One of our favorite areas to do some winter hiking is the Sutton region of the beautiful Eastern Townships, roughly 90 minutes from Montreal. Though Sutton is primarily known for its downhill skiing resort, there are several great winter hiking trails in the Parc d’Environnement Naturel de Sutton (P.E.N.S), including the famous Round Top trail. Below we present our guide to some of the best winter hiking trails in the Sutton area, focusing on those that we believe best maximize the effort-to-reward ratio.
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You might also be interested in these pages:
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Orientation – Where is Mont Sutton?
Mont Sutton, and more specifically the Parc d’Environnement Naturel de Sutton (P.E.N.S), is located 118 km southeast of Montreal (roughly a 90-minute drive) in the Eastern Townships region of Québec. The PENS is roughly 5km east of the village of Sutton and is only 10km from the Canadian-American border (Burlington (Vermont) is also roughly a 90-minute drive away).
Mont Sutton, like many other mountains in the Eastern Townships (e.g. Bromont, Orford, Owl’s Head) is primarily for known its ski resort. However, it has also built a solid reputation as a great winter hiking destination, particularly because of its marquee trail – the Round Top.
To hike the Round Top (or any other trail at the P.E.N.S) you’ll need to pay an 8$ access fee (2024) and it is highly recommended to book ahead online. During peak season hiking season, the purchased ticket will be valid only for the selected day and selected timeslot, meaning that will you have to start your hike either between 9 am and 12 pm or between 12:30 pm and 3:30 pm.
For those of you who like to go hiking with your canine friend, know that while dogs (on a leash) are accepted in most of the PENS park area, there are a few noteworthy exceptions. Among these is the final leg of the Round Top trail, which is technically part of the Green Mountains Nature Reserve, which is the natural habitat of the rare and endangered Bicknell’s Thrush and thus an area where dogs are not permitted.
When to Go?
To experience a proper winter hike and beautiful white landscapes, it’s best to plan your visit between mid-December and mid-March. That being said, there are year-to-year differences regarding the early and late winter snow conditions. If you would like to visit early or late in the winter season, it’s best to check the park conditions first. You can generally find them listed on the PENS trail conditions page. Otherwise, most of the trails are open year-round, except in late mid-to-late spring when the trails are closed to let the trails dry after the snow melts. Another exception is the Round Top Trail (described below,) which is closed through the end of June during the Bicknell’s Thrush Nesting Period.
Hiking and Safety Tips
It is highly recommended to wear crampons/traction cleats under your shoes or boots when hiking any of the following trails that have significant elevation gain. In particular, several upper sections of the Round Top trail (notably the manmade staircase) are notorious for being quite icy at times – this however isn’t a problem if you are wearing the appropriate footwear. You can rent traction crampons/ice cleats to attach to your boots for 10$ at the PENS visitor center or purchase some on Amazon for 20-25$.
In the event of large amounts of recent snowfall, you might be better off using snowshoes than hiking with boots and cleats. The national park details the recent snowfall stats and the trail conditions (densely packed snow or new powdered snow). The visitor center also rents out snowshoes if need be.
Also, always bear in mind that no matter how cold it is at the base of the mountain, it’s going to be even colder at the summit (and windier), so remember to dress appropriately. It’s generally recommended to wear fewer layers to start with since you will warm up as you start to hike. But it’s a great idea to pack some extra warm gear for when you stop or reach the summit.
Winter Hiking Packing List
Crampons / Ice Cleats – These are a must-have to help you with those steep ascents/descents or navigate icy trail conditions.
External Battery – Cold weather significantly affects cell phone battery drainage. Best to be prepared with an external power source to recharge your phone if needed.
Hiking poles – These can be particularly useful in winter, especially when not wearing any crampons or ice cleats.
Hand warmers – if you are like us and often remove your gloves to take pictures, having little hotties around care be hand life savers in freezing weather.
All Trails subscription – 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.
Easy Trails
Village-Montagne Trail
Trail Summary
This lovely trail follows a gentle stream through various forested sections between some occasional farmland fields. It’s a very peaceful walk with a nice reward for those who make it to the end: a series of pools known locally as the “Witches’ Pot” (la marmite des sorcières).
We debated rating this trail easy-moderate as opposed to just “easy” given the length of the full trail. However, aside from the length, the trail does not present any difficult challenges. Although there is some elevation gain, it occurs smoothly and progressively throughout the length of the trail. Most people will complete the trail in about 2h30-3h. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash.
Trail Details and Map
Distance: 10.1 km
Route Type: Out & back
Elevation gain: 190 m (cumulative elevation gain: 340 m)
Start point: Parc Godue
AllTrails rating: (4.4, 407 ratings (2024))
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.
