Green Mountains Nature Reserve, Quebec

Most places under NCC's care welcome visitors. Please check site-specific pages on this website for access information and any special restrictions.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC's) Green Mountains Nature Reserve, located 90 minutes from Montreal and covering 7,000 hectares, is an ecological gem in the Eastern Townships. It is one of the most important connectivity zones in the Appalachian chain, which extends from the American state of Georgia through Quebec to Newfoundland.

Here visitors can marvel at the myriad of ecosystems which provides habitat for large mammals such as black bear, moose and bobcat. A variety of trees make up the forests covering the mountains, including beech, ash and maple which dominate the deciduous forest, and at the highest altitude, fir, spruce and birch characteristic of mixed-wood forests. Google Trekker has covered an 11-kilometre segment of the Green Mountains trail.

NCC, in collaboration with the Parc d’environnement naturel de Sutton (PENS) and the Town of Sutton, is intensifying efforts to prohibit walking dogs off-leash on trails managed by PENS within the Green Mountains Nature Reserve. Informational signs have recently been installed, and park rangers have been recruited to ensure compliance with municipal regulations. To learn more about the current rules, please visit the PENS website.

Dogs are strictly prohibited, even on a leash, on the trails at the Green Mountains Nature Reserve. Leashed dogs are allowed only PENS-managed trails outside of the Green Mountains Nature Reserve. Please inquire before planning your visit. Thank you for your cooperation in protecting the integrity of this exceptional natural environment.

Trail length: 55 kilometres
Hike difficulty: Intermediate-advanced

Amenities on-site

Visitor parking
Public washroom and information booth are available at the entrance 900 Chemin Réal - Parking 520 (Sutton). Visitors can get information about the trails and buy tickets at this location. (See map – French only)

Points of interest

Some of the highest peaks in southern Quebec offering a panoramic view of the Green Mountains
Trails offering a great proximity to nature
20 species of at-risk plants including two-leaved toothwort, large-flowered bellwort and maidenhair fern
Interpretive signs allowing hikers to understand the ecological and historical richness that surrounds them

Species to look out for

Directions

From Montreal, take the Eastern Townships highway (10 E) toward Bromont.
At exit 78, take Bromont Boulevard, then Route 241 South.
Take Route 139 South to Sutton.
Take Maple Street and follow the signs for Ski Sutton.
At the fork in the road, 100 metres before the ski centre, turn left onto Chemin Réal and follow it until it ends.
Go past the welcome booth and park in the large parking lots located at the end of the road, 100 metres further.

Contact information

quebec@natureconservancy.ca
1-877-231-3552 (toll-free in QC)

Visitor Information

When visiting the property, please:

Respect the wildlife and other visitors.
Travel on designated paths only.
Refrain from bringing pets on site.
Refrain from lighting fires or smoking.
Remove your own garbage, and pick up after your pets.
Respect that the property does not permit the removal of any plants or animals.

All visitors to NCC properties do so at their own risk.