Paddling in Mont-Tremblant National Park

Mont-Tremblant National Park sits in the Laurentians of Quebec, a landscape shaped by glacial lakes and rivers draining through forested hills.

The park holds around 400 lakes and streams alongside several significant rivers, and the paddling divides cleanly between flatwater lake touring and moving-water river descents. The Rivière du Diable is the park's central paddling corridor.

A self-guided canoe descent covers roughly 12 km of meandering river, making it accessible to paddlers who want current without committing to technical whitewater.

Rentals and shuttle logistics are available through park-affiliated operators, and SEPAQ manages the on-water experience directly. The Rivière L'Assomption anchors the park's third sector and extends the river paddling options beyond the Diable watershed.

On the lake side, Lac Monroe, Lac Provost, Lac Forbes, Lac de la Savane, and Lac Escalier are among the waters that reward canoe and kayak touring. Lac Provost sits within the Pimbina sector, where a serviced beach provides a natural staging point.

These lakes reward unhurried paddling — the kind where you're watching for loons rather than reading lines.

One rule shapes the experience across nearly all of the park's lakes: electric motors have been prohibited since 2022, and gas motors were already gone before that. Only personal canoes and kayaks are permitted.

That means the water stays quiet, which matters both for wildlife and for the quality of the paddle itself. Check with SEPAQ for current access requirements before launching — the park manages its own permitting and conditions.

The Rivière Rouge runs outside the park boundary but draws paddlers who are already in the region and want moving water with more character than the Diable descent provides. Mont-Tremblant rewards paddlers who slow down.

The motor ban isn't an inconvenience — it's the reason the lakes feel the way they do.