Short, snowy hop to Coaticook.
Tubing, skating and snowshoeing offer fun for the family
Montrealers know Coaticook for the delicious ice cream produced there, but the small Eastern Townships community also has a 50-metre-deep gorge that has become a year-round family playground.
At this time of year, the Parc de la gorge de Coaticook, along the Coaticook River, is swarmed by winter-lovers enjoying snow tubing, snowshoeing, skating and, when the weather co-operates, ice climbing.
During the annual Fête des neiges (Feb. 16 and 17), sleigh and pony rides, zip-line activities, torchlit hikes and fireworks are added to the mix.
We visited the park, located 165 kilometres southeast of Montreal, in late December when the eight ice-climbing walls (normally measuring 25 to 50 metres) weren’t up to snuff yet. But other attractions were open.
There are two tubing hills — a bumpy one that almost sent some of our party flying, and a smoother one more to the liking of the less-adventurous among us. A mechanical lift pulls visitors, sitting on their yellow and green tubes, to the top of the hill, giving them a view of the river and surrounding mountains before they take the plunge.
Double tubes are available for those who want to zoom down the hill with a partner.
The tubing here is ideal for younger children; those shorter than 1.2 metres must be accompanied by an adult.
Older thrill-seekers in our family were less enthused, having tried more elaborate tubing hills with steeper, twistier runs at Glissades des pays d’en haut in the Laurentians and at Village vacances Valcartier near Quebec City.
But there were other things to keep them amused.
The park features five snowshoeing trails covering a total of 20 kilometres.
They include the nice and flat, child-friendly, 2.5-km Gorge trail, partly shared with snowmobiles. This trail takes hikers along the wind- ing Coaticook River and near a span described as the world’s longest suspended footbridge. The 750-metrelong bridge is closed for the winter, but still a marvel to behold.
The most challenging snowshoe trail, the hilly 10-km Endurance, zigzags through forested areas and by a pond and a waterfall.
Another trail takes you to a three-storey observation tower that offers spectacular, 360-degree views.
While snowshoes are available for rent, you’ll have to bring your own skates to use the park’s rink. There are fees (see sidebar) for tubing and snowshoeing, but skating is free.
Between activities, you can warm up by a fireplace in the round reception building, which also features bathrooms, a snack bar and tables where you can eat snacks or a lunch you brought along.
After a day of outdoor exertion, you’ll be craving dessert. Visit the nearby Laiterie de Coaticook, maker of Coaticook-brand ice cream. Its dairy bar is open daily and is a three-minute drive from the Parc de la gorge’s entrance.
In the summer, the Parc de la gorge has a different menu of activities, centred around a campground featuring 168 sites. Also on tap: horseback riding, hiking, cycling on gentle bike paths and mountain biking on challenging trails.
Sounds like it would make a good summer Short Hop.