Anne-Charlotte PasseraWhether you have just moved to Montreal or just got a dog, you’ll soon realize that unless you go outside of the city, there aren’t a whole lot of places where you can take your fur friend on long walks.
Of course, parks and dogs parks in Montreal do exist, but let’s face it, it’s just not enough.
Doggy parks are great if your dog likes to socialize and to exercise, but where can you go when your dog doesn’t? The parks?
Yes, but they can get crowded and dogs are not allowed off leash. In fact, dogs are rarely allowed off leash in Canada.
Quebec is the worse from my experience but I haven’t tested all the other provinces and territories. Actually, I hear that New Brunswick is even worse than Québec!
Although in France it’s not official, dogs can be let off leash. At least dog owners get to decide when its an appropriate time and place to let their dog run wild during one of their walks.
In Switzerland, according to my friend who lives there, dogs are allowed off leash on the hiking trails if they are well behaved. Sounds reasonable I think.
Aside from the Mont-Royal in Montreal, there aren’t really any cool places where you can go for a walk and feel like you are in nature. Luckily there are places less than 1hr away from Montreal where you can do just that. Discover them HERE. For a little more further away places, here is our little dog-friendly walks guide outside Montreal.
THIS MAP, will also help discover other places outside Montreal to take your dog on walks.
SEPAQ
Thankfully, the SEPAQ has reviewed its dog policy since 2019 and dogs are now allowed in the parks. However, each park makes up its own rules.
Therefore, you’ll have to check out each parks website individually to see what the rules are. Some are reasonable and others not so much.
For instance, at Park Oka, dogs can access the trail of Le Calvaire but aren’t allowed on the trail that borders with the lake. Dogs love water!
They make room there for nude bathers, but dogs aren’t allowed to splash around?
In any case, all is not lost as there are a few places where you can go on long walks or hikes with your dog outside of Montreal and here they are.
Just remember one thing though, not everything is free in Canada.
Laurentides (Laurentians)
The Laurentides is a beautiful region to the West of Montreal. However, the mosquitoes can be intense during the summer months. Nonetheless, you can still go there on walks with your dogs as there are some places doable on a day trip outside of Montreal.
Labelle
I’ve been going to Labelle with my kids since 2013. It’s a great place to go to not only with kids but with the dog. When we go there, it’s usually to camp out but it’s doable as a day trip as it is about 2 hours away from Montreal.
Whether it’s to kayak and canoe or hike, Labelle has the best of both worlds. Our favorite part is that we can do it with our dog(s).
You can rent a canoe or kayak at Camping des Chutes aux Iroquois and decide if you want to do a run of 9km or 12km. Dogs are allowed on board.
Going downstream is awesome as in most cases you can touch the bottom so you can walk along with the Rivière Rouge’s banks. You can also stop at impromptu beaches, chill, have a picnic, and play in the water with your dog.
If that type of activity is not your thing, that’s ok. At camping des Chutes aux Iroquois, you can pay a small entrance fee and then cross the river to access the beach. The beach size will depend on the climate. Sometimes it will be spread out and sometimes not.
There used to be a café near the camping. You can try to access the beach from there, for FREE, but the water can be a little deep.
Petit train du Nord
If doing a hike with your dog is more your speed, you can do the one that leaves from the Petit train du Nord station. The best part is that it is FREE, and you won’t encounter too many people.
The way up can get pretty intense but you get a great view of Labelle and then you can continue on as in forever. The further you go, the fewer people you will come across. It’s a good place to let your dog off-leash with supervision.
Afterward, reward yourself with some delicious homemade lemonade at the train station.
Doncaster
We discovered the Park of Doncaster about two years ago. You can take your dog there on walks and it’s ‘only’ 1h30 away from Montreal.
As usual, there is an entrance fee to access the park.
However, what is special about this park is the river that runs through it, the big boulders, and the possibility to swim in a natural pool. Just don’t forget the towel to dry your dog.
More about where to go with your dog in the Laurentides HERE.
Eastern Townships
The cantons de l’Est, is a region to the East of Montreal. It’s an area that I am slowly starting to fall in love with. I think the reason is that there are fewer mosquitoes there compared to other regions outside of Montreal.
