The Best National Parks Near Montreal For A Nature-Filled Day

There are around 50 National Parks in Québec, and 10 of them are near Montreal. 

Visiting National Parks in Québec from Montreal is a great way to escape to nature for the day, with the closest ones being only a 30 minute drive away.

Here are the best Quebec National Parks near Montreal.

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

National Parks In Québec Are Managed Through Sépaq Not Parks Canada

Unlike the rest of Canada, where National Parks are managed through Parks Canada (like Banff national Park), In Quebec they’re managed under Sépaq (Société des établissements de plein air du Québec… or Quebec Outdoor Establishments Company).  

What Does This Mean For You (Tickets)?

Quebec National Parks being managed by Sépaq shouldn’t have a big impact on you, unless you have the Discovery Pass from Parks Canada (the annual unlimited park pass).

Since Sépaq is not a part of Parks Canada, you have to buy a separate ticket, through Sépaq.

If you think you’re going to be visiting the parks often, Sépaq sells their own annual pass. You can buy either an annual pass to all the parks or you can choose just one of the parks for half the price.

Otherwise, they sell day passes to each park (and p.s. children under 17 are FREE!).

Always Go To The Discovery Centre First: Bathrooms & Wifi!

Having visiting many of the Quebec National Parks, and some even several times, you really want to make a point to go to the Discovery Centre first.

Not only does it give you a good point of interest address for navigation, but you also want to speak one of their knowledgeable employees.

They live and breath the park you’re visiting, so can give you the best advice for your visit.

Even if you have a plan, and you think you know what you’re doing, they have the most up to date information at the Discovery Centre. For example, what trails are open and where to rent any equipment…etc.

We’ve gone to the park with a specific trail in mind, just to find out it’s closed for maintenance or even for the season. And you might end up finding a better trail suited for your level anyway!

The Discover Centre is also where you’ll find bathrooms (that aren’t outhouses) to use before setting off into nature for the next several hours.

Sometimes they have a cafe as well, and a small boutique in case you forget anything.

Depending on which park you’re visiting, you might be going off the grid during your visit also (like in Mont Tremblant National Park)! Yup, some of the National parks in Quebec don’t have any service, no data, and no connection! 

But if you are going to a park without any service, there will most likely be an information kiosk or discovery centre with WIFI for you to reconnect.  

Overview: Québec National Parks Near Montreal

Each park offers several outdoor activities to enjoy all year round. From hiking, biking, and water sports in the summer to winter hikes, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing in the winter! 

We’re lucky to have 10 of the 50 Québec National Parks near Montreal! 

Like I said, there are a few that are reaching the limit at a 3 hour drive from the city. It’s pushing it, but it’s still doable in one day. 

Plus, most Québec National Parks also have camping grounds if you want to stay overnight to explore more of the park the following day.  

P.S. If you’re looking for hikes that are closer, like an hour or less from Montreal, check out these hikes!

	Driving Time	Unique To Park
Îles-de-Boucherville	30 min	historical ruins
Mont-Saint-Bruno	30 min	apple picking
Oka	45 min	natural beach
Yamaska	1h 10	ice fishing & motion park evolutif
Mont-Orford	1h 20	longest hiking trail
Plaisance	1h 45	floating docks
Mont-Tremblant	2h 30	via ferrata
Mont-Mégantic	2h 30	torchlight snowshoe & AstroLab observatory
Frontenac	2h 50	combo hike and canoe trail
Jacques-Cartier	3h 15	part of the Canadian Heritage Rivers System

How To Get To Québec National Parks Without A Car?

The easiest way to get to a Quebec National Park from Montreal is with a car, I mean you’re leaving the city behind to go deep into nature.  

So although you won’t be able to get to Québec National Parks with the STM or train, you might be able to shuttle.

La Navette Nature is a shuttle company that will bring you from the city centre to select Quebec National Parks. But you are at the mercy of their schedule.

You’d be better off renting the car for a day (either through Enterprise, or Quebec’s Communauto car sharing service).

The Best National Parks Near Montreal

These are the best National parks near Montreal, ordered in distance from Montreal, starting with the closest ones.

1. Îles-de-Boucherville National Park

Îles-de-Boucherville is one of the closest Quebec National Parks to Montreal. 

This Montreal National Park is made up of 3 islands: L’Île-Grosbois, L’Île-Sainte-Marguerite, and L’Île-de-la-Commune.

