Chemin Olmsted (Olmsted Road)

Go, ideally on a dry afternoon with the foliage still on. It is the best way to feel the mountain rather than just ride up it, and the 150th-anniversary panels give you something to read on the way. Budget a real chunk of time, since the city's own map pegs it at 90 minutes to the summit loop. Catch: the stretch near Beaver Lake was under resurfacing until Oct 10, so expect signage or detours.

• Olmsted's original carriage road, designed by the Central Park architect
• Free 150th-anniversary outdoor exhibition along the route
• Peak-ish fall colour window in mid-October

chill/low key

Best forfall colours, a slow, scenic half-day, first-timers on the mountain

No entry fee listed on the city page; the McCord outdoor exhibition is free. Parking at the park lots is paid (rates not listed).

Our estimate from posted prices, CAD, before tax and tip. Québec purchases carry the 5% federal GST plus the 9.975% Québec Sales Tax (QST, TVQ in French): 14.975% combined on taxable items. Tourisme Montréal: it is customary to tip restaurant servers, taxi drivers and hairdressers 15% of the bill, before taxes. Bellhops, porters and doormen generally get at least $2 per bag or service; coffee and food counters often have a tip cup by the register.

1. Mon 12Maybe6am to midnightThanksgiving: holiday hours unconfirmed
2. Tue 13Open6am to midnight
3. Wed 14Open6am to midnight
4. Thu 15Open6am to midnight

Thanksgiving MondayCity park page shows the same hours every day and no holiday notice; no explicit Oct 12 statement. Outdoor exhibition is described as accessible at any time.

Hours from the venue's own listing, checked Oct 8, 2026.

Yes. It is the most rewarding free thing you can do with a mid-October afternoon, as long as the weather holds.

Best time

Dry afternoon in daylight

Time needed

90 min to the summit loop (city map); exhibition tour 45 to 70 min

Cost

Free (parking at park lots is paid)

Difficulty

Easy to intermediate

Trail

4.4 km

Weather

Best dry. Gravel path gets muddy after rain; needs daylight.

This season

Mid-October is fall-colour season. The city page lists the Olmsted path at 8.3 km total, while the city map gives 4.4 km to the summit loop.

Good forfall colours, walking, photo exhibition

• Kondiaronk lookout chalet at the top, on the exhibition route, for the city view
• Maison Smith, on the exhibition route, as a rest stop

Start: Sir George-Étienne Cartier monument, Parc du Mont-Royal. Park office: 2000 chemin Remembrance, Montréal, QC H3H 1A2

50 min walk (3.64 km) / 11 min drive, no traffic / 25 min by bike

From 216 Rue Young. Routes from OpenStreetMap data; transit times are in the maps app.

1. GovernmentVille de Montréal: Parc du Mont-Royalaccessed 2026-10-08
2. GovernmentVille de Montréal: Réaménagement du flanc sud-ouest (Olmsted closure)accessed 2026-10-08
3. GovernmentVille de Montréal: Parc du Mont-Royal map, suggested walksaccessed 2026-10-08
4. OfficialMusée McCord Stewart: The Mountain, Heart of Montréalaccessed 2026-10-08