Located in the Laurentians region of Québec, the Montagne Verte (Green Mountain) and the Nez-de-L’Indien (Indian Nose) trails are two great hiking destinations near the village of Labelle, a short drive from Mont-Tremblant. They are definitely some of our favorite hiking trails in the area, both rewarding hikers with fantastic panoramic views of the surrounding mountainous landscapes. Both trails can be combined together or hiked separately, so to help plan your outdoor adventure here we put together this Montagne Verte and Nez-de-L’Indien Hiking Guide, which will include details on the trail difficulty, how long you should plan to complete the hike, and the various viewpoints the trail offers.
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Montagne Verte and Nez-de-L’Indien Trails Location and Map
The Montagne Verte and Nez-de-L’Indien share a trailhead, which is located in the Laurentians region of Québec, a few kilometres west of Mont-Tremblant (link to Google Maps).
How to Get to Montagne Verte and Nez-de-L’Indien
The easiest way to reach the Montagne Verte and Nez-de-L’Indien trailheads is by car.
From Montreal: about 1h45 drive (150 km)
From the Mont-Tremblant area: about a 20-minute drive, regardless if you are leaving from the town of Mont-Tremblant or the ski resort area.
From Ottawa: about a 2h drive (170 km)
If you need to book a rental vehicle for your hiking excursion, we highly recommend using Discover Cars to get the best rates on your rental in Montreal.
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Montagne Verte and Nez-de-L’Indien Hiking Trails Access, Fees, and Parking
Trailhead & car park location: Both are found here.
Trail access & parking fees: None, both trails are Free to use.
Trail opening Hours: 24 hours
Recurring Trail Closures: The Nez-de-l’Indien trail typically closes for 2 weeks every November during hunting season (in 2024 the trail is closed from November 9th to the 24th). The Montagne Verte trail stays open during this period. For more information consult the municipality website.
Parking lot: A new and much larger car park was built in 2022, making it less of a headache to find a parking spot. But it’s still a very popular hiking spot, so it’s best to arrive early on weekends and during leaf-peeping season. Alternatively, arriving in the mid-to-late afternoon to avoid the morning rush can be a good idea.
However, do not park along the main road leading up to the car park – we’ve seen many cars do this when it gets busy, many of which have gotten a parking ticket.
Facilities: Dry toilets are available by the car park.
Montagne Verte Trail Details and Map
If you are short on time or don’t want to hike a long distance, you can do a short loop around the Montagne Verte summit. It is suggested that this loop be done counter-clockwise (see map below).
Distance: 3.1 km
Route Type: Loop
Elevation gain: 170 m (cumulative elevation gain: 180 m)
Start point: Car Park
AllTrails rating: (4.6, 2166 ratings (2024))
Duration: Most people complete the trail in about 1h-1h15
Access Fees: Free
Not an AllTrails member yet? We highly recommend signing up for either their free or paid membership plans. The free plan allows you to find new trails and plan routes but it can only be used while hiking if you have access to mobile data. The paid membership plan (AllTrails+) allows you to download trail maps for offline use and provides live progress updates and off-route notifications.
If you are still uncertain – you should know that the All Trails mobile application was voted the 2023 iPhone App of the Year by Apple.
Other Montagne Verte Details
– Canine companions: Dogs are permitted on leashes.
– Summit: Montagne Verte summit is located at an altitude of 495 m.
– Trail environment: Forest (you will be under tree cover for most of the trail).
– Number of viewpoints: The trail boasts several viewpoints, including a large open rocky plateau providing you with nearly 360-degree panoramic vistas.
– Trail Surface / Technical Trail: Although there are some uneven surfaces and rocky segments, the trail wouldn’t necessarily be considered very technical. It is a fairly easy trail to navigate.
– Average trail slope grade: 12% (this is a fairly steep slope, but one that only needs to be climbed over a distance of 1.5 km).
– Trail difficulty level: Moderate.
