Choose a Black River Gorges hike by its entrance and route shape before comparing kilometres. A loop returns to your starting area, an out-and-back retraces its route, and a crossing finishes elsewhere. That difference determines your transport as much as your walking day.
8 routes match your selection
Pétrin
A 14 km forest loop from Pétrin. Shorter loops also use the Machabée name, so match your map to the full route before setting out.
Classic hiking routes
Route notes and access →Pétrin to Lower Gorges
A 10 km crossing from Pétrin to the lower gorges. Arrange your return transport before starting. A walk to the viewpoint and back is a different outing.
Classic hiking routes
Route notes and access →Pétrin
A 12 km forest loop from Pétrin towards Mare Longue reservoir. A shorter reservoir-side walk covers different ground.
Classic hiking routes
Route notes and access →Plaine Champagne to Lower Gorges
An 8 km crossing between Plaine Champagne and the lower gorges. The direction changes the climbing and the transport you need at the finish.
Classic hiking routes
Route notes and access →Gorette
The return route from Gorette covers 9 km. Other approaches to the summit have different distances and terrain. Check your exact start before comparing routes.
Classic hiking routes
Route notes and access →Alexandra to Plaine Champagne
A 3 km route between Alexandra and Plaine Champagne. Keep to your chosen route and respect the boundaries of the nearby Les Mares Nature Reserve.
Classic hiking routes
Route notes and access →Plaine Paul
An easy 6 km return outing from Plaine Paul. Check the ground and visibility for your day; an easy grade does not guarantee step-free access.
Classic hiking routes
Route notes and access →Alexandra Falls
A strenuous 3 km return route from Alexandra Falls. Also known as Cascade 500 Pieds, it is a separate hike from the short Alexandra Falls lookout visit.
Classic hiking routes
Route notes and access →These eight routes cover forest loops, summit walks and crossings between the uplands and the lower gorges. Compare the starting point, distance and difficulty to choose the outing that fits your day.
Pétrin is the starting point for several forest outings, but it is not a universal start for the park. In particular, Parakeet begins at Plaine Champagne, while the peak route starts at Gorette. The lower-gorge entrance gives another set of options.
Give your driver a specific agreed entrance and return arrangement. “Black River Gorges” covers too broad an area to be a useful pickup instruction on its own.
The 3 km Cascade des Gallets return is strenuous, while the 6 km Savanne return is easy. Shorter does not always mean easier; the terrain matters as much as the distance.
Read the individual guide for terrain and route identity. An overall grade cannot tell you whether a child, a person uncomfortable with exposed ground or someone with limited mobility will enjoy a particular section.
The Machabée and Parakeet crossings end in the lower gorges when followed from the uplands. Arrange the pickup before setting out and allow flexibility for the group’s actual progress. A one-way distance is not the total if you intend to walk back.
A return walk or loop can simplify transport when you have one vehicle. That convenience still depends on selecting the complete route rather than joining unrelated fragments from an app.
Other routes include Mare aux Joncs, Macchabée viewpoint and Plateau Remousse. The wider directory also records connectors, access-sensitive paths and race segments. These entries do not all represent independent, open public hikes.
Use the Centre’s current report to check your chosen outing, then confirm the start and any affected sections. Choose a route that suits the group’s interests and ability to return, with enough time to enjoy the forest itself.
For a route that brings you back to one vehicle, compare the 12 km Mare Longue Loop with the 14 km Machabée Forest Loop. Both start at Pétrin and are moderate walks, but they are substantial outings rather than short strolls.
For a shorter return, look at Savanne from Plaine Paul. For a crossing, compare Machabée and Parakeet and arrange your pickup first. If a waterfall is the priority, compare the stream crossings of Mare aux Joncs with the strenuous Cascade des Gallets outing rather than choosing only by the photograph.
We are awaiting a current report from the National Park Information Centre. Confirm access at your entrance before setting out.
Read park and trail access information →The 6 km Savanne return from Plaine Paul is graded easy. Choose it with the day’s ground conditions and your group’s abilities in mind; easy does not mean step-free.
No. Pétrin serves several routes, while others begin at Plaine Champagne, Gorette, Alexandra or Plaine Paul.
No. These eight classic routes are part of a wider network that includes Mare aux Joncs, the Macchabée viewpoint walk, Plateau Remousse and connecting paths. Compare the complete outing and check its current access.
References used for this guide. Current access is shown separately with its own report date.