Mount Royal
Montreal, Canada
Website: https://www.lemontroyal.qc.ca/en/territory
Know Before You Go: Parts of this park can be very buggy, so bug spray is a good idea.
Length: Olmsted Path offers 5 miles; there are several other paths that offer additional mileage.
Time: 2-3 hours depending on how far you hike.
Dog-friendly: Yes. Dogs must be leashed.
Kid-friendly: Yes.
Staying in Montreal is the next best thing to going to Paris, in my book. I attended a conference there, and found stupendous food, beautiful architecture, and – to my surprise – a lovely, large park in the middle of the city.
Mount Royal was founded in 1876 as a spot for locals to get exercise, enjoy the outdoors, and find gorgeous views of the city below. Spanning over 200 hectares, the park features historic exhibits in several buildings that tell of the history of Montreal. It also has a mountain-top piano if you want to try your hand at alpine musicianship. And, it offers hiking, bicycling, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and even ice skating.
The Olmsted Path offers over 5 miles of hiking all year round. In the summer, spring and fall, many miles of additional hiking trails are available. The lush green deciduous tree cover gives way to breathtaking views in several areas of the park. We enjoyed hiking Mount Royal so much that we came back on a trail run the next day.
You can also be treated to both flora and fauna that are representative of the region. The raccoons are legendary. My son hiked and hiked this park and didn’t want to go home until he spotted one of the furry bandits. Mission accomplished, but we weren't quick enough to snag a pic.
Montreal, Canada
Website: https://www.lemontroyal.qc.ca/en/territory
Know Before You Go: Parts of this park can be very buggy, so bug spray is a good idea.
Length: Olmsted Path offers 5 miles; there are several other paths that offer additional mileage.
Time: 2-3 hours depending on how far you hike.
Dog-friendly: Yes. Dogs must be leashed.
Kid-friendly: Yes.
Staying in Montreal is the next best thing to going to Paris, in my book. I attended a conference there, and found stupendous food, beautiful architecture, and – to my surprise – a lovely, large park in the middle of the city.
Mount Royal was founded in 1876 as a spot for locals to get exercise, enjoy the outdoors, and find gorgeous views of the city below. Spanning over 200 hectares, the park features historic exhibits in several buildings that tell of the history of Montreal. It also has a mountain-top piano if you want to try your hand at alpine musicianship. And, it offers hiking, bicycling, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and even ice skating.
The Olmsted Path offers over 5 miles of hiking all year round. In the summer, spring and fall, many miles of additional hiking trails are available. The lush green deciduous tree cover gives way to breathtaking views in several areas of the park. We enjoyed hiking Mount Royal so much that we came back on a trail run the next day.
You can also be treated to both flora and fauna that are representative of the region. The raccoons are legendary. My son hiked and hiked this park and didn’t want to go home until he spotted one of the furry bandits. Mission accomplished, but we weren't quick enough to snag a pic.
