Foresta Lumina — Attraction in Coaticook

FORESTA LUMINA is a very unique night time experience that is wonderful for ages 7 and up (strollers can be an issue because of steep hills and very young ones may be scared by the imagery and sounds).

The Gorge Park is an awesome sight during the day time but is completely transformed at night where there is no sense of depth, height or distance in the Foresta Lumina walk through (over bridges, up hills, through forests, etc are completely different when there is no light). In essence you follow the typical park trail (in a uni-directional path) experiencing a light and sound show as if you were in a fairy-tale fantasy land. The event is extremely well thought-out and highly enjoyable, especially since it is unique and not something regularly replicated elsewhere. It is also good that there is nothing else to do at this time so you are not competing with another event, trying to decide which is more important...in this case nothing else is open.

It is best to visit the site when it is completely dark. Our reservation was for 9:50pm and it was sufficiently dark and not "crazy" crowded like it can be early times especially on weekends.

Check out some of the videos I posted to get a better idea of what the experience is like. Enjoy!

LIMITATIONS: The trail has some steep walks (all under 100m), a few steps and narrow passages which would make it hard for those with limited mobility and strollers.

RESERVATIONS: Reservations are critical. Visit the website on purchasing tickets. The earlier times (say 9:00pm) are usually packed...so try to go as late as possible when there are fewer crowds.

TIME: Depending on the age and mobility of your group it can be done as quickly as 45 minutes and as long as 1 1/2 hours....but don't rush as it is a sensory experience and should be leisurely enjoyed.

PARKING: If you are not super early then parking can be a bit of a hassle and you will have to find street parking in front of a random house...but the walk to the entrance is generally not that far (max about 250m).

NOTE: At the end of the experience and after walking through the gift shop is a small shop on the right (in a tiny cabin) that sells the local Coaticoak ice cream...it's delicious and a great ending to a unique...

The story they tell is just a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, but more generic; it's pretty and the use of fog machines to create ambiance and keep bugs away is ingenious, but it makes it so the lights are diffused, and makes the whole area sticky hot to walk in, and with nowhere visible to drink at. (none of the water fountains are directly in the way or clearly lit up/indicated; there's no signs anywhere)

Plus, it's extremely dangerous and unfriendly towards the handicapped, the elderly, children, people who are afraid of heights, who aren't in the best of physical shapes, who don't have good eyesight, etc. etc.

You're told to simply "follow the lights" and there are literally no guides or employees anywhere to watch over people or make sure everybody's made it to the end. The way is pitchblack except for lights in the trees that blind you, so you can't see where you're walking at all, and since most of the time you're either climbing a steep mountain (literally) or sliding down a steep slope with no hand supports whatsoever, the whole thing could become a huge deathtrap at the smallest rain, and their solution is to sell ponchos... at the halfway stop, and the whole place is absolutely littered with "emergency" paths and 911 signs, which makes you wonder just how many people have gotten severely injured or died there and again, with no guards or employees whatsoever patrolling the paths... not that it'd help since you're mere feet away from falling to your death at any time, and they wouldn't be able to see you in pitchblack, anyway.

Do yourself a favor and just go take a walk in the woods at midnight while reading Little Red Riding Hood and flashing a light in your eyes the whole time if you want a safer and cheaper Foresta...

An original experience! The trail is 2.6km long and my family and I completed it in 1 hour 15 minutes. You move at your own pace so there is no rush or pressure from anyone to go faster. I found the beginning a little challenging as it starts off with a steep hill and numerous stairs (again, you can take a break at any time). It went well after that. On the way down, I found the 'downhills' slightly steep so I was extra careful to go slowly and not slip. Wear closed walking shoes. There were people of all ages: young children and elderly people with canes - A great experience for everyone. The trail includes the crossing of a suspended bridge, in the dark, supposedly the longest in North America. The whole experience is magical if you keep an open mind, and you tend to forget that you are in an actual forest. There are restrooms at the start as well as the halfway point. There are also benches along the way if you need a short break. The price point is good for a family activity. There is a shuttle that leaves downtown Coaticook every 15 minutes so no need to worry about parking on site. Keep in mind that the park admits 300 people every 1/2 hour. Book...