For Montrealers who walk with their eyes fixed on the bare branches of the trees lining the city streets, at the risk of bumping into someone for the sheer joy of seeing a bud that will soon become a leaf, we have a spring stroll to take.
At the very tip of the Island of Montreal, a 50-minute drive or a 1 hour 45 minute to 2-hour public transit ride from downtown Montreal, there’s an arboretum to visit. Don’t forget your binoculars, waterproof boots, and to apply citronella repellent—because the mosquitoes are waking up early from hibernation.
The Morgan Arboretum
The Morgan Arboretum, a forest education center owned by McGill University, is a preserved forest cherished by the trees’ best friends: scientists.
An arboretum is a specialized botanical reserve that cultivates species of trees and shrubs to preserve and study them, much like a living museum. The Morgan Arboretum spans 245 hectares on the western side of the Island of Montreal and has been part of McGill University’s McDonald Campus since 1945.
You can explore 24.8 kilometers of trails there, and also take guided tours focused on nature and ecology.
For the trail map, click here!
The Morgan Arboretum also has a stargazing observatory—the Bellevue Observatory, owned by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC). Every year in August, you can watch the Perseid meteor shower while lying on the grass at the Arboretum.
Practical Information
How far from Montreal? 40–50 minutes from downtown Montreal by car, 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes by public transit
EXO Train Line 11 (1.5–2 hours) / board at the Vendôme metro station, take Line 11 for 11 stops to Sainte-Anne de Bellevue Station, then take bus 212 to Sainte-Marie/Des Pins
BUS (1 hour 45 minutes–2 hours) / From the Lionel-Groulx metro station, take bus 405 to the Macdonald Terminal, then the 419 Express John Abbott bus to Des Pins/Sainte-Marie
Where? Pines Cottage, 150 Chemin des Pins, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue
When? The Arboretum is open every day of the year except Christmas and New Year’s Day, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (the ticket booth is open until 4 p.m.)
How much? Daily admission: $9 for adults, $6 for children
Aredogs allowed? No
