Following Lac de l’Aqueduc Trail in Saint-Alexis-des-Monts

I had never really stopped in the Mauricie region before. But since I’m currently trying to do as many 75S Challenge hikes as possible, I figured it gave me a good excuse to go explore this region a little. So I headed to Saint-Alexis-des-Monts to hike the Lac de l’Aqueduc Trail.

Lac de l’Aqueduc Trail is one of the trails that is part of La Nature d’Alexis trail network, an outdoor organization that aim to showcase the landscapes of the region. As it was the first time I ventured into this area, I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but I was immediately enchanted by Saint-Alexis-des-Monts, its large church, its decorated streets and its giant trout statue (this village is apparently known for its speckled trout fishing).

I parked in the village, in the parking lot on Rue des Collèges. The trailhead of Lac de l’Aqueduc Trail is at the very end of Rue Pellerin, and after finding it, I left the village streets behind me to better enter the beautiful mixed forest.

As its name suggests, the Lac de l’Aqueduc Trail leads to L’Aqueduc Lake, which is a former drinking water reserve for the village. I knew that the trail gained elevation to reach the lake, but I was surprised that this climb was rather steep from the start. In fact, in the first few metres, I came across places where stiles help to climb on a large rock, and another where there are ropes and stairs to facilitate the climb.

After about 800 metres, I arrived at a rocky ledge which offers a lovely view of Saint-Alexis-des-Monts and the surrounding area. There is a lookout, as well as a picnic table. This hike had only just begun, and I was already enjoying it a lot!

Afterwards, the trail continues to climb slightly into the forest. He took me between some large glacial erratics, and made me wind through the pretty mixed forest. It wasn’t anything very intense, but since I had also hiked in the morning to Swaggin and Bouleau Falls in Lanaudière, my legs were a little tired.

Fortunately, the trail eventually goes back down, then it took me across an ATV trail, and finally, between the branches, I got my first glimpse of Lac de l’Aqueduc.

What a beautiful place! I understand those who describe the lake as a haven of tranquility, the scenery there was sublime and peaceful. And I was completely alone on the trail. It’s hard to believe that my hike started in the village, barely 2 kilometres away, and it now made me feel miles away from civilization!

The trail then loops around the lake, and I followed it clockwise. And I continued to be completely charmed. The trail offers some climbs and descents and allows you to admire the lake from different angles. It was simply lovely.

At one point, the trail took me past a huge rock that looked like a leaning tower lost in the forest (a sign indicates that the rock is simply called “La Grosse Roche” which translates to The Big Rock). It also took me through some stairs and pretty boardwalks, before taking me to a lookout near the lake, located about halfway through the loop. Another perfect place to take a break!

Afterwards, I still had about a kilometre to go to complete the tour of the lake. Once the loop was completed, I returned to my starting point using the same trail as on the way in. My legs were a little tired, but I took my time, enjoying the tranquility and soft light of the end of the day in the forest of Saint-Alexis-des-Monts.

When I returned to my car in the village, I had hiked about 7 kilometres, with an elevation gain of 356 metres. For a hike that I did only because it is part of the 75S Challenge list, this trail was a nice surprise. It made me want to come back one day to explore the other trails of La Nature d’Alexis!

***Lac de l’Aqueduc Trail is part of the 75S Challenge, a hiking challenge managed by Rando Québec. To learn more about the challenge or to follow my progress, visit this page.***