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Canyon Sainte-Anne — Sainte-Anne Falls plunging through a forested rocky gorgePhoto: isol · CC BY-SA 3.0 · edited
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Canyon Sainte-Anne

Nature spots ·Beaupré ·Closed
4.76.1K
#1Things to do in BeaupréMost reviewed in BeaupréTravelers' Choice 2025
  • Step-free access
  • Ideal for kids, teens, dogs
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About

Canyon Sainte Anne is a natural park around a steep gorge carved by the Sainte-Anne-du-Nord River, in Québec’s mountains and boreal forest, 6 km east of Beaupré.

More photos 11

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Canyon Sainte-Anne — Autumn view down the canyon toward the winding river Hélène Mc Nicoll · CC BY-SA 2.5 ca · edited
Canyon Sainte-Anne — Autumn view down the canyon toward the winding riverCanyon Sainte-Anne — Rocky canyon walls rising above the streamCanyon Sainte-Anne — Suspension footbridge crossing the river through the gorgeCanyon Sainte-Anne — Waterfall cascading between steep forested canyon wallsCanyon Sainte-Anne — Water spilling over broad rock ledges in the canyonCanyon Sainte-Anne — Sainte-Anne Falls dropping into the gorge above a rainbowCanyon Sainte-Anne — Footbridge spanning the river above rushing rapidsCanyon Sainte-Anne — Wooden suspension bridge leading into green forestCanyon Sainte-Anne — Visitors crossing a narrow footbridge above the canyonCanyon Sainte-Anne — A narrow rocky passage with a stream between the wallsCanyon Sainte-Anne — A deep pothole pool carved into the canyon rock

Why go

  • A 74 m waterfall on the Sainte-Anne-du-Nord River
  • Three suspension bridges, including one 60 m above the river
  • Eight cliffside lookouts over the waterfall and rock formations
  • 3 km of maintained hiking trails
  • A waterfall that inspired painter Cornelius Krieghoff and writer Henry David Thoreau

Opening hours

Today09:00 – 17:00Show all
Monday09:00 – 17:00
Tuesday09:00 – 17:00
Wednesday09:00 – 17:00
Thursday09:00 – 17:00
Friday09:00 – 17:00
Saturday09:00 – 17:00
Sunday09:00 – 17:00

Don't miss

  • Giant pothole and cascadesLook for a pothole about 15 m across, among Québec’s largest, and cascades visible at the canyon bottom from scenic overlooks.Canyon bottom, viewed from scenic overlooks
  • Supervised canyon activitiesTry climbing, via ferrata or rappelling with supervision in the canyon.Canyon gorges

With kids

  • A separate 1 km forest trail has 11 ground-level adventure modules and Pétraminis characters.
  • A family game trail offers riddles and legends for children and parents.

Tips for your visit

  • The main building has snack service and a terrace.
  • Choose between two wooded picnic areas, including one beside the river.
  • Nearby attractions include Montmorency Falls, the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré and Mont Sainte-Anne.

Know before you go

  • Open daily, 09:00–17:00.
  • Keep dogs on a leash on the trails.

History

The first visitors walked a mile and a half to the site’s only lookout. The McNicoll family later built the bridges and observation points. Erosion formed the canyon over millions of years, and the Sainte-Anne-du-Nord River continues to shape it.

  1. Before 1973Indigenous peoples frequented the site before it opened to the public.
  2. Early 20th centuryLoggers widely used the Sainte-Anne-du-Nord River route.
  3. 1965After a former logger explained how to reach the falls, Jean-Marie McNicoll found them.
  4. 1967The McNicoll brothers leased riverbank land, bought nearby wooded lots and began clearing the site.
  5. 14 July 1973The canyon opened to visitors.
Show all
  1. 2017AirCanyon launched, reaching 90 m high and nearly 50 km/h.
  2. March 2019La Corporation Canyon Sainte-Anne, a community-initiated private nonprofit, became the owner.

How to get there

  • 30 minCarAbout 30 minutes east of Québec City by car. Follow Highway 40 or 440 toward Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, then Route 138 East toward Baie-Saint-Paul. In Saint-Joachim, turn onto Chemin des Chutes Ste-Anne.
  • CarThe canyon lies on the boundary between Saint-Joachim and Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges.

Accessibility

  • Flat trails for strollers and wheelchairs Several flat trails accommodate strollers and wheelchairs.
  • Shuttle to viewpoints and bridges For visitors with reduced mobility; serves viewpoints north of Sainte-Anne Falls and the Mestachibo and McNicoll suspension bridges.
  • Kéroul accessibility accreditation Accredited by La Route Accessible de Kéroul.

Shorts

Interesting facts4

1/4
  1. 1.2 billion

    The canyon’s Canadian Shield bedrock is about 1.2 billion years old; its granitic gneiss formed deep underground under heat and high pressure.

    Canyon Sainte-Anne - Wikipedia

  2. At Sainte-Anne Falls, two major geological formations meet.

    Canyon Sainte-Anne - Wikipedia
  3. 2016

    A 23.2 MW run-of-river hydroelectric station at the foot of the waterfall began operating in 2016.

    Canyon Sainte-Anne - Wikipedia

  4. The Via des Marmites was Québec’s first via ferrata.

    Saint-Joachim - Wikivoyage (see)

Sources: Canyon Sainte-Anne - Wikipedia · Saint-Joachim - Wikivoyage (see) · Canyon Sainte-Anne · About Us : Canyon Sainte-Anne · Canyon Sainte-Anne - Wikipedia · checked 29 Sep 2026

Where
route 138 Est, Beaupre

Plan from here: Evening walk →

Questions and answers

Is Canyon Sainte Anne still changing?

Yes. The Sainte-Anne-du-Nord River continues to shape the canyon through erosion.

How did the sedimentary rock at Canyon Sainte Anne form?

Underwater sediments deposited about 450 million years ago were compressed into rock.

How did the slate at Canyon Sainte Anne form?

Shale became slate during the Acadian orogeny about 375 million years ago.

Has Canyon Sainte Anne appeared in a film?

It was a filming location for Battlefield Earth.

What is Canyon Sainte Anne’s owner’s conservation mission?

Sustaining the site for future generations is part of the corporation’s mission.

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