Anticosti National Park

The idea of creating a park on Anticosti Island goes far back. Already in the 1920s, the richness of Anticosti's flora was highlighted by botanist Marie-Victorin, who described the canyon of the Vauréal River as a "remarkable sanctuary" for ferns. But for the following decades, the entire island was privately owned by a succession of logging companies who invested little or nothing in environmental protection.[3][4]

In 1974, Anticosti Island was bought by the Government of Quebec and became public land once again. In 1987, the Regional County Municipality of Minganie officially incorporated the idea of creating a park in the Vauréal River area in its development plan. Thereafter, it took 14 years to complete the research, studies, planning, and public hearings. The Quebec government created "Anticosti National Park" on April 26, 2001.[3] Despite its name, it is a provincial park, and not part of the country's national park system.

Natural attractions:[2]

• Vauréal Canyon and Waterfall - At the Vauréal Waterfall, the Vauréal River drops 76 metres (249 ft) and then flows through a 90 metres (300 ft) deep gorge.
• Tour Bay (Bay de la Tour) - This bay on the north side of the island is noteworthy for its breathtaking seascape with huge cliffs surrounding the bay and excellent bird watching opportunities.
• Potato Cave (Grotte à la Patate) - This 625 metres (2,051 ft) cave is one of the longest caves in Quebec. It is named after the Potato River (Rivière à la Patate) which gets its name from a large granite erratic boulder shaped like a potato that is located at the river's mouth.
• Brick River Canyon
• Observation River Canyon

Activities:

• Hiking - 45 kilometres (28 mi) of trails of various difficulty
• Horseback riding
• Sea kayaking
• Guided tours

Park amenities:

• 2 Visitor centres with restaurant, gasoline, and equipment rental
• Accommodation in inns, cabins, or campgrounds
• Picnic areas