Hiking near Coaticook in February: Eastern Townships Guide

Hiking near Coaticook in February is still a snowshoe and ski affair, but the month has one big advantage over January: light. You gain more than an hour of day between the 1st and the 28th, which is the difference between a rushed loop and a proper summit. This is the month to try the longer outings.

What hiking near Coaticook in February is like

Daylight runs from about nine hours and forty minutes on February 1 to nearly eleven hours at the end of the month (the National Research Council's sun calculator has the exact times). It is still full winter: cold mornings, and conditions that swing from powder one weekend to a rain crust the next. Nobody can promise snow on a given date, so look at Environment Canada's forecast and each trail manager's page before you drive.

Pack snowshoes and crampons both if you own them; if not, the Gorge rents them.

A long day on snowshoes

Mont Hereford

The Forêt Hereford trails are free, dogs are welcome on a leash, and Tourisme Coaticook lists 16 km of them for snowshoes or crampons. The East Hereford trailhead is 22 km from Coaticook (14 miles, about 25 minutes). From there the Neil-Tillotson trail climbs 400 m over 7 km to the summit of Mont Hereford. With February daylight and an early start, a fit group can do the 14 km round trip. A day shelter with a wood stove, open from 10 am to 3 pm, sits partway up. Cell coverage is limited, so load the Ondago map first.

Mont-Mégantic

The Parc national du Mont-Mégantic is a commitment: about an hour and a half from Coaticook each way (roughly 100 km, 62 miles) on two-lane roads. What you get for it is altitude. Sépaq lists 20 km of snowshoe trails in the Observatoire sector, including the climbs to Mont Saint-Joseph and Mont Mégantic itself at 1,110 m, another 20 km in the Franceville sector, and 17 km of cross-country trails. Snowshoe rental is reserved by phone a day ahead, and a daily access fee applies. Go on a clear day or do not go.

On skis

Plein Air Coaticook is the local club: 30 km of cross-country trails in several loops through the woods, plus four snowshoe circuits. The day pass is $10 per adult, children 12 and under ski free, and rentals ($10 for skis, $5 for snowshoes, cash only) must be reserved by phone. No pets on the trails.

At the Parc national du Mont-Orford, about 45 minutes from Coaticook (50 km, 31 miles), Sépaq counts 15 trails with more than 50 km for classic skiing and 26 km for skate skiing, groomed and tracked, with rentals on site and no reservation needed. A network that size suits mixed groups: the fast skiers disappear for two hours while the rest do a short loop.

For free and flat, the Tomifobia Nature Trail follows 19 km of old rail bed along the Tomifobia River from Ayer's Cliff, about 25 minutes from Coaticook (25 km, 16 miles). The municipality lists cross-country skiing and snowshoeing among its winter uses, and leashed dogs are allowed. Five parking areas let you ski as little of it as you like.

Short outings at the Gorge

If half the group wants an hour outside and then hot chocolate, the Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook is in town. Beyond its 21 km of snowshoe trails and 7.5 km of packed walking trails, it has a fat bike route and rents kicksleds by the hour. A trail ticket includes the skating rink and a small sliding hill (bring your own skates and sleds). The footbridge is closed until spring. In the 2025 to 2026 season the last entry was at 3 pm; the park reposts its winter schedule every year.

Mont Pinacle's Parc Harold F. Baldwin, 15 minutes from Coaticook, is usually past its freeze-up closure by February, but the park decides that, so confirm on its site. Tickets are $9.50 for ages 17 and up, sold online, and Tourisme Coaticook says crampons or snowshoes are mandatory in winter.

Practical notes

Drive times on this page are approximate, from Coaticook, in good conditions. Winter roads and border waits change the math, and a snow squall on a back road can double a 25 minute drive. Québec 511 reports road conditions.

Sun on snow burns faces by late February, so pack sunglasses and sunscreen with the mitts, a headlamp anyway, and a dry layer for the ride back.

Back at the house

La Villa Foresta, in the Coaticook area, sleeps 12 in five bedrooms with two bathrooms, which means a hot shower rota after a ski day; plan on it. The house has robes, a fondue set, a popcorn maker for movie night and enough board games to outlast a storm. Dogs are welcome, with their own beds and treats. The winter weekend guide has skating and ice fishing for the rest day.

The winter outdoors guide covers the whole season. Neighbouring months: January and March.

Useful links

• Forêt Hereford: hiking and snowshoe trails
• Parc national du Mont-Mégantic (Sépaq)
• Parc national du Mont-Orford (Sépaq)
• Plein Air Coaticook (French)
• Tomifobia Nature Trail (Municipality of Ayer's Cliff)
• Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook: winter activities
• Parc Harold F. Baldwin (Mont Pinacle)
• Québec 511: road conditions