CHASING THE TRAILS IN GASPÉ
Overlanding solo on this famed peninsula led to challenging experiences with famous landmarks along the way.
With all of the travel restrictions in place this past year, many off-road destinations in Eastern Canada have become quite popular among enthusiasts. While I had planned a multi-week overland trip to Costa Rica last spring with a group of friends, my international plans were cancelled, causing me to run a late summer solo adventure through Quebec’s scenic and challenging Gaspé Peninsula.
The first time I visited this region was three years ago and since I had enjoyed the coastal area, the mountains were calling me this time around. Rather than just run the traditional Gaspé Peninsula loop, I decided to travel mostly inland through the Chic-Chocs mountain range of the Appalachians. From Gaspésie National Park, I travelled east to Murdochville and then exited at Gaspé. At the same time, however, I left the tarmac behind to explore some dirt roads along the way.
As usual, my pre-trip planning began by doing some online research to learn what local overland enthusiasts had to say about the area. Apparently, driving on the rural Route du LacSainte-Anne from Route 299 to Murdochville would provide some great scenery while having the chance to get off the beaten’ path.
After checking out the area on Google Maps, as well as the new Backroad Mapbooks web map, I plotted the route on my Gaia GPS to follow via Apple CarPlay. I also plotted a few optional trails along Route du Lac-SainteAnne, even though there are never any guarantees they will be accessible, given conditions, weather, grading, etc.
Additionally, I decided to reach out to my Land Rover/Ford PR contact in Montreal to see if a 2020 Ford Ranger XLT FX4 was available (that’s provided for automotive journalists) to run for my two-week trip. To my luck, it was. As a result, I would not only be experiencing a scenic overland trip but I would be doing it while checking out the off-road cred of the Ranger.
When I went overlanding in Gaspésie three years ago, it was also my first solo trip. I now always make a point to run some trails for a few days single-handedly at least once a year. I experienced a little nostalgia when I stopped at Sainte-Anne-des-Monts on Route 132 to fill up on fuel before connecting to Route 299 to the entrance of Gaspésie National Park. This rural community has everything you need from fuel and groceries to other essentials. Plus, arriving to the park from the north on Route 132 offers great, immediate views of the Chic-Chocs.
I first established my basecamp at the Cascapédia Lake Campground, which is my favourite within the park. If you’re travelling with a partner or spouse, the national park is also home to the four-star Gîte du Mont-Albert hotel that provides a good break if you have been off-grid and roughing it for a while. It’s managed by the park and every room offers a view of Mont-Albert.
The next morning, I left the park and made my way to Murdochville via Route du LacSainte-Anne as planned. Unfortunately, the route and trails I had plotted between Murdochville and Gaspé had an area blocked to vehicles and another route had a closed bridge. But, again, this is all to be expected when exploring unknown trails.
Nevertheless, I did make it to the exit for Gaspé and drove south toward Percé, the loca