anyone familiar with the area? any info and suggestions would be great for trails or just good running spots. hills and beautiful scenery preferred but really any spots that will work while still enjoying a vacation with the family, i'd like to know.
Mont Royal has loads of trails. A run to the top will give you nice views of the city.
The Lachine Canal has a very long bike path. It runs from downtown out west, first along the old canal (used to get boats down the St. Lawrence without crashing on the lachine rapids), and then along the St. Lawrence.
It is a bit NW of Montreal, but the Parc Linear / Le P’tit Train du Nord trail is pretty sweet.
How big is Mont Royal or how much does it cover? Is it crowded with runners or I'll have space on the trails? Is it close to the main city and most hotels or is it out of the way. Sounds very appealing, I'd love to hit some nice trails. Is this an actual mountain or a park?
maple syrup
ehhhhhhhhh wrote:
How big is Mont Royal or how much does it cover? Is it crowded with runners or I'll have space on the trails? Is it close to the main city and most hotels or is it out of the way. Sounds very appealing, I'd love to hit some nice trails. Is this an actual mountain or a park?
It is just north of downtown. If you stay in downtown, you will be about a mile and change away from it, maybe less depending on where you stay. It is a small mountain (700 ft or so) and a park. There is a main gravel road that goes straight to the top (Chemin Olmstead). Then, there are lots of trails that wind all over the woods. Here is a map:
http://www.lemontroyal.qc.ca/carte/en/index.snThe best access to the park is on Av du Park on the east end. There is also an entrance to the south, but you cut short a lot of good trail.
Thanks Roy. So once I get into it, would you say I'm good and can just run aimlessly and enjoy the trails (for 6-10 mile runs). I won't have to stop anywhere right? And are paths narrow or there's plenty of room for runners to pass each other?
I'll be staying 5 days (hopefully downtown) so would Mont Royal be a pleasant location to run at all 5 days? Certainly sounds nice. How long is the Chemin Olmstead road to the top?
If I remember correctly, Chemin Olmstead from Av Parc to top around the loop and back to Av Parc it is about 11km. It is a full sized packed dirt and gravel path that is usually somewhat crowded, but you can usually run without too much effort. On weekends in good weather it can get a bit crowded and you may have to slow to dodge around slow moving traffic. It is not too bad, though.
The cemetery roads are mostly paved, I think, but less crowded.
If you're looking to see a different part of Montreal, go out to Ile Ste. Helene. There are paved paths all the way out, but you get to see a Habitat 67 (modern architecture) and the river:
cannya wrote:
Thanks Roy. So once I get into it, would you say I'm good and can just run aimlessly and enjoy the trails (for 6-10 mile runs). I won't have to stop anywhere right? And are paths narrow or there's plenty of room for runners to pass each other?
I'll be staying 5 days (hopefully downtown) so would Mont Royal be a pleasant location to run at all 5 days? Certainly sounds nice. How long is the Chemin Olmstead road to the top?
You should also try the Lachine canal. But, Mont Royal doesn't get old. As mentioned above, Olmstead is pretty long. It is about as wide as a country road. The other trails that go all over the place are single track trails. Lachine may be better if you want to do a tempo run or some intervals as it is flat and doesn't get too crowded with joggers/walkers/hikers. Mont Royal is hilly. It is great for some hill repeats or just enjoying an easy run on the trails.