Located just over one hour from Montreal, Yamaska national park is located near the city of Granby and bordering the Réservoir Choinière. As part of the SEPAQ network, the standard entrance fee applies however you also need to pay 9$ for parking. This large park offers a number of activities for visitors throughout the year. During the summer months there is camping, a beach, splash park, hiking, and biking trails as well as boat rentals (kayak, pedal boat, etc). In the winter time there is snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, and winter hiking.
During my recent visit to the park, I went biking on the Grand Tour, a 19km trail that circles the lake. It’s considered on easy trail with some gentle hills throughout. Although it circles the lake, you spend most of the trail in a wooded landscape which is very peaceful. I also liked the fact that it’s shaded so it helps beat the heat on those hot summer days. I imagine it must look incredible when the leaves start to change color in the fall.
On the bike trail there are number indicators that you can use to follow along on the Park Path Explorer app, available for iOS and android, to learn more about the park and nature. There are also quite a few picnic spots where you can stop to rest and eat. In particular between 10 and 11 of the Park Path Explorer markers, there is a spot that has a short trail that leads out to a quite beach area. While not supervised, it is a great spot to take a dip and cool off. I also saw some individuals fishing further up from this beach area in sector called Savage-Mills, so you can break up the biking with some fishing.
While I biked the trail, you could also walk it if you are looking for a longer outing. In the end the tour took just over 2hrs, mostly because I kept stoping to snap photos. After the bike ride, I went for the swim in the lake which was super refreshing.
Overall, I was very pleased with my experience in Yamaska park and definitely a great way to spend an afternoon. For more information about the park, check out their website.