(based on our personal assessment, taking into account the trail length, slope grade and trail surface – 5-point difficulty scale: Very easy, Easy, Moderate, Moderately Challenging, Challenging)
Montagne Verte Trail Description and Summary
You’ll gain altitude quickly through a thick forest during this hike, but your suffering will be short-lived given the short trail length. You will cross the first of four main viewpoints after just 1.3 km, with three others coming over the next kilometre. The summit is a very large open rock face providing you with 360-degree panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.
To the east, you see Lake Tremblant, Mont Tremblant in the distance, and a short round peak nearby – the Nez-de-L’Indien (see next trail below).
Nez-de-L’Indien Hiking Trail Details and Map
From the same car park as the Montagne Verte trail you can start the Nez-de-L’Indien Trail (occasionally referred to as the Indian Nose Trail). You simply need to keep going straight (or right) when you come across the first two trail intersections (the two paths that lead up to the Montagne Verte loop).
Distance: 8.5 km
Route Type: Out & Back
Elevation gain: 205 m (cumulative elevation gain: 496 m)
Start point: Car Park
AllTrails rating: (4.6, 1739 ratings (2024))
Duration: Most people complete the trail in about 3h-3h30.
Access Fees: Free
Other Nez-de-L’Indien Hiking Details
– Canine companions: Dogs are permitted on leashes.
– Summit: Montagne Verte summit is located at an altitude of 472 m.
– Trail environment: Forest (under tree cover for most of the trail).
– Number of viewpoints: The trail boasts several viewpoints, but they are all around the Nez-de-L’Iniden summit, where there are several different rocky outcrops that provide you with open views of the surrounding landscape.
– Trail Surface / Technical Trail: Though not necessarily known as a technical trail, the trail surface is on average slightly more difficult to navigate than the Montagne Verte trail. Uneven and rocky surfaces are more numerous, and the trail surface often includes large tree roots or fallen tree branches and several muddy sections in the lower-lying areas of the trail.
– Average trail slope grade: 12% (this is a fairly steep slope, but you are often alternating between ascent and descent along this trail)
– Trail difficulty level: Moderately Challenging
(based on our personal assessment, taking into account the trail length, slope grade and trail surface – 5-point difficulty scale: Very easy, Easy, Moderate, Moderately Challenging, Challenging)
Nez-de-L’Indien Hiking Trail Description and Summary
You’ll spend most of this hike in a deep forest along a path that changes elevation often – a pedestrian roller of sorts. After an initial rise of 80 m over the first kilometre, you will then descend 120 m into a lush forested valley over the next 1.5 km, only then to climb sharply again and gain 200m in elevation over the next 1.5 km.
You will be rewarded for your effort with spectacular viewpoints near the summit, where you’ll find several large rocky outcrops from which you can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, particularly of Lake Tremblant, both to the east and west.
Combining Both Trails
Many hikers actually combine both the Nez-de-l’Indien Trail (Indian Nose trail) with the Montagne Verte Trail (Green Mountain Trail), since they both share the same trailhead. Instead of turning left to do the loop, keep going straight to reach the Nez-de-L’Indien summit. Doing both adds about 2 km to the Nez-de-L’Indien Trail total. If you are interested in doing both trails, you simply need to follow this AllTrails map:
Distance: 10.3 km
Route Type: Out & Back with a partial loop
Elevation gain: 205 m (cumulative elevation gain: 595 m)
Start point: Car Park
AllTrails rating: (4.6, 941 ratings (2024))
Duration: Most people complete the trail in about 3h-3h30.
Access Fees: Free
Montagne Verte and Nez-de-L’Indien Hiking & Trail Tips
– During the peak summer and fall months, the parking lots can fill up quickly, particularly on weekends. Try to arrive early in the morning or late afternoon to guarantee a spot.
– Mosquitoes and black flies can be a nuisance at certain times during the year. The exact dates vary from year to year, but they are generally most present from mid-May to mid-July. Regardless of when you come, it’s always a good idea to carry some bug spray with you, just in case.
