Mount Royal Park lets Montrealers enjoy the wonders of the great outdoors without ever having to the leave city. The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the same gentleman responsible for New York City’s Central Park, and offers a variety of outdoor activities during the summer months. It also has one the best look out spots to get a great view of the city.

Back again for the summer 2021 are Mount Royal discovery walks led by Les amis de la montagne, a group dedicated to preserving and enhancing the mountain. They are longer hikes organized at a low cost and are a great way to discover new things about the park and its wildlife. There are two routes that let you enjoy the Mountain’s wetlands and summit. Both hikes depart from the Smith House, a public heritage building that sits halfway between the Beaver Lake pavilion and the chalet. There, you’ll find a café, nature boutique, and a free permanent exhibition that provides visitors with a history of the mountain and its wildlife. Online registration is required and costs $20. Masks will be mandatory in all of Mount Royal’s buildings.

Because of the pandemic, new this summer is a series of free webinars hosted by Les amis de la montagne called Let’s Talk Conversion. Each webinar will focus on a different aspect of the mountain. One webinar, for example, talks about the logic behind tree planting. Webinars will be in French and be posted on the Mount Royal website. The next webinar will take place on May 7 from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. and will discuss Leave No Trace, an international program created to help people find sustainable solutions when they run, bike, ride horses, picnic or participate in other outdoor activities.

From April until June, Les amis de la montagne will be offering a Forest School program for kids up to the age of 12, where they will learn how to develop a stronger relationship with nature and adopt healthier lifestyles. Combining interactive online workshops, themes and activity books for each age group, the spring session provides tools to enjoy nature in your backyard or on Mount Royal.

Forest School activities will include five online sessions for parents, where they will learn how to encourage family time outdoors. Older kids can also take part on a scavenger hunt on Mount Royal. Sessions will take place on weekends between 10 a.m. and 10:45 a.m until June 5. To participate, registration is required, and will cost $50 per family for kids up to the age of 5 and $75 per family for kids aged 5-12.

Public transit: McGill or Place des Arts metro station then walk, or bus 80, 129, 144, 435

Parking: Parking lots for a fee

Phone number: 514-843-8240, ext. 0

Website: lemontroyal.qc.ca/en

We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of this information. However, you should always call ahead to confirm dates, times, location, and other information.