Hiking Chutes Jean-Larose: trails, map and practical info

Chutes Jean-Larose are across the street from the Mont-Sainte-Anne station, a few minutes' walk away, according to Québec Cité. Mont-Sainte-Anne's English page describes the “Chemin des chutes” as a trail that runs alongside three cascades of 12, 19 and 41 m. Québec Cité says three successive cascades, the tallest reaching 41 m. Côte-de-Beaupré writes that the falls are only 7 m shorter than Montmorency Falls. None of these sources gives a total height.

The Trails

According to Côte-de-Beaupré, the Jean-Larose loop is 4 km in total and rated “easy intermediate”. From the parking lot, the trail leads to a staircase of about 350 steps that runs alongside the falls and reaches viewpoints. Rest stops break up the climb back. You can also return on a fairly wide trail that climbs gently, which closes the loop. Québec Cité counts more than 350 steps, down and then back up.

From the base of the falls, you can branch off onto the Mestachibo trail. Côte-de-Beaupré describes it as a 13.8 km trail (one way) to the church in Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, at an intermediate-to-difficult level and recommended for experienced hikers. The Mestachibo website lists 530 m of positive elevation and 3 to 5 hours for this West segment. You need a return plan: two cars, a taxi booked in advance, or an out-and-back that doubles the distance.

Condition of the Sector: Check Before You Go

The two language versions of Mont-Sainte-Anne's hiking page disagree. The English page lists the Jean-Larose sector among the trails marked “closed”: closed for the summer, with a stair repair project under way and no reopening date. The French page says the path and staircase are accessible again thanks to the stairs rebuilt in autumn 2021. Check with Mont-Sainte-Anne before you go. The Côte-de-Beaupré and Québec Cité pages report no closure.

Dogs and Activities

The rule specific to the falls sector is unconfirmed. Mont-Sainte-Anne allows dogs on a leash on its hiking trails without naming the Jean-Larose sector, and the Mestachibo website says dogs are allowed on a leash. Québec Cité writes that the spot is ideal for canyoning. Swimming, biking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and drones: no source mentions them for this site, so they are unconfirmed.