Sled the North: Abitibi-Témiscamingue’s Snowmobile Trails
More than 3,500 km of groomed trail, reliable snow and hotels that open onto the network. How to plan a snowmobile trip in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, and why to buy your trail pass in October.
Abitibi-Témiscamingue sells itself as snowmobile country, and the numbers back it up. The regional tourism office counts more than 3,500 km of maintained trail. Add deep, reliable snow and towns built along the Trans-Québec network, and you have one of the easiest places in the province to plan a multi-day ride.
There’s also a reason to plan now: the cheapest trail pass of the season is only on sale until 31 October.
The routes
The tourism office publishes five suggested circuits. L’Abitibi, 722 km from Val-d’Or, is the right scale for a first trip. Escapade au Témis, at 473 km, takes in Témiscamingue in the south, and the longest, Le Conquérant, runs 1,403 km.
Val-d’Or is the practical base. It has rental shops, fuel and hotels on the network, such as the Hôtel Forestel, which connects directly to Trans-Québec trail 83 at the edge of town. Rouyn-Noranda and Amos work well for other parts of the region.
Renting
You don’t need your own machine. In Val-d’Or, Barbin Sport rents snowmobiles with insurance and trail access included. Its posted prices run from $400 for 24 hours to $1,800 for seven days, before tax, and renters must be 21 or older with a driver’s licence. Rentals start once the trails open. Guided packages from regional operators, which include the sled, gear, fuel and a guide, are the better choice for first-timers.
Plan it
- When: mid-January to mid-March is the most reliable window. Early-season riding depends on freeze-up, and clubs post trail conditions daily.
- How long: two to three riding days for a first loop, four or five for a cross-region tour.
- Trail pass: a Fédération des clubs de motoneigistes du Québec (FCMQ) access right is mandatory, and passes are sold online only. For 2026–27, the annual pass is $440 if bought by 31 October, $465 until 15 December, then $575. Short-term passes run from $90 for one day to $300 for seven. Rentals usually include access.
- Getting there: fly from Montreal to Val-d’Or or Rouyn-Noranda, or drive about six and a half hours from Montreal to Val-d’Or through the La Vérendrye wildlife reserve.
- Book ahead: trail-side hotels on February weekends, and any guided departure.
- Bring: the warmest gear you own. Temperatures well below −20 °C are normal in January.
- Ride safe: stay on marked trails, slow down near villages, never ride on lake ice off-trail, and tell someone your route.