This Emerald River Runs Through A Quebec Forest & You Can Take This Hike To Find Its Waterfall

For the low price of $10 and a "rough" but short hike, you can visit a sparkling blue-green river, right in the heart of Quebec's Gaspésie region. The river, actually called the Portage River, is locally known as the Emerald River due to its green hue, which comes from "the depth and colour of the stones at the bottom," according to the regional tourism website.

As appealing as that emerald water may seem, swimming is strictly discouraged at this regional park. You can totally bring your pets to this gorgeous trailhead, though, and explore the 27-kilometre Rivières Trail, which winds through the forest to L'Anse-à-Beaufils.

The Emerald River is accessible year-round, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but it's never supervised, which is part of why swimming is not recommended. To reach it, you'll need to traverse 800 metres of hiking path and climb a total of 100 steps to get to the waterfall, so it's not what one might call wheelchair accessible.

To get in, you'll need to pay $10 for each person over the age of 13, or $30 for a family (which consists of seven or fewer people in one vehicle), or $8.50 per person for an organized group of 15 people or more. Those 12 years old and younger get in for free, but that doesn't mean they can swim any more than you can.

Take your perfect BeReal looking out at the shimmering green waters, explore the rocky trails around the falls, and enjoy the natural splendour that the Gaspé peninsula has to offer.

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your trip.