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Canada🇨🇦 | national parksForillon National ParkCap-Bon-Ami cliffs, Gaspé land's end, fishing heritage, seal coast | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Forillon
👌 Worth visitingnational park ranked #19
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 22, 2026

Forillon’s Cap-Bon-Ami cliffs drop about 130 meters into water where seals sometimes bob below the rock. The park sits at the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec, Canada. I paid about US$7 for a lobster roll at a roadside stand in Cap-des-Rosiers, salty and cold with buttery bread, and it beat any park-café sandwich. Pack food, since services thin out fast, and fill the tank in Gaspé. Start with a morning at Cap-Bon-Ami, then the Land’s End trail by afternoon.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #19 national park in CanadaWhy Forillon should be on your travel list

Forillon National Park suits backpackers who like deciding their own pace. The Les Graves coastal route and the Mont-Saint-Alban tower climb give you big views without a guide, and trails are signed clearly enough for self-guided days. Oceanfront campgrounds like Petit-Gaspé keep the sea within earshot at night, which beats any motel along the highway. You can string together short walks, add a sea-kayak or whale-watching outing if the budget allows, and still feel you planned it yourself.

💡 HighlightsThe experiences that define the visit

  1. Cap-Bon-Ami: Sheer limestone cliffs plunge to a small pebble cove, with a short boardwalk and lookout where seals and sometimes minke whales appear offshore.
  2. Land’s End (Bout du Monde) at Cap-Gaspé: The trail ends at the point where the Appalachians meet the Gulf of St. Lawrence, with cliffs and a lighthouse view.
  3. Mont-Saint-Alban Observation Tower: A forest climb ends at a tower looking across the bay, the peninsula and the Gulf.
  4. Les Graves Historic Site: Restored fishing buildings at Anse-Blanchette show how cod fishing families lived and worked on this shore.
  5. Grande-Grave: Heritage houses and a general store from the early 1900s stand beside a long pebble beach.
  6. Penouille Peninsula: A sandy spit with salt marsh and dunes, good for easy walks and birdwatching.
  7. Wildlife viewing at Cap-des-Rosiers:
… read more 👉
  1. Cap-Bon-Ami: Sheer limestone cliffs plunge to a small pebble cove, with a short boardwalk and lookout where seals and sometimes minke whales appear offshore.
  2. Land’s End (Bout du Monde) at Cap-Gaspé: The trail ends at the point where the Appalachians meet the Gulf of St. Lawrence, with cliffs and a lighthouse view.
  3. Mont-Saint-Alban Observation Tower: A forest climb ends at a tower looking across the bay, the peninsula and the Gulf.
  4. Les Graves Historic Site: Restored fishing buildings at Anse-Blanchette show how cod fishing families lived and worked on this shore.
  5. Grande-Grave: Heritage houses and a general store from the early 1900s stand beside a long pebble beach.
  6. Penouille Peninsula: A sandy spit with salt marsh and dunes, good for easy walks and birdwatching.
  7. Wildlife viewing at Cap-des-Rosiers: Black bears, porcupines and moose appear along the road and trail edges, often near dusk.
Forillon National Park rewards starting with Cap-Bon-Ami, because the light on the cliffs is best early and the parking fills later.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

🌤️ When to go?Choosing the right time of year

  • Summer (July to August): Highs of 20 to 24°C (68 to 75°F), long daylight, and the warmest sea for a quick dip. Whale cruises run and campgrounds fill, so reserve ahead.
  • Early Fall (September to mid-October): Highs of 8 to 16°C (46 to 61°F), fewer people, and the best hiking air. Services start closing after Labour Day.
  • Winter (December to March): Highs of -10 to -2°C (14 to 28°F), short days, snowshoeing and skiing, with most facilities shut.
Book summer campsites in winter or early spring, and aim for the first half of September for lower prices.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: below average for travelingFEBFebruary: below average for travelingMARMarch: fair for travelingAPRApril: fair for travelingMAYMay: good for travelingJUNJune: highly recommended for travelingJULJuly: excellent for travelingAUGAugust: excellent for travelingSEPSeptember: highly recommended for travelingOCTOctober: good for travelingNOVNovember: fair for travelingDECDecember: below average for traveling
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🛏️ Where to stay?Where staying makes the most sense

Camping inside Forillon National Park is the best base for backpackers, with three drive-in campgrounds: Des-Rosiers, Petit-Gaspé and Cap-Bon-Ami, plus backcountry sites along the Les Crêtes and Les Lacs trails. Expect roughly US$20 to 35 a night for a standard site, and rustic oTENTik tents for about US$130 to 150. Outside the park, Gaspé town (about 25 to 30 minutes away) has hostels, motels and grocery stores, with rooms around US$90 to 150. Cap-des-Rosiers and Cap-aux-Os, near the park gates, offer small inns and B&Bs at US$100 to 160 in summer.
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👛 Costs (as of 22 October 2026)How expensive it really is

