The park contains the highest peak of the Appalachian Mountains in Canada, Mont Jacques-Cartier, 1,270 metres (4,170 ft) above sea level.

In addition, the park contains the only population of Caribou found south of the Saint Lawrence River in Canada.

From the depths of the sea, magma oozed through cracks in the Earth's crust and then cooled, resulting in a large underground granite batholith.

Owing the area's elevation and proximity to the Saint Lawrence River, the climate of the park is very different from the lowlands of Quebec.

This low temperature, combined with the lower pressure at high altitude, causes moisture to condense and fall as rain or snow; in fact, these mountains are the wettest region of Quebec.