Mount Royal lookout points: How to find the best views in Montreal

Everything to know about the various viewpoints on Montreal’s famous Mount Royal – yes, there are a few! In this article, I’ll outline how to reach each lookout and what you can see once you get there. 

The sweeping panorama of Montreal’s skyline from Mount Royal is one of the most iconic views in the city – right alongside the colorful row houses of the Plateau, the charming cobblestones of Saint-Paul Street, and the beautiful blue interior of Notre-Dame Basilica. 

And although the main Mount Royal lookout gets the most attention, “the mountain” (as it’s known locally) actually has quite a few smaller viewpoints where you can get a different perspective on the city. 

Below I’ve listed the best viewpoints on Mount Royal and how to reach each one. I’ve lost count of the number of disoriented tourists I’ve helped find the main lookout point over the years, so I hope this guide will help some of you on your visit!

I’ve included walking directions to the park if you’re coming from downtown Montreal or the Plateau, as well as information on arriving by bus or car. One of the best things about the park is how easy it is to access from various parts of the city!

Mount Royal’s main lookout point: Kondiaronk Belvedere

The most famous viewpoint in the Parc du Mont-Royal is Belvédère Kondiaronk. Here you’ll find a large observation platform overlooking downtown Montreal and the St. Lawrence River. There is a large lodge (the Chalet du Mont Royal) with a café, restrooms, and indoor seating where you can escape the elements. 

Montreal doesn’t really have any of the instantly recognizable buildings you’ll find in many other famous cities. (Its architecture is arguably better appreciated from the street level.) However, La Tour McGill will likely catch your eye – its pyramid-shaped roof is often colorfully illuminated at night.

Several of Montreal’s famous street murals are also visible from the main Mount Royal viewpoint. In the downtown area, look out for a 21-storey image of late Montrealer Leonard Cohen. And off to your left, between McGill University and the Plateau, you can see a relatively new mural honoring renowned Quebec artist Jean-Paul Riopelle.

Sometimes, there are cheeky raccoons hanging around the belvedere and scrounging for leftovers in the trash. A decade or so ago, when there was a huge raccoon overpopulation problem on the mountain, they were quite the tourist attraction in their own right. I was on an evening run recently when a French family asked me where they could find the raton laveurs, so I guess people are still looking for them! (Seriously though, they are adorable, but you shouldn’t feed them.)

Behind the chalet, there is a grassy area with picnic tables. 

Other lookout points on the mountain

Although Kondiaronk Belvedere is the main attraction on Mount Royal, there are a few other spots around the mountain where you can get great views – and they’re often a lot less crowded. You can reach all of them on foot from the chalet. 

Camillien-Houde Belvedere

For a different angle on the city, walk north about 10 minutes from the Mount Royal Chalet to the Croix du Mont Royal. There is not much of a view from the cross, but you’ll see a small path on your right if you continue just a few minutes past it. Descend on that path, turn left when you run into another one (more on this trail below), and you’ll soon reach Belvédère Camillien-Houde, where there is a great view out to the Olympic Stadium and beyond.

Escarpment Trail

The main gravel trail that loops around Mount Royal, leading to the chalet as well as the cross, is called the Olmsted Trail. On the eastern side of the mountain, between the higher and lower sections of this trail, there is a small, forested path known as the Escarpment Trail. It wraps around the hillside, running through the woods between the Kondiaronk and Camillien-Houde belvederes. (From the chalet, follow the path heading east to the Grand Staircase, but don’t go down the steps – continue straight instead.) 

During the warmer months, the path has glimpses of the city, but the leaves obscure much of the view. (It’s quite pretty to look at but not always easy to capture in a photo.) In the early spring and late fall, though, there are often weeks with no snow on the ground and no leaves on the trees, making the cityscape visible (even if partially obstructed) almost constantly as you walk.

And in any season, there are a couple of clearings in the woods affording really lovely views over the eastern side of Montreal. 

Sunset Lookout

If, instead of descending on the path to Camillien-Houde Belvedere, you continue on the Olmsted Trail past the Mount Royal Cross, you’ll soon reach a small clearing known simply as the Sunset Lookout. The viewpoint faces an area that is largely residential, so you won’t see any skyscrapers – this one probably isn’t going to take your breath away. 

As you might have surmised, though, it’s a nice place to catch the sunset, and you can also watch planes landing and taking off from Trudeau airport. Off to your left, you can see the domed roof of St. Joseph’s Oratory. 

How to get to the main Mount Royal lookout at Kondiaronk Belvedere

There are a few different ways to reach the main lookout point in front of the Chalet du Mont Royal. The most popular way for visitors getting to know the city for the first time is to come on foot, but it’s also possible to travel by car or public transportation. 

Note that regardless of how you get here (unless you come by bike), the trip will involve a bit of walking. There is a large, wide path from the parking lot to the chalet that takes about 10 minutes to travel on foot. It is largely gravel and a bit uneven, and it’s not always in the best condition in the spring due to snow melt, but it is possible to come with a stroller or by wheelchair. (I have done this with a family member.) This is not recommended when there is still snow on the ground. 

Walking (or cycling) from downtown Montreal

One popular, heart-pumping option to reach the Mount Royal lookout is to walk up the mountain from downtown Montreal. To do this, make your way to the Peel Steps, which are up on a hill above McGill University. (On foot, it’s about 15 minutes from the Peel metro station to the Peel Steps. You can also transfer to bus 107 to take you right to the base of the steps.)

The stairs take you up into the park, where they eventually meet the Grand Staircase of Mount Royal where it intersects with the Olmsted Trail. The Grand Staircase leads you all the way up to the Mount Royal Chalet and Belvédère Kondiaronk. 

