The best camping near Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve

Mingan Archipelago National Park is set in eastern Quebec, offshore from the small community of Havre-Saint-Pierre and 870 kilometres from Quebec City. The park’s 20-plus islands and roughly 1,000 tiny islets are scattered in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, in the region known as the Côte-Nord (North Shore) of the Saint Lawrence. Upon arrival by boat, you can camp on six of the Mingan îies (islands), searching for Atlantic puffins, razorbills, and other seabirds, kayaking and paddleboarding, hiking among unusual rock formations, and touring historic lighthouses.

• Best for family adventures: Baie Quarry is set on the well-sized Île Quarry with eight sites and developed boardwalk trails.
• Best for selfies with rock monoliths: Anse du Noroît, the campground on Île Niapiskau, features a hiking trail connecting sites to the famous Anse des Bonnes Femmes formations.
• Best for birding: Havre à Landry is found away from the other islands on Île à la Chasse.

1. You can reserve campsites on six Mingan islands: Île à la Chasse, Île du Havre, Île Niapiskau, Île Quarry, Île Nue de Mingan, and La Grande Île. On Quarry Island (Île Quarry), you can book oTENTiks (platform tents) in addition to tent sites, while other islands have Oasis accommodations, tent-like duplexes shaped like teardrops.
2. Reserve your site through Parks Canada’s online reservations system, which opens for the season in January.
3. Several boat companies transport campers to the islands—it’s best to contact them directly to arrange transportation as soon as you’ve booked your campsite.

Very few visitor attractions are open along the Côte Nord outside of the summer months. The camping season in Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada is short, from mid-June through mid-September. In Quebec, late June’s Jean Baptiste Day (the Fête Nationale) kicks off the summer season, and the park is busiest from that holiday weekend through August. The main park interpretation center in Havre-Saint-Pierre typically opens in early June and closes in late September.

• The largest city on the Côte Nord is Sept-Îles, 2.5 hours west of Havre-St.-Pierre. Sept-Îles is the North Shore’s transit hub with a regional airport and bus connections between Montreal, Quebec City, and Havre-St.-Pierre.
• Stock up on supplies in Sept-Îles or purchase groceries in Havre-St.-Pierre. The island campgrounds have no shops, restaurants, or drinking water, so you’ll need to bring items from the mainland.
• The national park’s two visitor centres—in Havre-St.-Pierre and Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan—offer wifi. The islands, however, have no internet service and limited cell coverage.
• Many Mingan boat tours and interpretive programs are offered in French only. Ask park staff about availability of English-language activities or guided tours.