There are quite a few places where you can take your dog on long walks and even off-leash at about 1h30 away from Montreal.
Magog
The town of Magog is adorable and has tons of Bed & Breakfast. You could spend the weekend there with your dog if you want. It is accessible as part of a day trip though, so you can easily go there just for the day.
Marais de la Rivière aux Cerises
This park has received a facelift and is accessible for FREE. You can even take your dog on walks there and it’s not that far from Montreal.
There are different types of trails and paths that will display different kinds of flora. I suggest taking the trail that takes you over the swamps which is about 1,9km long. It’s one of the longest trails of the Park.
Parking fee is 5$.
Parc de la Plage des Cantons
If you are looking for a place to take your dog swimming to the East of Montreal, try the Plage des Cantons. It’s not far from the Marais de la Rivière aux Cerises, so you could do both on the same day.
The beach for the dog is to the right of the sandy beach where it is mostly grass. Unfortunately, you have to keep your dog on the leash but hey, it’s better than nothing.
You have to pay for parking (5$) but access to the beach is FREE.
Sutton
The town of Sutton is located roughly 12km from the US border and the state of Vermont. It is a quaint little town with plenty of activities to do with and without a dog.
Parc d’Environnement Naturel de Sutton
If you are a hiker, you’ll enjoy this Park with your dog. Not all trails are accessible to the dogs but you’ll get plenty of exercise.
We took the 11.5km trail which takes you past two lakes: Lake Spruce and Lake Mohawk. Since Lake Mohawk is the furthest away, you won’t encounter many people. There is an area where you can sit and possibly let your dog splash around.
At Lake Spruce, it is possible to do that, but the area to make a pit stop is very small and gets easily crowded as all the different trails lead from it.
This is not an easy hike, especially if you have small dogs. You’ll have to go over tree roots and rocks.
The 11.5 km trail ends on the ski slopes of of Mount Sutton. This is the easier part of the trail and more suited for families with small children and dogs.
Parking is FREE for PENS and the entrance fee is 7$.
Make sure to bring plenty of water and some snacks for the hike and leave some in the car for when you return.
Au Diable Vert
This next place is one I like to refer to as dog heaven. You can enjoy walks there with your dog OFF LEASH, 1h30 from Montreal. I mean, how awesome is that?
Although you can go there for the day, the entrance fee is 7.50$, I recommend spending a night there or the weekend. Obviously, it won’t be the same price, but once you are there, your dog won’t want to leave. Up to 2 dogs per family can stay in one of their rentals at no extra cost. Just be mindful of the furniture.
Au Diable Vert is open all year long but due to Covid-19, certain restrictions do apply to day-trippers. You might have to call ahead to see if there are spots available or not.
There are roughly 14km of trails worth exploring and if you get there really early, you won’t see many people around. Everyone who spends a night there tends to get up around 8:30 am. Day trippers arrive much later than that.
Just know that cows live on the premises and are protected by an electrical fence. Our dogs tested the fence and it works!
If your dogs love snow, make sure to save this article for activities to do in the Winter or simply pin it.
More about places to take your dog in the Eastern Townships HERE.
Now, if you’d like to do more with your dog than just walks, read our list of dog-friendly activities to do outside Montreal.
Dog gear for long walks outside of Montreal
Just like when you go out to eat with kids, going for walks with your dog outside of Montreal does take a little preparation. Don’t forget some key essentials to make your walks more enjoyable:
-Long leash.
-Extra poop bags. It’s better to have too many than not enough!
-Flexible bowl for snacks on the go.
– A small backpack to carry the gear.
– A towel(s). You never know if your dog will stumble onto a puddle, a stream, mud, or gets car sick. It’s always a good idea to keep a couple towels laying around in the car.
Of course, if you don’t have the time to hop in the car and get out of the city, there is always Mount-Royal and its hidden trails.
It’s one of the best inner-city options for fun walks with your dog in Montreal. However, if you are looking for something a little off the beaten path, I’ve compiled a list for you right HERE.
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