Forillon National ParkAbout Forillon National Park
Forillon National Park is a Canadian national park at the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula in Québec, protecting coastal cliffs, headlands and forested interior areas. The park encompasses a mix of marine and terrestrial habitats.
Visitors use the park for cliffside walks, wildlife viewing (including seabirds and migrating whales offshore), lighthouse visits and multi-use hiking trails that follow the coastline and penetrate inland. The park’s coastal panoramas and marine access points are principal attractions.
The park was created as a federal national park to preserve the peninsula’s natural and cultural landscapes and has facilities for visitors including trailheads and interpretive signage.
It is located on the easternmost part of the Gaspé Peninsula, where the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic seaboard meet, and is accessed from nearby Gaspé and surrounding communities.
- Size and status: Established as a national park in 1970 and covers roughly 245 square kilometres of coastal and inland terrain at the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula.
What to See#
- Coastal headlands: Coastal trails and headlands with viewpoints over cliffs, sea stacks and the Gulf of St. Lawrence; several marked hiking routes lead to lookout points on headlands.
- Trails and coves: Interior trails and small coves that provide access to tundra, boreal forest edges and marine shorelines; used for wildlife viewing and short to multi-day hikes.
Best Time to Visit Forillon National Park
Summer and early autumn are ideal for outdoor activities; services taper off in late autumn and winter.
Weather & Climate near Forillon National Park
Forillon National Park's climate is classified as Warm-Summer Continental - Warm-Summer Continental climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -16°C to 22°C. Abundant rainfall (1129 mm/year), wettest in October, distributed fairly evenly throughout the year.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | - | -16° - -6° | -19° | 86 mm | - | - | 5.0 m/s | - | - |
| February | - | -15° - -5° | -18° | 69 mm | - | - | 4.8 m/s | - | - |
| March | - | -10° - 0° | -11° | 103 mm | - | - | 4.8 m/s | - | - |
| April | - | -3° - 5° | -4° | 92 mm | - | - | 4.5 m/s | - | - |
| May | - | 2° - 12° | 4° | 92 mm | - | - | 4.1 m/s | - | - |
| June | - | 8° - 18° | 13° | 86 mm | - | - | 3.8 m/s | - | - |
| July | - | 12° - 22° | 17° | 108 mm | - | - | 3.5 m/s | - | - |
| August | - | 11° - 21° | 16° | 98 mm | - | - | 3.6 m/s | - | - |
| September | - | 7° - 16° | 12° | 79 mm | - | - | 4.0 m/s | - | - |
| October | - | 2° - 10° | 2° | 112 mm | - | - | 4.5 m/s | - | - |
| November | - | -4° - 3° | -5° | 103 mm | - | - | 4.8 m/s | - | - |
| December | - | -11° - -3° | -14° | 101 mm | - | - | 5.3 m/s | - | - |
How to Get to Forillon National Park
Forillon is reached by Route 132 to the Gaspé peninsula with the main park entrance near Cap-des-Rosiers; Gaspé town is the nearest major service centre. Regional buses and driving from Quebec City or Montreal are the usual approaches; the park is best accessed by car.
Tips for Visiting Forillon National Park
- Drive the coastal roads slowly and watch for marine mammals along the cliffs-mornings and evenings are best for sightings.
- Bring layered clothing-the weather on the Gaspé Peninsula can change rapidly, even in summer.
- If hiking, purchase a map from the park office; trails can be remote and cell coverage is spotty.