The Appalachian Trail
Opened in 1996, the International Appalachian Trail, more than 1050 km (652 mi) long, offers pedestrians a series of incomparable views. The Trail is comprehensibly marked, and its shelters and campgrounds, equipped with washrooms and other facilities, are placed at reasonable distance. Its construction attracted many volunteers from Quebec, New Brunswick, and the state of Maine. The collaboration resulted in this impressively long trail: 660 km (410 mi) in Quebec, 280 km (174 mi) in New Brunswick, and 160 km (100 mi) in Maine, where the Trans-American Appalachian Path had been built in the middle of the last century (of approximately 3500 km (2175 mi), it attracts thousands of hikers every year).
Starting in the state of Main, the International Appalachian Trail makes its way though the province of New-Brunswick and the Gaspe peninsula in Quebec. The section of the International Appalachian Trail located in Quebec begins (or ends, depending on the point of view) at Cap-Gaspe, in the Forillon National Park. From that point, it travels from village to village, occasionally brushing against the shore of the St. Lawrence River.
From Mount St. Pierre, the Appalachian Trail heads toward Mount Jacques Cartier, then it crosses the Gaspe Park reaching Mount Logan and cutting through the Matane Wildlife Reserve.
Then, skirting the Fernald Ecological Reserve, the Trail reaches the Matane River and goes on up to the Matapedia Lake before descending into the valley as far as Matapedia.
The International Appalachian Trail and the Trans-American Appalachian Trail together make a trail as long as 4500 km (2796 mi), which makes it the longest pedestrian path in North America (the Great Wall of China is 3000 km (1864 mi) long).
The trail attracts thousands of Canadian, American and European hikers. Please note that the access to many mountains is closed during the winter.
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