Sentier international des Appalaches
Key figures
Length
- This trail
- 631.2 km
- How
- Measured on our OpenStreetMap map line (data of 5 Nov 2026): the main route
- Official
- About 650 km, stated length (SIA Québec)
- 631km
Ascent · descent
- This trail
- 21,210 m up, 21,220 m down, estimated
- How
- Estimated from the GEDTM30 terrain model along our OpenStreetMap line: every main stage's climbs and drops along samples 100 m apart, each counted once it reaches 10 m
- Keep in mind
- A 30 m terrain model: short climbs between the samples are missed
- estimated: 21,210m ↑21,220m ↓
Difficulty
- What
- How hard the trail is, in three ways: the terrain, the climate in season and the length of the days
- Scale
- Easy to Hard, with the same thresholds for every trail; each takes its hardest measure
- Keep in mind
- It describes the trail, not how it will feel to you: that depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather you get
- Terrain: DemandingPath grade: ≈ T3
- Climate: Demanding in Jun–SepCold: 3 °C at night (September)
- Effort: HardLongest day: ≈ 45 h 30 (stage 3)
- Terrain: Demanding; Climate: Demanding in Jun–Sep; Effort: Hard
Suggested
- Source
- SIA Québec
- 35–40days
Per day
- This trail
- 16–18 km · ≈ 530–610 m ↑
- How
- The trail's length (our measurement, 631 km) ÷ its days (35–40, from SIA Québec); ascent likewise
- 16–18km· about 530–610 m ↑
- Season
When are you going?
The page rates its climate for them.
Landscape
- Source
- ESA WorldCover satellite land cover, along the main route
- Forest: 87%
- Grassland and shrubs: 7%
- Farmland and villages: 5%
- Water, snow and ice: 1%
- Moss and lichen: 1%
- Bare rock and sand: 0%
- Mostly Forest
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons by Sahand Tashak, Ymblanter, Maciej, Andrea Schaffer and jockrutherford; each photo's licence in the gallery
Location
- Country
- Canada
- Regions
- Québec
- Start
- Matapédia (Restigouche River bridge)
- Finish
- Cap Gaspé (Forillon National Park)
- Route type
- Point to point
- Travel hubs
- Matapédia station (VIA Rail)2.3 km by road · 3 min
- Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport (YQM)334.2 km by road · 263 min · seasonal international flights
- Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB)507.7 km by road · 405 min
- Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ)558.9 km by road · 420 min
- Protected areas
- Réserve faunique de Matane; Parc national de la Gaspésie; Forillon National Park
- Managed by
- Sentier International des Appalaches – Québec
- Waymarking
- 35,000 blue and white aluminium markers (5 × 15 cm, inscribed SIA/IAT) in both directions, on the right, placed so two can be seen at once; numbered red and white 9-1-1 markers about every kilometre (km 0 at Cap Gaspé, km 650 at Matapédia).
- GPX
- Official GPX track (opens in a new tab)Offered by SIA Québec
- Trail
- Start
- Stage start
- Finish
- Contour lines
Difficulty
Terrain
- Rates
- How hard is the ground to walk: the path, the climbing, the steep bits, the ground underfoot?
- How
- Rated over the whole main route.
- Level
- The hardest measure sets it
- Path grade
- the trail's SAC grade, stated, converted or estimated
- EasyT1
- ModerateT2
- DemandingT3
- HardT4 to T6
- Climbing
- the trail's ascent (the terrain model's estimate) over the main stages' length
- Easyunder 15 m per km
- Moderate15–30 m
- Demanding30–50 m
- Hard50 m or more
- Steep stretches
- share of the route steeper than 15 %, up or down (terrain model)
- Easyunder 5 %
- Moderate5–15 %
- Demanding15–30 %
- Hard30 % or more
- Natural ground
- share on footpaths and trails (OpenStreetMap); never Hard on its own
- Easyunder a third
- Moderatea third to two thirds
- Demandingtwo thirds or more
Demanding
- estimated T3
SAC hiking scale
- This trail
- T3 (our estimate)
- Basis
- The guide calls the Chic-Chocs the hardest and most remote part: long sustained climbs and descents (747 m up Mont Nicol-Albert alone), alpine tundra and granite fields above the tree line on Mont Logan, Albert and Jacques-Cartier, many fords in the Avignon section, beaches passable only at low tide on the coast. A rough mountain path without scrambling (T3); the valley and coast sections are easy to intermediate.
