Hiking near Coaticook in May: Eastern Townships Guide

Hiking near Coaticook in May is the reopening. The Gorge puts its footbridge back in service, Mont Pinacle dries out, and the woods go from brown to a green so bright it looks edited. The catch arrives late in the month with wings. Here is how to time it.

What hiking near Coaticook in May is like

Days stretch from a little over fourteen hours to nearly fifteen and a half (exact times on the National Research Council's sun calculator), so an after-dinner walk becomes possible. Early May still has mud in the low spots. Until the leaves fill in, around mid-month, you get views through the trees that vanish for the summer.

The long weekend before May 25 (Victoria Day, or the Journée nationale des patriotes in Québec) is the first busy weekend of the year at every trailhead. Go early or go on the Friday.

Where to go

The Gorge and its footbridge

The Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook has 19 km of marked trails in three sectors. In 2026 the hiking season began in early May, with the campground reception open 10 am to 4 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 4 pm on weekends, last entry at 3:30 pm, and summer hours from June 19. The schedule page has the current year.

The trails, as the park describes them:

• Gorge trail, 3.5 km. The footbridge, the observation tower, the old hydroelectric station and the cave. Several flights of stairs both ways; not recommended for people with reduced mobility.
• Mountain trail, 3 km: a covered bridge, a round barn, waterfalls and another tower. Stroller-friendly, with some steep bits.
• Tillotson trail, 8.5 km, with waterfalls and a pond. This is the quiet one.
• Leisure trail, 3.5 km, shared with cyclists and accessible to people with reduced mobility.

In 2026 a day ticket cost $10.75 per adult and $6 for a first child, parking included. Dogs are allowed on a leash everywhere in the park.

Mont Pinacle

The Parc Harold F. Baldwin, about 15 minutes from Coaticook (13 km, 8 miles), reopens when the thaw is done, which its FAQ places somewhere between March and May. Five short trails add up to about 5 km round trip and end on a cliff top looking straight down at Lac Lyster. A day ticket is $9.50 for ages 17 and up, free for 16 and under, and the park strongly recommends buying online for weekends because spots per time slot are limited. Dogs must stay on a leash and on the trail.

Lac Lyster's beach is at the foot of the mountain, but the City of Coaticook only allows swimming during supervised hours, and lifeguards usually start around June 24. In May the lake is for looking at. Our Lac Lyster and Mont Pinacle guide has the beach rules.

Mont Hereford

The Forêt Hereford is free, open 6 am to 9 pm, and welcomes leashed dogs. From the Saint-Herménégilde trailhead, 17 km from Coaticook (11 miles, about 20 minutes), the climb to the summit is 2.5 km with about 200 m of elevation gain, past the big yellow birches the forest calls its Giants. From East Hereford (22 km, 14 miles), the Chute à Donat trail reaches a waterfall in 0.4 km, and spring is when it has the most water. Cell coverage is limited once you are in.

Black flies, mosquitoes and ticks

The first warm spell of late May brings out the black flies, and they are usually at their worst into June, especially near running water. They are miserable rather than dangerous. A breezy summit is better than a sheltered creek, and a head net weighs nothing.

Ticks are the ones to take seriously. Québec's health ministry says they are active from 4°C, and that the young ticks (nymphs), tiny and easy to miss, are most active in spring and summer. Its prevention page recommends long, light-coloured clothing, pants tucked into socks, a repellent with DEET or icaridin, and a shower and skin check within two hours of getting back. The Lyme disease page covers symptoms and what to do after a bite.

Getting around

Drive times are approximate, from Coaticook. Winter roads and border waits change the math; in May it is mostly the border on long weekends, if you are driving up from New England.

Back at the house

La Villa Foresta sits among the trees in the Coaticook area, with a view toward Mont Pinacle, so you can look at tomorrow's hike over coffee on the covered deck. The house has walking sticks, a picnic backpack and binoculars for the spring birds. Before you light the fire pit, check the fire danger level for the region with SOPFEU, Québec's forest fire protection agency.

The spring outdoors guide covers the season as a whole. Neighbouring months: April and June.

Useful links

• Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook: hiking trails and rates
• Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook: schedules
• Parc Harold F. Baldwin (Mont Pinacle)
• Parc Harold F. Baldwin: tickets and reservations
• Forêt Hereford: trails
• Québec: protecting yourself from mosquito and tick bites
• Québec: Lyme disease and ticks
• SOPFEU: fire danger and restrictions