Forillon National Park costs a backpacker about US$75 a day in high season, mostly for camping and food. The park entry fee is charged per person per day, and you pay in Canadian dollars.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Entrance feeUS$6 to 8Adult daily fee; children are free
AccommodationUS$20 to 35Standard campsite in high season; the fee is split among sharers
Local transportUS$10 to 25Few buses reach the park, so expect fuel or shared rides from Gaspé
Food and suppliesUS$20 to 30Groceries in Gaspé; the park has few shops
Total Daily BudgetUS$56 to 98About US$75 on average


source: parks.canada.ca
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

🥾 TrailsTrail guide for Forillon national park

Forillon National Park has over 80 kilometers of trails over cliffs, forest and shoreline.
  • Les Graves: About 15.2 km return from Grande-Grave, 4 to 5 hours. Moderate coastal trail past Anse-Blanchette with pebble beaches and old fishing sites.
  • Mont-Saint-Alban: About 7.2 km loop from Petit-Gaspé, 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Moderate, with a steady forest climb to a tower.
  • Les Lacs: About 37.2 km return, 14 hours or an overnight at its backcountry campsites. Difficult, through forest to quiet lakes.
  • Cap-Gaspé (Land’s End): About 8 km return, 2 to 3 hours. Moderate, with cliff edges and open views.
  • Penouille:
… read more 👉
Forillon National Park has over 80 kilometers of trails over cliffs, forest and shoreline.
  • Les Graves: About 15.2 km return from Grande-Grave, 4 to 5 hours. Moderate coastal trail past Anse-Blanchette with pebble beaches and old fishing sites.
  • Mont-Saint-Alban: About 7.2 km loop from Petit-Gaspé, 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Moderate, with a steady forest climb to a tower.
  • Les Lacs: About 37.2 km return, 14 hours or an overnight at its backcountry campsites. Difficult, through forest to quiet lakes.
  • Cap-Gaspé (Land’s End): About 8 km return, 2 to 3 hours. Moderate, with cliff edges and open views.
  • Penouille: About 3 km loop, 1 hour. Flat and easy through dunes and marsh.
Public transport to the park is limited, so most people drive or come by rental car from Gaspé. Crowds peak in July and August, especially at Cap-Bon-Ami and Grande-Grave. An entrance fee applies, and travelers pay in Canadian dollars.
⚠️ Hiking info can sometimes be outdated or inaccurate. Before you hit the trail, check the latest conditions with locals. If you do spot anything that's off, I'd love to hear from you, so I can update it for fellow travelers.

🛡️ SafetyTraveler Safety Guide

Forillon is well managed and straightforward, with the main hazards being cold Atlantic wind, fog on the cape and slippery rocks near the cliffs. Stay behind the lookout barriers at Cap-Gaspé, since the drops are steep. Black bears live here, so store food in the lockers or bear-proof containers and keep your distance from the porcupines and grey seals on the shore. Bring a warm layer even in July, check tide times before walking the Les Graves shoreline, and watch for ticks in the grassy sections.
Check Country Safety

FAQFrequently asked questions about Forillon

Plan on 2 to 3 days for Forillon National Park. That covers the Les Graves and Cap-Bon-Ami trails, the Cap-Gaspé lookout (about 8 km round trip) and wildlife watching for seals and whales. Add a fourth day if you want the longer Mont-Saint-Alban or Penouille hikes.
Forillon National Park is hard to reach without a car, but it can be done. Gaspé is the nearest town with a bus link, about 30 to 40 km from the park gates, and you would then need a taxi, a hitchhike or a rented bike. A car or shared ride makes the roughly 60 km road between the north and south sectors far easier.
Yes, Forillon National Park charges a daily entry fee of about US$6 to 8 per adult, with children free. Camping is booked separately through Parks Canada, with sites around US$20 to 35 a night. Backcountry sites need a reservation, and multi-day passes are cheaper if you stay several nights.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

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We 💚 feedbackSumming up the experience

Forillon National Park suits hikers and campers who like salt air, simple routes and wildlife at dusk. It is less satisfying without a car or if you want nightlife. I would bring a warm layer and book campsites early.

✈️ When did I visit Canada?
As part of my 1.5 year travel around the world trip, I visited Canada in 2016.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in Canada, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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Johan, backpacker and founder of TakeYourBackpackHi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.

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