This highly-organized national park covers 550 sq km, straddling northern evergreen forests and the more southerly hardwoods of the St Lawrence River Valley. The low, rounded Laurentian Mountains, which are among the world's oldest, are part of the Canadian Shield, which covers much of the province. Between these hills lie innumerable small lakes and valleys. The most popular winter activity is cross-country skiing (adult/child $9.80/free), with some 85km of groomed trails.
The Canadian government created the park in 1970 to protect some of the forest that the paper industry was steadily chewing up and spitting out. At one point, two sawmills were operating in the park's current territory, but that's all in the past now.
In 2019, sections of the park will be closed for renovation in phases. Check the website for detailed locations and times of each phase.
