Key Event Details:
Event Name: Québec Mega Trail (QMT)
Location: Baie-Saint-Paul to Mont-Sainte-Anne, Québec, Canada
Dates: 3–6 July 2025
Distances Available: 6km, 15km, 25km, 32km, 50km, 80km, 135km
Signature Race: 135km from the St Lawrence River to the Laurentian Mountains
Terrain Highlights: Coastal climbs, Mestachibo Canyon, forest singletrack, Mont-Sainte-Anne summit
Website: ultratrailcanada.com/en
Best For: Trail runners chasing adventure, elevation, and wild scenery in one of Canada’s most iconic ultra events
QUÉBEC MEGA TRAIL – You can feel the energy of a trail running race by the hospitality of the town it crosses along the course.
And the village of Baie-Saint-Paul, about an hour east of Québec City in Canada, gets pretty festive as it welcomes the contenders at the starting line of the 135km Québec Mega Trail race.
In the queen distance of race, participants go head-to-head in a unique and wild voyage between the St Lawrence River and the mountain of the
Laurentian Plateau.
Starting with a long climb at sundown into the Canadian wilderness to the summit of the coastal wall of the Sentier des Caps, runners are given a breathtaking sunrise over the vast expanse of water that is St Lawrence. The journey then dives deep into the land to follow the depth of the infamous Mestachibo Canyon. The rocky trail full of roots in this section are well-known for breaking many spirits and sometimes changing the odds of the race. But once that challenge is behind them, most racers will see the sun go down once again as they climb the steep trails of Mont-Sainte-Anne, the tallest mountain in the area.
As you get closer to completing the experience, back at the foot of the mountain you can feel the strong energy of the finish line, whether you
cross it at 5pm or 5am.
Crossing the lush Québec forest with breathtaking points of view, you can feel the isolation and beauty of the wilderness at each footstep. No matter which of the eight distances you choose from (6km to 135km), you’ll see the beauty and wilderness of Beaupré and Charlevoix. Because Québec Mega Trail is a unique, wild race that pushes the participants to explore the land and themselves.
Over the years, the race has forged a strong community of trail runners who value friendship in hardship. That’s the community cheering you on and supporting the racers all along the course.
This article appeared in Edition 55 of Trail Run Magazine 2025. Grab your copy here