- Scale
- The Swiss Alpine Club's hiking scale, from T1 (easy) to T6 (very hard)
- Why
- Trails rate difficulty in many local scales, or only in words; we translate each into this one so trails compare
- Keep in mind
- An estimate: how hard a trail feels depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather
- T1 · Hiking
- Well-made paths, mostly flat or gently sloping. No risk of falling; trainers are enough.
- T2 · Mountain hiking
- A continuous path, steep in places, where a fall can't be ruled out. Be sure-footed; wear hiking boots.
- T3 · Demanding mountain hiking
- The path is not always visible; exposed spots may have chains or ropes, and you may need your hands for balance.
- T4 · Alpine hiking
- Often no path. Hands are needed in places, terrain is exposed, and there can be easy snowfields.
- T5 · Demanding alpine hiking
- Mostly pathless, with easy climbing and exposed, demanding terrain. Needs alpine experience.
- T6 · Difficult alpine hiking
- Pathless, very exposed, with climbing and glaciers. For experienced mountaineers only.
- Climbingestimated 32 m per km
- Steep stretches13 % of the way
- Natural ground70 %
Climate
- Rates
- How hot, cold, wet and windy does it get?
- How
- From 30 years of daily weather (ERA5), rated per month. Without months picked: the trail's best run of at least two season months, each measure at its hardest month. Pick months in the search to rate it for yours.
- Level
- The hardest measure sets it
- Heat
- mean daily high at the lowest point
- Easyunder 22 °C
- Moderate22–27 °C
- Demanding27–32 °C
- Hard32 °C or more
- Cold
- mean nightly low at the highest point
- Easy8 °C or more
- Moderate3–8 °C
- Demanding−2 to 3 °C
- Hardbelow −2 °C
- Wet days
- days a month with 1 mm of rain or more, the wetter of both points
- Easyunder 10
- Moderate10–14
- Demanding14–18
- Hard18 or more
- Snow
- days a month with 1 cm of snow or more at the highest point
- Easyunder 1 day
- Moderate1–3 days
- Demanding3–6 days
- Hard6 days or more
- Wind
- mean of the day's strongest wind (hourly mean, 10 m above ground), the windier of both points; over land: a point whose 25 km weather cell is mostly sea takes the nearest mostly-land cell's
- Easyunder 15 km/h
- Moderate15–20 km/h
- Demanding20–25 km/h
- Hard25 km/h or more
Demanding in Jun–Sep
Outside the season (Jun–Sep): facilities may be closed, and the weather is harder to plan for.
- Heat · July21 °C by day
- Cold · September3 °C at night
- Wet days · July18 days
- Snow · September1 day
- Wind · September17 km/h
Effort
- Rates
- How long are the days?
- How
- Rated by the longest main stage; a time range counts its upper end.
- Level
- The hardest measure sets it
- Longest day
- walking time of the longest main stage, stated or by DIN 33466
- Easyup to 4 h
- Moderate4–6 h
- Demanding6–8 h
- Hardmore than 8 h
Hard
- Longest day · stage 3estimated 45 h 30
Climate
- Days in season · lowest point
- 16–21°C
- Nights in season · highest point
- 3–8°C
- Wet days a month
- 13–18
- Daylight
- 12.5–16.2h
| Month | Lowest point, day high / night low (°C) | Highest point, day high / night low (°C) | Wet days | Snow days | Frost nights at the highest point | Daylight (h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -5.8 / -11.6 | -14.2 / -21.8 | 13.3 | 11 | 31 | 8.6 |
| February | -6 / -11.8 | -13.2 / -21.1 | 11.4 | 9.8 | 28.3 | 10.1 |
| March | -1.6 / -7 | -8 / -16.1 | 14.2 | 12.3 | 31 | 11.7 |