There is also a path called Le Serpentin that, as you might have guessed, snakes its way back and forth up the same hill as the stairs, intersecting the steps at four different points. The path starts a few minutes west of the Peel Steps on Avenue des Pins. It meets up with the Olmsted Trail a few minutes south of the Grand Staircase. (You’ll want to turn right on the Olmsted Trail to take the stairs the rest of the way.)

Alternatively, you can turn left on the Olmsted Trail and follow it all the way to Mount Royal’s famous Lac aux Castors (Beaver Lake). Here you’ll find (mostly) tourists going for a paddle and (mostly) locals relaxing at picnic tables or on the grassy hillside overlooking the lake. 

To continue to the lookout point, follow the Olmsted Trail past the sculpture garden and parking lot on your left. The main path then turns right to lead you to the chalet. (It makes a large loop – several, actually – around the mountain.) This route is considerably longer than taking the stairs straight up (count on an additional 40-45 minutes to reach the lookout), but it’s a nice walk in good weather.

If you’d rather come by Bixi, follow Le Serpentin to the Olmsted Trail, turn left, and loop around to the chalet and lookout. It’s the same route you would follow on foot if you were avoiding the stairs (or simply interested in the scenic route by the lake). It’s a long but mostly gradual climb to the chalet and the lookout. 

Walking from the Plateau

If you’re staying in the Plateau (one of Montreal’s most popular neighborhoods), you can also walk from here. 

You’ll need to make your way to the George-Étienne Cartier Monument at the foot of the mountain and hop on the Olmsted Trail there. (There are a few shortcuts across the trail’s large switchbacks on this first section if you’d like to move faster.) You’ll see the Grand Staircase on your right after 25-30 minutes. And up you go! (Or, if it’s a nice day and you’re enjoying the walk, you can continue on the Olmsted Trail as described above.)

Another option, if you’re planning to explore more of the park anyway, is to walk to the Camillien-Houde viewpoint first. It’s closer to the Plateau than the main lookout. (There are a lot of crisscrossing paths on this part of the mountain, so I’d turn on your location services just to make sure you set off on the right one.) From there, you can follow the Escarpment Trail all the way to Belvédère Kondiaronk, or you can cut up to the Croix du Mont Royal and continue from there. 

Getting to Mount Royal by bus

The mountain is right smack in the center of Montreal, so you can reach it fairly easily by bus no matter where in the city you’re coming from.

Buses along Remembrance Road

Buses 11 and 711 run along Remembrance Road, which cuts right through the mountain. (On the other side of the road from Mount Royal Park you’ll see the enormous Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery.) There are bus stops next to the main parking lot and next to Beaver Lake. It’s about 20 minutes on foot from the lake to the lookout (and only 10 from the parking lot). 

Both buses also stop next to the Camillien-Houde lookout point. 

Line 711 runs between the Mont Royal metro stop (on the orange line) in the Plateau and the Snowdon metro stop (which serves the orange and blue lines) in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood.

Line 11 also starts at the Mont Royal metro stop and runs through to Côte-des-Neiges, but it stops short of serving any neighborhood I think you’re likely to visit. So if you’re coming from the eastern part of the city, either bus will do. If you’re coming from the west, the 711 makes more sense. 

Buses to the Trafalgar Stairs

It’s also possible to take a different bus to the Trafalgar Stairs on the southern edge of the park on Chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges. (Montrealers will call this the western side, but this is where I’m putting my foot down. Look at the map! It’s south.) 

Buses 165, 166, 369, and 465 stop here. If you’re coming from downtown and walk to cut out at least some uphill walking, you can take any of these lines from the Guy-Concordia metro station on the green line. The ride should be less than 10 minutes. The 165 and 166 start at Guy-Concordia, while Line 369 follows a similar route but starts a bit further west at the Atwater metro. Line 465 starts next to the Saint Laurent metro station on the green line, heads through downtown Montreal, and then passes Guy-Concordia on its way up the mountain.

You’ll still have to walk up the hill, but the Trafalgar Stairs are much shorter than the Peel Steps/Grand Staircase. You’ll enter the park close to Beaver Lake. After coming up the stairs, continue on the path you’re on. At the first junction, turn left. Continue up the hill, and you’ll soon run into the Olmsted Trail. Turn left again here and you’ll see Lac aux Castors momentarily. (You can also make a left on a smaller path before you reach the Olmsted Trail. This will take you to the lakeshore, whereas the Olmsted Trail will take you up the hill overlooking Lac aux Castors. We’re only talking about a few minutes’ walk either way, so feel free to wander.) 

How to reach the lookout by car

The main parking lot on Mount Royal is about 750 meters from Belvédère Kondiaronk. 

(As mentioned above, you won’t be able to drive all the way there, but it’s pretty close.) This is the largest parking lot in the park.

There is also a smaller lot closer to Lac aux Castors. 

Final thoughts on Mount Royal’s best viewpoints

I lived in Montreal for years and go back regularly, and when I’m there I walk or jog on the mountain at least once per week. Truly, I never tire of its views over the downtown skyline, the river, the stadium, and Montreal’s quieter northern neighborhoods. I love when I’m able to pinpoint a new building or landmark I recognize from my many meandering walks through the city. If you’re looking for some fresh air, a pretty panorama, or even just a mini orientation to Montreal, I’m sure you will love it too. 

For more on Montreal, check out these posts:

How to spend two days in Montreal: A suggested itinerary for first timers

When is the best time to visit Montreal? A month-by-month breakdown

A complete guide to Montreal’s best and coolest neighborhoods