The terrain is also all flat so it makes it easy for both walking and biking. Although, walking the park will take you quite a bit of time. So the best way to see everything is to bike Îles-de-Boucherville.

If you head off some of the main paths, you might also stumble on some first nations ruins. 

You might also be interested in reading…

The Ultimate Guide To Easy Bike Paths Around Montreal

2. Mont-Saint-Bruno National Park

Mont Saint-Bruno is also only 30 minute drive from Montreal and you’re completely surrounded by nature when you arrive at the park. 

Although it’s called Mont (mountain) Saint-Bruno, it isn’t exactly a mountain. In fact, Mont-Saint-Bruno is the perfect place to bring the family for the day. 

There are 5 easy walking trails to choose from (all loops!) taking you around the different lakes in the park. 

There’s also a bit of historical ruins you can explore while at the park. 

If you’re looking for a bit more of a challenge at this park, they do offer one more difficult hiking trail up the mountain: the Montérégion. 

But you can also come to Mont-Saint-Bruno and not hike at all! My favourite is actually to stop for a picnic lunch along the lac du Moulin (near the Moulin Tea Room).

Unique Mont-Saint-Bruno Activity: Apple Picking

Unique to Mont-Saint-Bruno National Park is their apple orchard. 

As part of the park, you can actually go apple picking from September to October. 

You might also be interested in…

Experience The Best of Montreal in the Fall: The Ultimate Guide

3. Oka National Park

Only a 45 minute drive from Montreal, Oka National Park is a local favourite (mainly for it’s beach!)!

Oka National Park has the closest natural beach from the city and it’s PACKED all summer long (so if you’re visiting on the weekend, expect to wait in a line just to get in!).

Aside from the beach, there’s camping, hiking, and biking trails to explore.

A very popular and easy hike for all hiking levels is Le Calvaire. The trail actually has a religious background, but the views at the top are spectacular. You can also opt for the longer hike, The Summit, that takes you around the mountain before ending at the same look out point.

Continue Reading

Discover Oka Québec: Why Go On A Day Trip From Montreal

Unique To Oka National Park: The Beach

As I’ve mentioned, this is one of the only Québec National Parks near Montreal with a beach and supervised swimming (with lifeguards).

A lot of the parks in Quebec will have water sport activities on the lake, but they aren’t known for relaxing beach vibes. 

Oka beach also set up an Aquazilla water course for the kids to enjoy!

Just a heads up though, there’s an extra parking fee for the beach!

4. Yamaska National Park

Yamaska National Park stands out from the other National Parks near Montreal because instead of being centred around a lake, it’s centred around a manmade reservoir.

It’s nonetheless still one of the most gorgeous parks in Quebec.

One of the best ways to see the park is to bike on the 19 km loop which will bring you to different viewpoints. This bike path also connects to La Route Verte, a free bike path that goes through Quebec.

You can also simply walk around the park, there are 5 trails to choose from which are all very easy!

Unique To Yamaska National Park: Ice Fishing & Motion Park Evolutif

Not only is Yamaska National Park unique for being on a reservoir, but it also has two unique activities you can do there.

First, the park recently set up a Motion Effects park perfect for the ninja’s of the city. It’s a series of balance obstacles where you can race your opponents to see who’s the better ninja! You have to reserve your spot online in advance.

If you come back in the winter, this is also one of the only Québec National parks where you can go ice fishing! The holes are dug for you and the equipment is provided. All you need to do is book a day in advance and go!

Yamaska does also have supervised swimming in the summer in the Réservoir Choinière’s.

5. Mont-Orford National Park

The main attractions at Mont-Orford National Park are the 80 km of hiking trails.

Mont-Orford National Park isn’t for the light hearted though, they offer mostly intermediate and difficult hikes.  

In fact, out of their 8 trails, they have a 6 hour hike you can do! It’s one of the longest hiking trails you can do at the Québec National Parks near Montreal! 

Don’t worry, they still offer two easy trails if you’re a family or not looking for something so intense! 

P.S. You can also do some rock climbing at Mont-Orford too! 

6. Plaisance National Park

Plaisance National Park is a wildlife lovers haven! It’s known for its peaceful and easy trails through the different wildlife habitats. They even built floating bridges to take you through the marshlands.

Plaisance National Park offers 21 km of easy hiking and biking trails.