| April | 4.1 / -0.7 | -1.6 / -9.4 | 13.4 | 11.8 | 29.9 | 13.6 |
| May | 10.4 / 5.1 | 5.6 / -3.4 | 14 | 7.6 | 25.6 | 15.3 |
| June | 17.1 / 11.5 | 12.6 / 3.6 | 14.3 | 1.2 | 6 | 16.2 |
| July | 20.5 / 15.5 | 15.8 / 7.6 | 17.5 | 0 | 0 | 15.8 |
| August | 19.8 / 15 | 14.7 / 6.8 | 15.9 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 14.4 |
| September | 15.9 / 11 | 10.4 / 2.6 | 13.1 | 1.3 | 7.7 | 12.5 |
| October | 9.5 / 5.3 | 3 / -3.5 | 15.5 | 8.9 | 25 | 10.7 |
| November | 3.2 / -1.1 | -4.2 / -10.7 | 14.4 | 11.8 | 29.4 | 9 |
| December | -2.1 / -7.1 | -10.3 / -17.4 | 15.3 | 13 | 31 | 8.2 |
Climate by month
- Source
- ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, averages for 1995–2024
- Places
- The trail's lowest and highest point, adjusted to their height
- Bars
- From the mean night low to the mean day high
- Wet days
- At least 1 mm of rain; snow days at least 1 cm of snow
- Daylight
- Sunrise to sunset in the middle of the month
- Shading
- The trail's season
Stages
| Stage | Route | Distance | Ascent | Descent | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matapédia Rivière Assemetquagan | 50.5 km | estimated 1,850 m ↑ | estimated 1,740 m ↓ | estimated 20 → 130 m |
| 2 | Rivière Assemetquagan Rivière Matane (Camps Tamagodi) | 132.8 km | estimated 2,360 m ↑ | estimated 2,410 m ↓ | estimated 120 → 70 m |
| 3 | Rivière Matane (Camps Tamagodi) Mont Logan | 112.1 km | estimated 6,250 m ↑ | estimated 5,280 m ↓ | estimated 60 → 1,030 m |
| 4 | Mont Logan Camping du Mont-Jacques-Cartier | 99.5 km | estimated 3,640 m ↑ | estimated 4,120 m ↓ | estimated 1,030 → 560 m |
| 5 | Camping du Mont-Jacques-Cartier Grande-Vallée | 96.8 km | estimated 3,100 m ↑ | estimated 3,650 m ↓ | estimated 560 → 10 m |
| 6 | Grande-Vallée Route 197 (Rivière-au-Renard) | 122.6 km | estimated 2,580 m ↑ | estimated 2,570 m ↓ | estimated 20 → 40 m |
| 7 | Route 197 (Rivière-au-Renard) Cap Gaspé | 45.0 km | estimated 1,430 m ↑ | estimated 1,450 m ↓ | estimated 30 → 10 m |
Totals and averages count the main stages only. ≈ marks our estimates where the source gives no figure: ascent and descent and heights from the terrain model (GEDTM30, 30 m grid, sampled every 100 m; climbs and drops counted once they reach 10 m), to the nearest 10 m.
Terrain
- Highest · lowest point
- 1,276m high1m low
Gradient
- Steepest climb
- 39 % (21°), 193 m up over 500 m, stage 3
- Steepest descent
- −34 % (19°), 170 m down over 500 m, stage 2
- Gradient
- Height per distance: 20 % is 20 m up per 100 m forward; 100 % is 45°, not 90°
- Keep in mind
- Averages over 500 m from a 30 m terrain model: steps and ladders within them are steeper
Gradient Angle Feels like 10 % 6° Noticeable on a road 20 % 11° A steep path, slow going 30 % 17° Very steep, often steps 100 % 45° Scrambling - 39% ↑−34% ↓
Steep stretches
- This trail
- 43.8 km up, 40.7 km down: the darkest parts of the profile
- Steep
- 15 % or more (9°, 15 m of height per 100 m), in 200 m stretches
- Why it matters
- Slow going uphill, hard on the knees downhill
- 84.5km
Surfaces
- Natural ground: 70%, 435.6 km. Earth, grass, rock and roots: footpaths and forest trails. Can be muddy after rain.
- Gravel: 24%, 147.4 km. Gravel, compacted and stony surfaces: mostly forest roads and farm tracks.
- Paved: 7%, 43.1 km. Asphalt, concrete and cobbles: roads and village streets.
- Unknown: 0%, 0.1 km. Stretches whose surface OpenStreetMap doesn't record.
