing through Grande-Grave and ending in a cul-de-sac at L'Anse-aux-Amérindiens, with access to the Les Graves trail to Cap Gaspé.

Parking lots can be found next to the interpretation centres at La Penouille and Cap-des-Rosiers, as well as at Grande-Grave Wharf, Fort Peninsula, L'Anse-aux-Amérindiens, and L'Anse-au-Griffon near the north park entrance.

Grande-Grave Heritage Site (Site patrimonial de Grande-Grave)
Parks Canada has restored many of the homes and other buildings that once made up the fishing village of Grande-Grave. Today, they serve as museums whose exhibits cover the economic importance of the Gulf of St. Lawrence cod fishery and the daily life of area residents of old.



Hiking


The diverse landscapes of Forillon are crisscrossed by hiking trails of all levels of difficulty, from the easy-peasy ten-minute loop around the boardwalk of Prélude à Forillon to the multi-day backcountry adventure along the ridge of the Chic-Choc mountains that is the Les Lacs, Les Crêtes, and Les Graves combination trail, which together make up Forillon's stretch of the International Appalachian trail (q.v.)

Markers on the map indicate the location of the trailheads.

Difficult trails
Together with Les Graves trail (listed above as a moderate-difficulty trail), the two trails below comprise Forillon's segment of the International Appalachian Trail, and both are generally through-hiked consecutively in one direction or the other. A round-trip hike from the Les Lacs trailhead in Rivière-Morris to Cap Gaspé and back could be done in two very long days, but three days is probably more reasonable. Lean-to shelters and backcountry campsites are available; see the Sleep section for details.



Cycling
Aside from the Route Verte that's described above, cyclists have several other options in Forillon. There's a short, asphalt-paved loop trail at La Penouille for those with a relaxed and easygoing two-wheeled outing in mind, while seasoned mountain bikers looking for a challenge can share the hillier, gravel-paved Le Portage and La Vallée trails (q.v.), as well as the eastern half of the Les Graves Trail (beginning at L'Anse-aux-Amérindiens), with hikers.

In early September, the Forillon portion of the Route Verte and many of the trails mentioned above play host to Gran Fondo Forillon . Held yearly since 2012 by the Gaspé Vélocipeg Club (Club vélocipeg de Gaspé), Gran Fondo Forillon is reputed to be one of the toughest bicycle races in North America. Courses range from the Famili Fondo — a non-timed, 10-km (6.2-mile) ride that's perfect for families with children and first-time event cyclists and followed by a beachfront picnic at Petit-Gaspé — to the grueling, 168-km (104-mile) Alto Fondo, where the hardest-core of hardcore bike racers circumnavigate the entire park over hill and dale, then follow the Route Verte further west along the St. Lawrence Estuary to Grand-Étang. Registration ranges from $10 to $110 depending on the course you choose, and includes insurance and post-event snacks and refreshments.

Sports
The (Centre récréatif Petit-Gaspé) has tennis and volleyball courts, as well as a playground for children. It's open yearly between June 13 and September 13, 10:00-17:00.

Horseback riding
In addition to hikers and mountain bikers, Le Portage, La Vallée, and the eastern portion of Les Graves Trail are open to horseback riders.

Winter activities
Since 2014, through a partnership between Parks Canada and Le Griffon Cultural Centre (Centre culturel Le Griffon), La Vallée and Le Portage Trails have been groomed in the winter for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and (on Le Portage only) dogsledding. In addition to the trails themselves, the parking areas at either end of Le Portage trail are plowed to furnish access for those arriving by car, as is a 4-km (2.5-mile) stretch of Boulevard de Grande-Grève that leads to the South Sector Visitor Centre (Centre d'accueil du secteur Sud) in Grande-Grave, which is open as a rest and warm-up stop for skiers. The Répit Nord shelter near the midpoint of La Vallée trail also remains open, but it's important to note that there are no off-season maintenance staff to clean up after visitors, so leave-no-trace principles apply.

Swimming
The Petit-Gaspé Recreation Centre contains a heated outdoor pool patrolled by lifeguards, as well as a wading pool for kids. These facilities are open yearly from June 20 through August 28 at a price of $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $6 for children age 6 to 16, and free to children 5 and under.

