STATE & NATION TRAVEL · alerts
La Mauricie closes its Parkway from Saint-Mathieu to Rivière à la Pêche
By Staff Writer · Published October 27, 2026
A Parks Canada order issued October 26 closes the cross-park road section until further notice, changing how fall and early-winter visitors reach the Quebec park's open areas.
Official announcement: Parks Canada · October 26, 2026
Source: Parks Canada October 26 Parkway closure order
Parks Canada has closed the Parkway between La Mauricie National Park's Saint-Mathieu entrance and the Rivière à la Pêche Service Centre. The superintendent's order took effect October 26 and remains in force until further notice, applying to all traffic and travel on that section.
The order changes cross-park access at the same time the park moves from its main operating season toward winter. Parks Canada's 2026 schedule already limits the Parkway after October 12 and lists only a short section as operating from October 26 through May 27, 2027. The new bulletin is the controlling notice for the Saint-Mathieu-to-Rivière à la Pêche segment, so travelers should not use an older map or ordinary seasonal schedule as evidence that the road is open.
The park itself is not entirely closed. The Saint-Jean-des-Piles entrance remains open year-round and provides road access toward Rivière à la Pêche; the Saint-Gérard entrance also remains open but does not provide vehicle access to the Parkway. Exact trail, parking and facility availability can change separately, and another active order closes multi-use trails 11 and 12 and the Mekinac Trail through December 2 for wildfire-risk-reduction work.
Parks Canada does not give an expected reopening date for the Parkway section. The agency warns that entering a closed area can lead to legal proceedings, making the notice an access restriction rather than a travel suggestion. Visitors with lodging, winter activity or through-route plans should confirm the approach and parking area before departure.
What Travelers Need to Know
Do not enter the Parkway from Saint-Mathieu toward Rivière à la Pêche while the order is active. Check the official important-bulletins index on the day of travel because the notice has no fixed end date.
Use the Saint-Jean-des-Piles entrance for vehicle access toward Rivière à la Pêche and verify the current parking and trail-status page before leaving. The Saint-Gérard entrance is trail access only and does not connect cars to the Parkway.
Plan around the park's seasonal service gap. The main fall facilities closed in October, while the published winter season begins December 17; equipment rental, staffed reception and winter accommodations follow their own dates and may require reservations.
Carry a valid entry pass and confirm any activity fee or booking separately. A campsite or activity booking does not authorize travel through a closed road or trail; the park's active wildfire-risk-reduction order affects trails 11 and 12 and the Mekinac Trail through December 2.
About the Location
La Mauricie National Park is in Quebec north of Trois-Rivières, about halfway between Montreal and Quebec City. The park was created in 1970 and developed around lakes, forest, campgrounds and an internal road system; Parks Canada opened its first campground in 1972 and inaugurated the Saint-Mathieu reception centre in 1976.
The Parkway is the road spine linking the park's eastern and western visitor sectors during the main season. That role makes a segment closure consequential even when other entrances remain open: a traveler may still reach part of the park, but cannot assume the usual cross-park connection is available. The park's winter season is scheduled for December 17, 2026, through March 28, 2027, with winter services centered on the Rivière à la Pêche and Saint-Jean-des-Piles side.