Quebec is home to Canada’s best-preserved ghost town with a towering waterfall

Ever wanted to step back in time? In Quebec, you can visit a historic town where history feels frozen, and it’s just a road trip away from Montreal.

Just a few hours from the city, you can visit a ghost town set in the middle of a forest that, once thriving, was left abandoned, with crumbling houses and vacant buildings now all that remain.

Tucked away in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region, this historic village is filled with preserved buildings, fascinating industrial history and beautiful natural scenery.

Val-Jalbert was founded through the establishment of a pulp and paper mill in 1901. By the early 1920s, comfort was the hallmark of life in Val-Jalbert, and the modern village was the envy of the area.

However, when production at the mill was permanently suspended in 1927, the village inhabitants deserted the site. It was abandoned within a few years and became a ghost village, sitting idle for decades.

Revived in the 1960s, the village is now a designated National Historic Site of Canada and open-air museum, recognized for its remarkably preserved buildings and original layout.

It’s often referred to as Canada’s “best-preserved ghost town,” thanks to its authenticity and the preservation of its built environment.

You’ll find over 90 buildings and remains here, including 42 still-standing structures and original period buildings. While some structures have been restored, others remain as ruins, slowly being reclaimed by nature.

Autumn is a great time to visit the village as it transforms into a landscape of vibrant colour, with trees painted in shades of red, orange and gold.

While the buildings are currently closed for the season, you can still enjoy hiking and an outdoor tour of the village.

You can wander along the historic streets, admire former workers’ homes and see buildings such as the general store, old butcher shop and convent school.

The experience offers a glimpse into what everyday life looked like for families in an early 20th-century Quebec mill town.

One of the biggest reasons to visit is the spectacular Ouiatchouan Falls.

The waterfall plunges approximately 72 metres into a rocky canyon, creating a dramatic natural backdrop for the historic village. For comparison, Niagara Falls’ Canadian Horseshoe Falls has a vertical drop of around 57 metres, making Ouiatchouan Falls taller by that measure.

You can take in the scenery from designated viewpoints and enjoy the sound of rushing water echoing through the surrounding landscape.

You can also hike along the Sentier Ouiatchouan, a trail that runs along the Ouiatchouan River for 30 kilometres between Val-Jalbert and Lac-Bouchette. There are several viewpoints on the Ouiatchouan and Maligne Falls, as well as many rapids.

Val-Jalbert is located in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, in the municipality of Chambord, about 4 hours from Montreal. While it’s a bit of a trek from the city, the payoff to see one of the best ghost towns in Canada is absolutely worth it.

You could even work in as a stop on a longer trip through the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region.

Whether you’re drawn by the towering waterfall or the chance to walk through a real-life ghost town, this Quebec destination offers a rare combination of history and natural beauty.

As the village is now in its off-season, keep in mind that tickets must be purchased on site.

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.