The magnolias are almost in bloom on the streets of Montreal, and it rains every morning, while every afternoon is muggy and hot. It makes us crave getting out of the city, taking off our shoes and socks, and feeling the fresh grass beneath our bare feet.
We don’t always have the time or money to go far, and we don’t always have a car (we’re city dwellers, after all), but with a 2-hour public transit ride—or a 45-minute drive—we can go for a walk in a nature park to enjoy the spring.
Pointe-aux-Prairies Nature Park
The Pointe-aux-Prairies Nature Park is divided into three sections: the Marais and Rivière-des-Prairies sections, the Bois-de-l’Héritage section, and the Fleuve section.
The Nature Park has trails for all seasons and all types of walks, with261 hectares of forest where you might spot white-tailed deer and plenty of birds…
The summer trails are about 4 km long and wind through the forest and wetlands of the Nature Park, and at the far end of the park there’s a lovely lookout where you can see birds returning from the South to spend the season in Quebec.
We’ll head out with waterproof shoes, a picnic to eat at the Chalet de l’Héritage, and a guide to identifying Quebec birds.
Practical Information
Where? Pointe-aux-Prairies Nature Park / 14905 Sherbrooke Street East, Montreal (Chalet de l’Héritage)
BY CAR / 40–45 minutes by car from downtown
BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT / 2 hours by public transit from downtown via the Green Line to Radisson, then bus 449 to Perras/No. 10955 and bus 183 to Gouin/No. 12050
When? Open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
How? Free admission (but parking is paid)
Dogs allowed? Yes