For whose who'd prefer to swim in the ocean, opportunities are concentrated on the south shore of the park, in Gaspé Bay, shallower parts of which sometimes warm up enough to take a dip. Foremost among these is (Plage de Penouille), on the eponymous sandspit that's surrounded by the shallow, protected waters of the bay. There's a park shuttle bus that will take you from the visitors' centre to the beach for $1.25. The beach has no lifeguards, but it's within easy walking distance of such Penouille-area amenities as the snack bar, the Parks Canada gift shop, and the ÉcoRécréo rental centre where beach accessories such as chairs, umbrellas, and toys are stocked. Swimmers are required to stay away from the floating dock and the ecologically sensitive salt marshes, and should watch out for kiteboarders and personal watercraft that come and go from the area.

Whale-watching




Fishing
Though it was the mainstay of the region's economy for centuries, today Grande-Grave Wharf is the only place in Forillon where fishing is allowed. The cod that teemed in Gaspé Bay are long-gone, victims of a population collapse in the early 1990s that hit Canada's east coast economy hard, but anglers still fish for several other saltwater species here — most notably mackerel, which in Forillon can be caught without a permit. Mackerel fishers are subject to a daily catch limit of ten fish — this includes those caught for consumption as well as catch-and-release — and can only use one line at a time, with a single or triple hook. If you don't have your own, poles can be rented from Cap Aventure (see below). Also keep in mind that Grande-Grave Wharf is an active harbour, so keep your fishing line away from the boats and other watercraft that come and go, as well as the divers you'll sometimes see.

If you intend to fish for other species that frequent the area, such as capelin and Atlantic salmon, restrictions may apply. Consult the websites of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Quebec Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (Ministère des forêts, de la faune et des parcs du Québec) for more specific federal and provincial regulations, respectively, about your species of choice.

Buy
There's a small gift shop at the visitor centre at La Penouille, with a modest selection of souvenirs and other paraphernalia. It's open from June 20 through September 7.

There is also a convenience store at the Petit-Gaspé Recreation Centre open from June 13 through September 13, that stocks a range of gear tailored to the various recreational activities offered by the park.

Eat and drink
The La Penouille Visitor Centre and the Petit-Gaspé Recreation Centre each contain a snack bar serving a limited selection of simple fare off the grill.

Lodging
While there are no hotels or motels within Forillon, there are numerous options in the adjacent city of Gaspé and also quite a few a short distance south in Percé. See the linked article sections for specific details.

Camping
Forillon has three campgrounds, containing serviced (with electricity, water, and sewer), semi-serviced (with electricity only), and primitive sites. As of 2023, nightly rates are $36, $33, and $28.50, respectively, not including the park admission fee.

Parks Canada accommodates "glampers" at Forillon with about a dozen so-called oTENTik tents at the Des-Rosiers and Petit-Gaspé campgrounds: ready-made campsites perfect for those who want a taste of the outdoor experience without giving up all their creature comforts.



Backcountry
Long-distance hikers along the Les Lacs/Les Crêtes combination trail can avail themselves of three backcountry campsites ($13.50 person/night in 2023), which have basic amenities such as dry toilets and picnic tables. In addition, two of these campsites also include lean-to shelters that each sleep four, perfect for those who haven't brought along their own tents. Campsites must be reserved in advance — call +1 418-368-5505 to book, or make your reservation on the spot at any park entrance or visitor centre. Lean-to shelters cost $16.75/person/night (2023), but camping is free if you use your own tent. Open-air wood fires are prohibited in the backcountry, so if you're planning on cooking food, bring a portable cookstove.


 * (Les Lacs trail)
 * (Les Crêtes trail)
 * (Les Crêtes trail)

