Montreal Hiking & Trekking Guide 2026

Top trails

Routes worth lacing up your boots for.

1. 1

   Mount Royal: Chemin Olmsted to the Kondiaronk Belvedere

   4.4 km one way from the Cartier monument to the summit loopAbout 1.5 hours one wayeasyGradual climb of roughly 130 m to the Chalet du Mont-Royal plateau

   Gravel carriage road laid out to Frederick Law Olmsted's design, climbing gently through the woods of Parc du Mont-Royal from Avenue du Parc to the Chalet du Mont-Royal and the Kondiaronk Belvedere skyline lookout.

2. 2

   Peel Stairs (Escalier du Mont-Royal) to the Kondiaronk Belvedere

   1.4 km one way to the Kondiaronk BelvedereAbout 20-30 minutes upmoderateAbout 339 stair steps plus switchbacks; roughly 100 m gain

   Short, steep downtown access to Mount Royal: from the top of Rue Peel, the Chemin le Serpentin and a long staircase climb directly to Chemin Olmsted and the Kondiaronk Belvedere above the downtown skyline.

3. 3

   Mount Royal Summit Loop and the Mount Royal Cross (Boucle du Sommet)

   2.2 km loop from the Chalet du Mont-RoyalAbout 40 minuteseasyMinimal once on the summit plateau; summit about 233 m above sea level

   Loop through the summit woods behind the Chalet du Mont-Royal to the illuminated steel Croix du Mont-Royal, with forest birding and glimpses east over the Plateau.

4. 4

   Lachine Canal Path: Atwater Market to the Old Port

   About 4 km one way from Atwater Market to the Old Port; the full canal path runs 14.5 km to Lachine1-1.5 hours one wayeasyFlat (under 10 m)

   Flat waterside walk along the Lachine Canal National Historic Site, past former industrial buildings, Griffintown condos and the canal locks, from Atwater Market to the Old Port.

5. 5

   Parc-nature du Cap-Saint-Jacques Trails

   Lapin loop 5 km; Castor loop 3.4 km; Lièvre loop 2.8 km1-2 hours per loopeasyFlat (under 20 m)

   Montreal's largest nature park on a peninsula at the island's western tip, with forest loops, an ecological farm, a sugar shack, a supervised beach and shoreline views over Lac des Deux Montagnes.

6. 6

   Parc-nature de l'Île-de-la-Visitation Riverside Trail

   8.8 km main walking trail network1.5-3 hourseasyFlat (under 15 m)

   Riverside park on the Rivière des Prairies with the ruins of 18th-century mills, the Maison du Pressoir heritage house, belvederes over the rapids and a crossing to the wooded Île de la Visitation.

7. 7

   Parc-nature du Bois-de-l'Île-Bizard Marsh Boardwalk

   Main walking trail 7.7 km; Lapin trail 7.6 km; Grande passerelle boardwalk 500 m1.5-2.5 hourseasyFlat (under 15 m)

   Forest and wetland park on Île Bizard with a 500 m boardwalk across a marsh, mature maple and beech woods, and a beach on Lac des Deux Montagnes.

8. 8

   Parc-nature du Bois-de-Liesse Forest Loops

   Boucle Camille 3.3 km; Boucle des Champs-Pitfield 3.3 km; Boucle des Bois-Francs 3 km45 minutes-1.5 hours per loopeasyFlat (under 10 m)

   Wooded nature park in the West Island with century-old trees including rare black maples, interpretive stations, the Maison Pitfield welcome chalet and a peninsula on the Rivière des Prairies.

9. 9

   Parc national du Mont-Saint-Bruno Lakes Loop (Le Seigneurial)

   Le Seigneurial loop 7 km; Le Saint-Gabriel loop 1.8 km; Le Montérégien 8.8 kmAbout 1.5 hours for Le SeigneurialeasyRolling terrain; the hill rises to about 218 m

   Sépaq national park on a forested Monteregian hill east of Montreal, with five lakes, a historic mill, an apple orchard and a network of wide walking trails.

10. 10

    Gault Nature Reserve: Pain de Sucre Summit (Mont Saint-Hilaire)

    5.4 km return (Pain de Sucre, yellow trail); Burned Hill loop 4 km; Rocky 2 loop 8 km2-3 hoursmoderatePain de Sucre summit at about 414 m above sea level

    McGill University's old-growth forest reserve on Mont Saint-Hilaire, where the yellow trail climbs to the bare rock summit of Pain de Sucre with views over the Richelieu Valley and, on clear days, Montreal.

Trail difficulty levels

Pick a route that matches your fitness and experience.

When to hike

Seasonal conditions in Montreal.

Spring

April-May: snowmelt leaves trails muddy into early May; migrating birds along the Rivière des Prairies

Summer

June-August: warm and humid, with mosquitoes and black flies in the wooded nature parks in June

Fall

Mid-September to mid-October: peak maple colour on Mount Royal and the Monteregian hills; the busiest hiking season

Winter

December-March: snowshoeing and winter walking trails; icy stairs on Mount Royal, so ice cleats help

Local hazards

What to watch out for on the trail.