If you’re craving a little nature escape from Montreal, you don’t have to venture far to find peaceful forest trails, sandy shores and scenic boardwalks that will make you feel worlds away from the city.
Just a short road trip from Montreal, you can visit a scenic national park with gorgeous views, waterside trails and beautiful fall foliage that makes for a perfect day trip spot.
Located in the Laurentians region, Oka National Park is a beautiful outdoor destination on the shores of Lac des Deux Montagnes.
The park is about an hour’s drive from Montreal, making it a great spot for a quick day trip.
Managed by Sépaq, Oka National Park offers visitors a mix of lakeside landscapes, woodland paths and unique wetland scenery. And while the park is beautiful in any season, fall is an especially magical time to visit, when the park becomes draped in a canopy of red, orange and gold.
The park offers a variety of activities, including hiking, biking and wildlife watching. One of the park’s most unique features is its floating boardwalk, which lets visitors explore a beautiful wetland area without trekking through muddy terrain.
Located in the La Grande Baie marsh area, the walkway winds through forest and marshland, offering a closer look at one of the park’s ecosystems. It’s a great spot for a quieter walk where you can listen to the sounds of nature and take in the fall scenery from a different perspective.
While you’re on the trail, keep your eyes peeled for birds passing through during migration season. The park is home to more than 200 bird species, and its wetlands provide important habitat for wildlife. Bring binoculars if you have them, especially if birdwatching is on your weekend agenda.
Beyond the boardwalk, Oka National Park offers a network of hiking trails that take you through different natural environments, from leafy maple forests to scenic stretches by the water.
Take the Calvaire d’Oka trail, a 4.4-kilometre round trip, for a hike that will take you into the past. A Stations of the Cross trail laid out by the Sulpicians, the route takes you past fall foliage and ends at a panoramic viewpoint where three chapels have stood since 1742.
For a more challenging hike, take the summit trail, a 6.7-kilometre loop trail that winds through a gorgeous forest, with steep climbs to a summit surrounded by trees.
La Sauvagine is another trail that’s worth checking out if you want to explore the park’s woodland and wetland scenery. Keep an eye out for white-tailed deer, and look for signs of beavers, turtles and other wildlife near the waterways.
Oka National Park is located 50 minutes from Montreal. Admission is $10.30 per person, though children aged 17 and younger are able to enter the park for free.
With its wetland scenery and gorgeous trails, as well as its close location to Montreal, Oka National Park makes for the perfect fall day trip spot.
Whether you’re looking for an easy outdoor adventure, a quiet place to connect with nature or a scenic spot to spend a fall afternoon, this park makes for a great addition to your fall bucket list.
Oka National Park
Price: $10.30 per adult
Address: 2020 Chem. d’Oka, Oka, QC
Why You Need To Go: Just a short road trip from Montreal, you can visit this charming Quebec national park with a scenic boardwalk trail and gorgeous fall scenery.
Sépaq website
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your trip.