Stay safe

 * If you'll be hiking and camping in Forillon's backcountry, you should already know to get educated about the terrain you're planning to cross: topographic maps are often an essential item for long-distance hikers to pack. It also pays to bring along plenty of water and perhaps a first-aid kit — cell-phone service in Forillon is spotty and there isn't exactly an abundance of other backcountry hikers on those trails, so medical treatment may be hard to come by. Check out Wikivoyage's article on wilderness backpacking for more tips.
 * One of the main attractions in Forillon is the wildlife that calls the park home, but some of these animals can pose dangers to visitors if not dealt with properly. Although they're not usually interested in much beyond rummaging through your trash, it pays to keep in mind that Forillon is black bear country. To keep this from happening, a good idea is to triple-bag (at least) your garbage — along with food, cooking utensils, and anything else that may smell appetizing to bears — and hang it up at least 5 m (16 feet) off the ground and at least 100 m (330 feet) downwind of your campsite. However, if you've got a mother bear who feels protective of her cubs, then it's a different story and you've got a potentially dangerous situation on your hands. Loud noises will generally scare a bear off in this situation — try clanging a pair of garbage can lids together — and if that doesn't work, back away from the animal slowly and without making any sudden movements. Bear repellent spray is another possible option — contrary to popular belief, it is legal in Canada so long as the package clearly states that it's intended for use against animals.
 * Moose are another species native to Forillon that can pose a hazard. Not only can a mother moose defending her young be as aggressive as any bear, but moose crossing the road in front of speeding cars are also responsible for scores of injuries or deaths every year in the Gaspé Peninsula. Being much taller and heavier than deer and other types of roadkill you may be used to, moose that are struck by cars are likely to collapse right on top of you, enhancing the potential for damage to your vehicle (or you). Drivers in Forillon should keep to a reasonable speed, always wear their safety belt, and use high beams at night when it's safe to do so. If you're visiting late in the season, around September or October when moose are at their most active, this goes double.
 * Speaking of driving: if you're here for the cross-country skiing offered in the winter (or if you've just decided to ignore the annual October 12 closing date), be extra careful on the roads. The cold and snow of Gaspesian winters are legendary even by Canadian standards, so in the cold months it pays to drive slowly, keep a safe distance from the car in front of you, and adapt your car travel plans to the changing weather conditions. In a pinch, an emergency kit can also be a godsend. See Winter driving for more tips.
 * In case of medical emergency, the nearest hospital is in Gaspé.

Go next

 * Unless you've arrived by boat, you're not going anywhere out of Forillon without first passing through Gaspé — this largest city, unofficial capital, and commercial centre of the Gaspé Peninsula borders the park on all landward sides. While Gaspé is a lot less "touristy" in the traditional sense than many of the region's other towns, there are a handful of attractions for visitors: you can learn about Gaspesian history and culture at the Gaspé Regional Museum (Musée de la Gaspésie); visit the Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse (Phare de Cap-des-Rosiers), Canada's tallest at 34 m (112 feet) in height which stands not far from the boundary of Forillon (if you visited the Mont-Saint-Alban Observation Tower or hiked the Prélude à Forillon trail while visiting the park, you've likely already caught a glimpse of it in the distance); or relax on one of several pleasant beaches.
 * Venture out further along Route 132 ouest, and about 2 hours after Gaspé you'll come to Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. Besides being a convenient roadside stop with service stations, restaurants, and motels aplenty, here you have world-class salmon fishing on the Sainte-Anne River, kitesurfing at Cartier Beach, and an annual driftwood sculpture festival in August. However, Sainte-Anne-des-Monts is most notable to travellers as the gateway to...
 * Gaspésie National Park, 80 km² (31 square miles) of pristine wilderness nestled in the highest heights of the Chic-Choc Mountains, about half an hour south of Sainte-Anne-des-Monts via Provincial Route 299. Backcountry adventurers who tackled the mountains of Forillon on Les Lacs and Les Crêtes trails will find even more thrilling challenges awaiting them at Gaspésie, including the granddaddy of them all — the 100-km (62-mile) Grande Traversée to Mont Jacques-Cartier, which passes through the territory of the last caribou herd south of the St. Lawrence on its way to the Chic-Chocs' highest peak. Fishing and kayaking on Cascapédia Lake, mountain biking, and — in winter — exciting Alpine skiing and snowboarding in five separate ski areas are on tap as well.
 * Head in the other direction down Route 132 and the next place you'll come to is Percé, an unabashed tourist town whose bustle may be jarring for those who've grown used to the majestic solitude of Forillon (and most of the rest of the Gaspé Peninsula). But the crowds come for a good reason: Percé is home to the eponymous Percé Rock (Rocher Percé), a naturally arch-shaped offshore rock formation that's become the iconic emblem of the Gaspé Peninsula, which together with the seabird haven of Bonaventure Island (Île Bonaventure) make up yet another entry in the Gaspé's roster of national parks.