Nord-Taiga Traverse

Venture beyond the familiar with the Nord-Taiga Traverse, one of North America's most exceptionally remote overland routes. Explore Quebec's untouched taiga, where industrial gravel roads lead to far-flung outposts and the chances of seeing other travelers are incredibly slim.

All photos credit to 207 Overland

Route Overview

Trip Length & Season

Adventure Rating: Epic Trip Length: 2,012 mile round trip (1,006 mi one way), plan 1.5-3 weeks for the complete trip Season: The best time to travel is typically June to early September. Route du Nord and the Trans-Taiga Road are open year round. However, we do not recommend traveling the roads/trails off of the main roads during mid-fall to spring given potentially dangerous conditions (snow and ice).

Digital Maps & GPX Files

Technical Ratings & Terrain

Recommended Vehicle / Moto / Adventure Vans

Fuel, Provisions, and Recommended Gear

Alternative Routes

Camping Recommendations

Discovery Points

Land Managers & Other Resources

Permits & Papers

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Route Details

Most folks who've been doing the adventure travel thing for a number of years are well-versed with the two famed routes out west that lead to the Arctic Circle: the Dalton Highway through Alaska and the Dempster Highway through the Yukon and Northwest Territories. But within the eastern half of North America, there's an even more remote route that traverses a vast and wide-open landscape dominated by the boreal forest, or Taiga. And contrary to the belief of many Americans who live on the East Coast, the east side of Canada is an overlander's paradise, and the Nord-Taiga Traverse perfectly exemplifies this.

The vast majority of Canada's major population centers are typically in close proximity to the U.S. border, and Quebec is no different. The route begins approximately 140 miles north (as the crow flies) of Quebec City, in northern Quebec—a region characterized by dense stands of black spruce and jack pine, interspersed with thousands of lakes, rivers, and extensive wetlands like bogs and muskeg. Unlike the topography of Alberta and British Columbia, the land tends to be relatively low in elevation with low, undulating hills and rocky outcrops. Traveling further north, the trees of the boreal forest become smaller, their growth stunted by extreme cold and the short growing season.

These remote biomes may seem uniform and unforgiving, but the boreal forest and taiga support a rich diversity of wildlife, including moose, black bears, wolves, lynx, fox, beavers, and more. Given the plethora of lakes, waterways, and wetlands, it's also a major breeding ground and migratory stopover for a wide array of avian species. And of course, there are the winged pests, like mosquitoes and black flies, whose populations tend to peak during the warm season.

The Cree people are the original stewards of these lands and remain one of the most populous First Nations groups within Quebec. Their traditional territory, known as Eeyou Istchee, is a vast area primarily located in the James Bay and Hudson Bay regions of Quebec. The Nord-Taiga Traverse visits many of these modern-day Cree settlements, while also passing through sites that have been used by the Cree people for at least hundreds of years, perhaps longer. As you explore the ancestral homelands of the Cree people, it's important that you show respect and honor their traditions and modern land management practices.

The route officially begins just north of Lac Saint-Jean, in the quaint town of Dolbeau-Mistassini. This is the last "real" town or city you'll encounter, as everything north can be described as a settlement, outpost, or perhaps a village (but even that may be a stretch). As you drive through town, readying for your departure north, be sure to keep an eye on the Rivière Mistassini (discovery point) and its many cascades, like Les Chutes du Père (discovery point). For roughly the first 130 miles, the track follows a gravel industrial road along the banks of Rivière Mistassini. Unlike other well-traveled roads like the Route du Nord and Trans-Taiga Road, this is an incredibly remote road. It's possible to go hours, or even days, without encountering anyone else. With that in mind, you need to come prepared for precarious situations like self-recoveries and breakdowns. A full-size spare is an absolute must out here!

Eventually, you'll turn west and begin making your way towards the expansive Lac Chibougamau (discovery point). This marks your return to civilization, with the outpost of Chibougamau providing an opportunity to refuel—which you definitely should unless you have an auxiliary tank! From Chibougamau, you'll continue northward via Route du Nord (North Road). The first few miles are pavement, but the tarmac eventually gives way to gravel yet again. You can definitely expect to encounter some vehicle traffic along Route du Nord, and given the heavy presence of industry (mining and power generation are the two big ones), it's important to remain vigilant for semi-trucks and other oversized vehicles, especially if you're traveling by motorcycle. These trucks are known to drive at fast and sometimes unsafe speeds, kicking up large amounts of dust, gravel, and rocks as they fly by.

As you travel further north, the presence of various large hydroelectric dams becomes obvious, the first of which is the Rupert Dam. Camp Nemiscau (discovery point) marks the end of your time along Route du Nord. Camp Nemiscau is an old Cree settlement but is currently associated with the extensive network of hydroelectric facilities in the James Bay Region, a result of Hydro-Québec's ambitious James Bay hydroelectric project in the 1970s. Today, Cree people still use the original site of Nemiscau as a summer encampment. The camp also hosts miners associated with the Nemaska lithium mine project and other industrial operations in the region.

Rather than follow Route du Nord west, the track heads north along another industrial gravel road. Along the north shores of Reservoir de la Paix des Braves sits Camp Eastman and the Eastman Hydroelectric Plant, all part of the greater James Bay hydroelectric project. Be sure to check out the two man-made canals that feed water from the Eastman River into the reservoir. Heading west yet again, the gravel meets the pavement of James Bay Road (Route de la Baie-James). James Bay Road represents the longest stretch of prolonged pavement, at about 90 miles in length. Several Cree communities can be accessed from James Bay Road: Wemindji, Eastmain, Waskaganish, and Chisasibi. Radisson represents the only non-Cree community in the region.

While it's possible to continue north along James Bay Road, the Trans-Taiga Road is your cue to turn right and head east. The Trans-Taiga Road was built as part of the greater James Bay hydroelectric project which kicked off construction in 1971. The segment along the Trans-Taiga features the largest concentration of hydroelectric facilities along the route, including the numerous hydroelectric dams associated with the La Grande complex of hydroelectric generating stations, which represents one of the largest hydroelectric systems in the world. Many of these facilities do require driving side roads to reach, but many are accessible and viewable by the general public. Upon reaching Brisay, you're darn near at the end of the road. The sparse outpost at Caniapiscau represents the official end of the track. Sometimes it's possible to obtain fuel from the float plane facility here, but we recommend calling ahead if you intend to refuel here.

Caniapiscau marks the end of the Trans-Taiga Traverse, but you still need to make the long drive back south. If it fits within your schedule, we highly encourage travelers to check out the alternative routes, which lead to remote Cree communities, incredibly remote locations (Road to Nowhere), and to Long Point and James Bay.

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