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You don’t really expect to find peace and quiet in the middle of a city, especially not one buzzing with bike bells, music festivals, and mom-and-pop poutine stops like Montreal. But duck under the trees and climb a few steps above the hubhub of downtown, and you’ll stumble onto something else entirely: Mount Royal, a forested mini-mountain that quietly watches over the city. Frederick Law Olmsted, the same man credited with designing New York’s Central Park, used this miniature mountain in the city as a canvas to create the Parc Du Mont-Royal, a green (and sometimes snow-white) oasis that preserves and puts this mountain on full display.
Olmsted allegedly called Mount Royal the best opportunity he had ever been presented. It’s not every day you get a chance to work with an incredible slice of mountainous topography within clear sight of a city skyline. The resulting park is a web of biking trails, hiking paths, and stairwells that twist and wind around the mountain and lead you toward sweeping views of Downtown Montreal. City planners have carefully protected this summit and created laws prohibiting skyscrapers from reaching taller than the Kondiaronk lookout at the top of the mountain.
What makes this park special isn’t just the skyline views, though they will stop you in your tracks. It’s all the quieter, harder-to-see details: the secret single-track spin-off trails, the slow fade of the city sounds as you move up, and the people watching as local run clubs and moms groups get outside and live the dream. There are around 5 miles of hiking trails on this mountain, and practically every inch of them is someone’s favorite spot in the city.
The best way to experience Mount Royal
You can drive to the summit of Mount Royal and head directly to the lookout area, but the views are much sweeter if you start from the bottom and wind your way up. The hike to the top features several side quests and beautiful moments that you’d totally miss if you stayed in your car and headed directly past go. The best way to hike Mount Royal is with a passionate guide, like Viator’s small group tour of Mount Royal.
While the Kondiaronk Belvedere viewpoint is the jewel of Mount Royal, this mountain has many more spectacular spots to stop and soak it all in. This Viator-guided tour, led by a bona fide Mount Royal local, will make sure you hit all the highlights. Depending on the season, Demetrios and his puppy co-pilot might lead you through fresh snow tracks, directly through the year’s best blooms, or take you dancing through falling leaves. Demetrios takes pride in bringing you through hidden trails and helping you develop a deeper connection with this natural wonder that’s been plopped in the middle of bustling Montreal.
The two-hour tour will take you on paths less traveled and help you learn about the history, flora, and fauna that make Mount Royal special. Stop and take a picture at the Panoramic View of North East Montreal, check out the Mount Royal Cross, and even inquire about stopping by the grave of Leonard Cohen, who is buried on the mountain’s backside. No matter what parts of this mountain you’d like to explore, this Viator will take you there.
What to do when you come down from the mountain