Pékan Falls Trail
Trail Summary
This a a very short trail that will take you through an uphill forested section that is more challenging than the previous trail. Although you only gain about 100m in elevation, you do so in a kilometre, making it a steeper ascent. Although the trail itself was quite pleasant, the waterfall at the end was somewhat of a letdown since it was completely frozen and mostly snow-covered. Most people complete the trail in about 45-60 min. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash.
Trail Details and Map
Distance: 1.9 km
Route Type: Out & back
Elevation gain: 92 m (cumulative elevation gain: 96 m)
Start point: P3 car park
AllTrails rating: (4.4, 100 ratings (2024))
Easy-Moderate Trails
Lac Spruce Trail
Trail Summary
One of the most popular trails (but most combine with the Round Top trail, see below), this loop trail takes you to the beautiful and scenic Spruce Lake. It’s also worth the small detour to visit the smaller Lac Vogel. Most people complete the trail in 1h30-2h. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash.
Trail Details and Map
Distance: 4.5 km
Route Type: Loop
Elevation gain: 230 m (cumulative elevation gain: 234 m)
Start point: PENS car park
AllTrails rating: (4.5, 250 ratings (2024))
Village-Montagne & Pékan Falls Combo Trail
Trail Summary
This trail is simply the combination of the two previous “easy” trails, which can be easily achieved since the Village-Montagne trail ends across the street from where the Pékan Falls trail begins. Most people complete the combo in 3h-3h45.
Trail Details and Map
Distance: 12.2 km
Route Type: Partial Out & back, Partial Loop
Elevation gain: 320 m (cumulative elevation gain: 355 m)
Start point: Parc Godue
AllTrails rating: (4.2, 35 ratings (2024))
*Note that our distance and elevation values differ from the All Trails website as we modified the starting point to be identical to the one listed above for the Village-Montagne trail because there is no parking nearby to the standpoint indicated by All Trails.
**We recommend not doing the loop as depicted in the All Trails map below, but rather returning the same way you made your way up to the falls because the return section follows a road as opposed to a proper trail.
Moderate-Difficult Trails
Round Top Trail
Trail Summary
This is the trail that most people want to do when they come to Sutton, but in reality, most combine it with the Lac Spruce (see the combined trail description below) since adding the Lake detour doesn’t add too much time to the trail itinerary. It leads to the highest peak of the massif, the Round Top, which culminates at 968 meters, where it offers panoramic views of the St. Lawrence plain, the Monteregiennes and Lake Champlain. The final sections can be very icy, particularly those that involve the steps, so proper winter footwear (winter crampons are preferable) is highly recommended. Most people complete the trail in 2h -2h30. Dogs…this is where it gets tricky. They are not allowed on the final section of the trail, which belongs to the Green Mountains Nature Reserve (see the dark green section on the map below).
If you would love to see both the Round Top and Lac Spruce, know that you can easily combine both the Round Top and the Lac Spruce trails.
Trail Details and Map
Distance: 6.0 km
Route Type: Out & back
Elevation gain: 396 m (cumulative elevation gain: 404 m)
Start point: PENS car park
AllTrails rating: (4.4, 327 ratings (2024))
Hollandais Trail
Trail Summary
This trail is very different from those described to date. It follows a large square loop path, with a long section that follows a ridgeline between two summits (Hollandais summit and Orignal summit). There are several viewpoints along the ridgeline section providing beautiful vistas of the surrounding mountains. Most people complete the trail in 2h30-3h. Note that it is not as busy as the other trails mentioned above, often resulting in less packed snow, meaning that snowshoes could be more helpful than ice crampons (though in our experience it was always still very manageable in our normal winter boots). It’s honestly unclear to us if dogs are permitted on this trail – even the All Trails page appears to contradict itself in different sections.
Trail Details and Map
Distance: 7.2 km
Route Type: Loop
Elevation gain: 300 m (cumulative elevation gain: 485 m)
Start point: PENS car park
AllTrails rating: (4.4, 576 ratings (2024))
Where to Stay Near Sutton
If you would like to spend a night (or more) to have the chance to enjoy several trails in the area, there are a few great accommodation options nearby. We particularly enjoyed our stay at the Le Pleasant Hôtel & Café, situated in the heart of Sutton village, a short 5-minute drive from most of the hiking trailheads.
You might also be interested in these pages:
6 Quebec Hiking Trails that Are Stunning in Winter
Best Winter Hiking Trails in Charlevoix region
Best Winter Hiking Trails in Mont Mégantic National Park
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
Travel Insurance
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e-Sim cards
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eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.
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 Guide on the Top Things to See and Do in Baie-Saint-Paul (Charlevoix) and that it will prove useful for planning your trip to the beautiful Charlevoix region of Québec.
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Guide on the Best winter hiking trails near Montreal (Sutton Region) and that it will prove useful for planning your trip to the beautiful Eastern Townships.
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