About our organisation

The International Appalachian Trail-Québec, beginning or ending at Cap-Gaspé in Forillon National Park, is 644 km long. From Rivière-au-Renard to Mount St. Pierre, it follows the sea and the mountains, leading from village to village, occasionally reaching the shore of the St. Lawrence River. From Mount St. Pierre, it heads towards Mount Jacques Cartier, crosses Gaspé Park to Mount Logan and crosses the Matane Wildlife Preserve. Then, skirting the Fernald Quebec Ecological Reserve, it reaches the Matane River and continues on towards Matapedia Lake before descending into the valley as far as Matapedia.

Starting in 1996, the layout of the trail was coordinated by the corporation International Appalachian Trail-Quebec (IAT-QC). Many volunteers and organizations in each region crossed by the trail were involved in all aspects of the project.

Mission

The International Appalachian Trail symbolizes the will of Quebec, New Brunswick and Maine to collaborate in the protection and the valorization of the environment as to the development of the imposing landscapes which join together them. Sia-iat was given like objective to arrange a path a length from approximately 1 034 km, including approximately 600 km in Quebec, 274 km in New Brunswick and 160 km in Maine. The SIA Quebec is connected to the Katahdin mount, in Maine, with the Appalachian path (Appalachian Trail) which has been built for more than 60 years and which annually attracts, with
its 3 455 km, approximately 37 000 000 hikers per year.

Consequently, the International Appalachian Trail - Quebec and joined together Appalachian Trail makes 4 489 km, which will make of it the longest path in North America. To give you an idea of the scale, notice that the Great Wall of China makes 3 000 km.