Terrain along the route
- Heights
- GEDTM30 terrain model (OpenGeoHub, from Copernicus and other elevation data), 30 m grid, the bare ground under the trees, every 100 m along the main route
- Colours
- Each 200 m by its gradient in walking direction: climbs warm, descents violet, darker when steeper (to ±30 %)
- Ground
- The strip below, from OpenStreetMap; the 59% without a surface tag is read from the way type (footpaths natural, tracks gravel)
Landscape
Landscape along the route
- Source
- ESA WorldCover 2021, a 10 m satellite map
- Points
- Every 100 m along the main route; each takes the most common class within 30 m, so the path itself doesn't count as bare ground
- Groups
- Its eleven classes, folded into the six shown
- Keep in mind
- What the landscape looks like, not which plants grow there
Sleeping
Wild camping
- What
- Pitching a tent outside campsites. Whether it is allowed, restricted or prohibited depends on the land and the country; the rule for this trail is below the cards.
Prohibited
Camping
- What
- Official campsites along the trail. Bring your own tent.
- Available
- Where the trail's own source lists it, or where OpenStreetMap maps 3 or more within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
Available
Campsites · 42 in OpenStreetMap
Huts
- What
- Mountain huts (often staffed, with meals) and unstaffed bivouac shelters, usually on the trail itself.
- Available
- Where the trail's own source lists it, or where OpenStreetMap maps 3 or more within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
Available
Bivouac shelters · 30 in OpenStreetMap
Hostels
- What
- Dormitory beds for walkers: hostels, hiker lodges and pilgrim hostels.
- Available
- Where the trail's own source lists it, or where OpenStreetMap maps 3 or more within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
None listed
Rooms
- What
- Private rooms, usually in villages near the trail: B&Bs, guesthouses, hotels, farm stays and monastery guesthouses.
- Available
- Where the trail's own source lists it, or where OpenStreetMap maps 3 or more within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
Available
B&Bs and guesthouses, Hotels · 4 in OpenStreetMap
Wild camping is prohibited. Camp only at the SIA's campsites, shelters and refuges, booked in advance; in the Parc national de la Gaspésie wild camping is strictly forbidden and every night must be reserved with the Sépaq.
Places to sleep along the route
- Ticks
- One per place to sleep: 42 campsites, 30 huts, 1 hostels, 4 guest houses
- Counted
- Within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end (stage towns often lie off the trail); no hotels or day shelters
- Shaded
- The longest stretch without any, km 416.8–463.4
- Source
- OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list closed ones, so book or check locally
Water & Supply
Clean water
- This trail
- 46.6 km without clean water, km 416.8–463.4, stage 5
- Rating
- Frequentup to 10 km
- Regularup to 20 km
- Scarcebeyond
- Counted
- Within 500 m: 10 taps, fountains and drinking springs, 72 refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites
- Refills
- Guests come first and many close out of season: ask, and carry a little extra. Places marked without drinking water are left out
- Source
- OpenStreetMap; the counts include the approach and variant, the chart shows the main route
- 46.6kmScarce
Any water
- This trail
- 46.6 km without any water, km 416.8–463.4
- Rating
- Frequentup to 10 km
- Regularup to 20 km
- Scarcebeyond
- Counted
- Clean water, plus the 0 springs within 500 m
- Keep in mind
- Spring water's quality is unknown: filter, boil or treat it, and expect some springs to run dry in late summer
- 46.6kmScarce
Shops
- This trail
- 231.7 km without a shop, km 173.6–405.3
- Counted
- 18 supermarkets, convenience and general stores and petrol station shops, within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
- Keep in mind
- Small village shops are often missing in OpenStreetMap, and opening hours vary: check before relying on one
- 231.7km
Water and shops along the route
- Ticks
- One per place along the main route
- Counted
- Drinking water and springs within 500 m; refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites within 500 m; shops within 1 km, or 3 km of a stage's end
- Shaded
- Each lane's longest stretch without. "Water" counts every kind and opens into one lane per kind, each with its own
- Source
- OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list ones that have closed or run dry, so check locally
Wildlife
Wildlife
- Shows
- Animals that can be dangerous to hikers on this trail: large animals, venomous snakes, scorpions and spiders, ticks, and plants that harm on touch
- Level
- Ours, read from the official source
- High
- A bite of a species it calls common can be life-threatening within hours
- Moderate
- It warns of attacks or serious harm, or places the trail in a risk area for tick-borne encephalitis
- Low
- The harm is mostly minor or treatable, or avoidable by how you behave
- What to do
- From the official source: Parks Canada
- Pictures
- Silhouettes from PhyloPic, not to scale, each maker named with its advice; the landscape is the trail's own, drawn by us