A unique experience at the Plaisance National Park, if you’re looking to stay overnight is to stay in one of their three yurts! 

Nearby Plaisance National Park: Chutes de Plaisance

In recent years, the Plaisance National Park acquired the Chutes de Plaisance.

Right now it’s a separate entrance fee to visit the falls (but I think it’s worth it!).

There’s also a section of this Québec National Park near Montreal that you can visit for free in the same area as the falls. It will take you through a short forest to a small private beach where you can relax at in the afternoon!

Related

Complete Guide To Visiting Les Chutes De Plaisance Falls

7. Mont-Tremblant National Park

Mont-Tremblant is the largest Québec National Park near Montreal, and the third largest in Québec.

In fact, it’s so large that it’s divided into three sectors: La Diable, Pumbina, and L’Assomption.

But, you can really only access one sector in a day from Montreal, La Diable, the other two are even farther.

At the Mont Tremblant National Park, there’s no shortage of hiking trails for all levels. There are 15 trail options in La Diable sector alone!

But the most popular hiking trail is La Roche with one of the best viewpoints over the Laurentian mountains!

They also have a ton of lakes in the park for different water activities, but the main one (with a beach) is Lac Monroe.

Don’t miss out on seeing both waterfalls too in La Diable Sector: Chutes-Croche and Chute du Diable. Both are just short walks from parking lots. 

Unique Activity At The Park: Via Ferrata

Via Ferrata is Italian for “iron way”.

It’s a type of climbing course that’s pre-marked with steel cables, bridges, and ladders to use.

It allows you to reach areas that you wouldn’t be able to rock climb to. You need to book in advance and have a guide to do this.

There are only 4 via Ferrata routes in all Québec, and Mont-Tremblant is the closest one to Montreal (the next is Montmorency Falls near Québec City).

Must-See Near The Park: Mont Tremblant Village​​

If you want to stay longer in the area, but don’t want to camp, a great place to stay is Mont-Tremblant Village (a20 minute drive from the entrance to La Diable Sector).

This is the ski village based at the bottom of Mont-Tremblant hill, it’s like the Whistler of Québec. Mont Tremblant Village isn’t just hopping during ski season though, it’s booming all year round.

Come to the village for dinner before driving back to the city, or stay overnight!

Related

The Ultimate Guide To Mont Tremblant Village in the Summer

15 Hotels In Mont Tremblant For The Perfect Weekend Getaway

8. Mont-Mégantic National Park

Now we’re getting into the Quebec National Parks that are bit farther away from Montreal, but still in the doable driving range for a day trip.

Mont-Mégantic National Park is a 2 hours and 30 minute drive from Montreal. 

There are two sectors to Mont-Mégantic National Park: L’Observatoire and Franceville. Both sectors are accessible from Montreal, L’Observatoire Sector is 10 minutes farther by car. 

Both sectors have several hiking trails to choose from that lead to stunning views. 

Sector L’Observatoire has both summits: Mont Mégantic and Mont Saint-Joseph. Both these hikes aren’t recommended for families as they’re longer and intermediate trails. 

Sector Franceville has the Franceville rock crest and Promenade Ruisseau de la Montagne with waterfalls all along the route which is better for families and beginners.  

Mont-Mégantic National Park Unique Activity: Torchlight Snowshoeing & AstroLab Observatory

Mont-Mégantic National Park is all about exploring the nighttime nature scene.

They’ve set up a 1.2 km night time snowshoeing trail in the winter… all lit up by torchlights. 

Another unique activity at this park is the AstroLab and Observatory. They offer several day time and night time activities!

P.S. these activities cost extra on top of your entrance fee to the parks in Quebec. 

9. Frontenac National Park

Get ready to explore all that nature has to offer at Frontenac National Park. 

The Saint-Daniel Sector has all easy hiking trails, and the Southern Sector has a mix of easy and intermediate. 

One of the favourite hikes is the Massif de Winslow in the Southern Sector. It’s an intermediate hike that brings you to the summit of the Winslow mountains overlooking the Eastern Townships. It’s also one of the only hikes that can be combined with canoeing.

10. Jacques-Cartier National Park

Jacques-Cartier National Park is home to the Jacques-Cartier River.

The Jacques-Cartier River stretches 54 km and is the only river in Québec to be a part of the Canadian Heritage Rivers System. Needless to say, this river is the reason to come to Jacques-Cartier National Park.