– Stick to the designated path to protect the surrounding environment.
– Best time to visit: We tend to prefer hiking in this area from mid-August to early November. The weather will be pleasant and the likelihood of being harassed by bugs is significantly reduced. Moreover. Note that trails are quite busy during the weekends of the leaf-peeping season (typically from late September to mid-October), so it’s best to arrive early or to try to come on a weekday.
Hiking Packing List
All Trails subscription – This comes in really handy for areas with little or no cell reception, as the annual subscription allows you to download trail maps for offline use.
External Battery – If you are using your phone to track your progress along the trail or to help with navigation, you certainly don’t want your phone to die on you. That’s especially true in the unlikely event that you might get hurt or need assistance.
Hiking poles – These can be particularly useful in steep trails or muddy/boggy trail conditions.
Some of Our Other Nearby Favorite Hiking Trails
There are so many great hiking around the Mont-Tremblant area. One of our nearby favorites is an easy yet very beautiful lakeside trail known as the Lac Mercier Trail. The trail is part of the longer Le P’tit Train du Nord trail, a multipurpose recreational rail trail that runs for 200km between the towns of Saint-Jérome and Mont-Laurier.
Another one of our favorites (located within the National Park) is the La Coulée loop trail. The trail takes you to two fantastic viewpoints followed by a beautiful lakeside path.
For a more complete list of our favorite trails in the area check out our guide on the Best Hiking Trails near Mont-Tremblant.
Other Activities In and Around Mont-Tremblant
If you are looking for other fun activities to do in the Mont-Tremblant area there are several great options including boat cruises, white water rafting and visiting a tree-top observatory.
Where to Stay in the Mont-Tremblant Region?
Though many visit the area as a day trip, spending a weekend (or longer) here can be a rewarding experience and would allow you to visit more of the region (and try out several of the beautiful hiking trails in the area).
There are four different areas you can stay in when in the region:
-The Mont-Tremblant Resort Village: This is where you will find the most restaurants and accommodations, with direct access to the mountain ski resort (which is primarily used for hiking activities outside of ski season). One of our favorite hotels (in the mid-range budget) to stay in here is the Ermitage du Lac. Another good option is The Westin Tremblant.
-The Old Mont-Tremblant Village (which used to be the tourist center in the area before the development of the ski resort): This is actually our go-to area when we want to spend a weekend in the Mont-Tremblant area. The Village is tucked away between the scenic Mercier and Moore lakes, a short 5 km west of the ski resort. It’s also the starting point of one of our favorite easy scenic walks in the area, the Lac Mercier trail. We can highly recommend the Suites du Lac Moore Hotel, one of the better bangs for your buck in the area.
-The Town of Mont-Tremblant (formerly known as the town of St-Jovite): Located 12 km south of the Resort Village, this is a proper town and is less geared towards tourism. Though it does have a nice main street for shopping and restaurants, there are few accommodation options here and they tend to be less expensive than in the other two areas. The most central location and one of the better options here is the Comfort Inn and Suites Mont Tremblant.
–Mont-Tremblant National Park: The scenery within the park is quite beautiful, but the accommodation options are limited to campsites and small self-catering cabins.
Alternatively, if you are looking to stay outside of the main tourist areas but without having to camp or stay in a cabin, we can also highly recommend staying in the Chateau Beauvallon. Located between the resort village and the town of Mont-Tremblant, the hotel is situated on a vast private lakeside property where guests can relax and enjoy indoor, and
Want to Discover More Hiking Trails In Southern Québec?
You might be interested in these pages:
Best Hiking Trails Near Mont-Tremblant
Best Hiking Trails Near Montreal
Best Hiking Trails in the Eastern Townships
Quebec Hiking Trails that Are Stunning in Winter
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
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Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Montagne Verte and Nez-de-L’Indien Hiking Guide and that it will prove useful for planning your hiking trip.
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