Les Murailles trail

This is one of the latest additions to the long-distance winter hiking trails. In the heart of the Bas-Saguenay’s rugged landscapes, its 100 km reveal Les Murailles from every angle. From valley bottoms to rock faces, there’s something for every level.

The trail, managed by Coop Quatre Temps, stretches across Rivière-Éternité, L’Anse-St-Jean and Petit-Saguenay. It includes the 10 km-long Lac Emmuraillé, framed by rock walls, and Mont Édouard, from which you can see the village of L’anse-Saint-Jean and its famous salmon river. Behind the hidden face of Édouard, the trail leads to Lac Tout Nu.

In addition to its beauty and diversity, this trail has a major advantage: while it is very wild, it remains accessible at several points. So you can discover part of it over a weekend, and choose a section to suit your level of ability. For the easy and comfortable, a few kilometers with or without relief to reach one of the two refuges by their quickest access. For the more adventurous, a few hundred meters of ascent and descent, with overnight stays in prospector tents.

Activities

Nordic skiing or snowshoeing, there are routes to suit all levels. From Mont Édouard, a cult venue for telemark skiers and the cradle of powder snow, via the summit (11 km) or the shortest trail that doesn’t require you to go back up (7 km), you’ll hurtle down the hidden face of Édouard and suddenly, between the valleys, appear Lac Tout Nu.

From this small lake, we head towards the canyon and the Portage valley, the path that leads to the trail exit. With 23 km to cover in one day, this option is only for the experts of the unexpected. Otherwise, head for the Cardinal tent, the doyenne. Here, the swirling gusts of wind confirm your progress on a plateau at an altitude of between 600 and 700 meters. The distance for this section is 13 km, including a long climb of 6 km.

From the village of Petit-Saguenay, a hidden, little-used 10 km hike with 4 lookouts, including the breathtaking Cap à Donjean, takes you to Camp Dagenais. For the return journey, a 4 km shortcut allows you to reach the exit without too much pain.

In all, there are 100 linear km of unmarked trails, to which can be added the 30 km of the Parc national du Saguenay’s sentier des Caps. Don’t forget your ice-climbing gear: there are several waterfalls in the vicinity of L’Anse-Saint-Jean, including one close to the trail.

Hosting

The two huts, Camp Dagenais and refuge du lac Emmuraillé, have 12 places, while the three prospector tents offer 7 to 8 places.

Accommodations are spread out over the territory to allow for different routes with sleeping arrangements. The last of the tents is located 2/3 of the way up Mont Édouard, and is easily accessible from the foot of the mountain. From Mont Édouard, you can head for the Cardinal tent, the oldest. The Lac Émmuraillé refuge is built on the shores of the lake of the same name, and Camp Dagenais is at the other (eastern) end of the territory. The maximum distance between two lodgings is 17 km.