So a visit to Jacques-Cartier National Park is all about the different ways you can enjoy this exceptional river. 

Choose to either canoe, kayak, or rent a dinghy down the calm river, or up the intensity and go down the rapids. If you’re with a larger group, rent a rabaska (a large canoe) with a guided tour, or a mini raft to go over the rapids! 

If you’re like me though and just want to relax, don’t worry they have us covered too with tubes to simply drift down the river! What did I tell you, they have every type of vessel imaginable to go down the river!  

Hiking In Jacques-Cartier National Park

You can also hike in Jacques-Cartier National Park.

The most popular hike is Les Loups trail. Depending on where you start, it can be from 2 and a half to 3 and a half hours. Here, you get the iconic Jacques-Cartier National park viewpoint.

But Les Loups hiking trail has become so overrun that the park opened up a similar trail across the river in the last few years: L’Escarpement. It is a bit longer, about a 4 hour loop, but you get a very similar view (and some even consider it better) at the end.

If you’re visiting in the winter or low season, sometimes Les Loups trail is closed and this will be your only option.

There are of course some other shorter trails throughout the park, but those two give you the main viewpoint.

Bonus! Regional Parks In Québec Near Montreal

Escapes to nature from Montreal aren’t limited to the National Parks in Québec. There are tons of regional parks near Montreal that you can visit to get your outdoors fix too!

The closest nature parks, without ever having to even leave the island are Bois-de-Liesse and Île-Bizard in the West Island of Montreal.

My favourite regional Parks near Montreal worth visiting are Parc Regional de la Riviere-de-Nord (with Chute Wilson) and Val-David Val-Morin Regional Park.

If you’re looking for more hikes and nature walks within an hour drive from Montreal, check out my list of hikes.

My Montreal National Park Essentials!

If you’re going out for the day to explore National Parks in Québec, there are a few things I always bring!

I’ll usually where my Merrel hiking shoes, and will never leave home without my two huge ThermoFlasks filled with water! 

If you’re going in the summer, you definitely won’t want to forget bug spray and sunscreen!

What You’ll Need For Quebec National Parks In The Winter

If you’re going to Québec National Parks in the winter make sure to dress for the worst…PSA QUÉBEC IS F***ING COLD!

You can check out my guide for what to wear in Montreal winters to prepare a bit. 

It’s kind of obvious, but make sure to have a warm jacket and winter boots. Then, if I’m outside all day, I love hot hands to keep my hands and feet warm.

Plus, I always make sure to bring a tea for extra warmth! (I bring extra hot water in my 1.2 L Thermoflasks to refill my travel mug with at the end of the day!)

Crampons are also a MUST if you’re planning on hiking in a National Park near Montreal in the winter. These slip onto your boots and have pins that stick into the ice to stop you from slipping.

P.S. Need A Place To Stay In Montreal?

I love going on staycations at Hotel Nelligan in the Old Port of Montreal. It’s in a great location, walking distance to everywhere you need to be. When you stay there you can’t miss out on their unique roof top terrace above the hotel. See room rates & availability.

I’ve also stayed at the newly built Homewood Suites in Montreal Midtown (west of the city) and I’d highly recommend it if you’re looking for a hotel that isn’t in the city centre. But they also have a branch downtown as well. It has a little kitchenette in every room and breakfast is included. Even though it isn’t downtown, you aren’t far from it. It’s walking distance to the Namur metro station, which will get you downtown in less than 20 minutes. See room rates & availability.

Here are some other alternatives I’ve heard about if you’re looking to stay in Downtown Montreal;

If you’re looking to stay in the heart of Downtown Montreal check out Auberge Les Bons Matins. This is a one of a kind stay perfect for a romantic getaway in Montreal. In this charming inn in Montreal, you’ll get a taste of local life. See room rates & availability.

You can also stay Le Square Phillips Hôtel & Suites if an auberge isn’t your style. Le Square Phillips Hôtel & Suites is in a supreme location in between the orange and the green metro line that get you anywhere else in the city. Breakfast is also included with your stay! See room rates & availability

For more accommodation options in Montreal, see Booking.com.

Read More Guides!

• Discover Oka Québec: Why Go On A Day Trip From Montreal
• Easy Hiking Trails An Hour or Less From Montreal
• Easy Bike Paths Around Montreal

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Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API