Plan your Snowmobile Ride
As soon as the snow is deep enough—generally from December to mid-March or later—the Québec City, Charlevoix, and Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean areas turn into a snowmobiler’s paradise, with enough immaculate trails (over 5,000 km!) to keep everyone happy.
Here’s what you need to know to plan a successful snowmobiling expedition, either on your own or with a guide.
Guided Snowmobile Tours
BRP ski-doo
Snowmobiling with a guide makes it easy to explore the very best terrain. Many companies offer tour packages with everything you need: the machine, the outfit, the trail fee, insurance, and your guide. You can try it out for a few hours or ride through mountains, forests, and fields for days.
Guided Tours Starting from Québec City
- Nord Expé: Their goal is to make you live the best snowmobile adventure, that is why Nord Expé put emphasis on the customs packages. Let yourself be guided for a snowmobile adventure in Charlevoix or in the monts Valin in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. Make sure you have an exceptional experience without worrying about the route to discover breathtaking views.
- Au Chalet en Bois Rond : This charming resort village has a number of outdoor activities on offer, including a guided half-day ride.
- Voyage Motoneige Québec : This operator is just 15 minutes from Québec’s city centre and does guided rides combined with other activities.
Resources for Snowmobilers
Stadacona Aventures
Whether you’re renting or coming equipped with your own snowmobiles, the following tools will help you plan your ride:
Interactive Trail Map
This digital map from Québec’s snowmobiling association gives you a great view of the entire FCMQ trail network and all the different routes you can take, so you can map out your ride ahead of time. You can calculate distances, get trail conditions, and see the services, rest areas, and places to stay all along your route.
The Snowmobile Application (iMotoneige)
The iMotoneige app gives you access to tons of crucial information during your ride, including your current position, routes, trail conditions, and descriptions of services and attractions along the trail. If you have data on your phone, you’ll also be able to see when the trails were last groomed, how deep the snowpack is, and what the weather’s doing.
Download the application on Google Play
Download the application on the App Store
Paper Maps
For those who prefer printed maps: Download the map
Québec Snowmobile Pass
You must buy a permit to be on snowmobile trails in Québec. The permit gives you access to 33,000 km of trails maintained by snowmobile clubs throughout the province and is valid for a few days to the entire season. Liability insurance is included. The permits are only available on-line, be sure to read all information.
Snowmobile Rentals
Snowmobile rental companies will equip you with everything you need for your expedition and can also give you valuable advice. The following companies rent snowmobiles that you can take out on your own:
The following hotels have secure parking lots for snowmobiles—some with video surveillance—so you can rest easy on your expedition.
- Manoir du Lac Sept-Îles, Hôtel Le Must, Hôtel Québec Inn, Le Roquemont, La Demeure du Capitaine, Econo Lodge Deschambault, DoubleTree by Hilton Québec Resort, Le Versant Mont-Sainte-Anne, Les Chalets Immersion
