The best walks and hikes around Sainte-Marthe

Originating in Saint-Lazare, the Rivière Rouge winds south through the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region before emptying into the St. Lawrence River at Coteau-du-Lac. Along its course, the river helps drain the sandy landscapes of the Saint-Lazare Pine Forest and surrounding countryside. While modest in size, it forms an important part of the region's watershed and adds a natural water feature to the predominantly forested landscape.

At 9.9 kilometres, Trail 5 is the longest route in Forestiers Park and offers a deeper exploration of the Saint-Lazare Pine Forest than the shorter loops. The trail extends to the edge of the park, passing through long stretches of woodland that showcase the scale of this forested landscape. Several picnic tables are scattered along the route, providing convenient places to take a break and enjoy the quiet surroundings before continuing your walk.

Covering approximately 14 square kilometres, the Saint-Lazare Pine Forest is one of the largest forested areas in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region. The sandy soils support extensive pine woodland, creating a landscape that feels noticeably different from many other forests in southern Québec. The forest's trail network provides opportunities for hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, and wildlife observation throughout the year.

Sentiers de l’Escapade is a year-round network of roughly 27 kilometres of marked trails that winds through the forests of Mont Rigaud, offering routes for hiking, trail running, horseback riding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. The trail system passes through mature hardwood forest, wetlands, maple groves, and picturesque viewpoints, with interpretive panels that explain the mountain’s wildlife, plant life, geology, and history. With a mix of shorter family-friendly walks and longer climbs to panoramic lookouts overlooking the surrounding valley, it's one of the main outdoor recreation areas in the Rigaud region.

Parc Chartier-De Lotbinière is a large community park at the foot of Mont Rigaud that includes sports fields, playgrounds, picnic areas, and direct access to the Sentiers de L’Escapade trail network. The park sits adjacent to wooded areas and open green space, making it a popular starting point for hikes into the surrounding forest and a popular spot for family recreation, with a splash pad and open lawns to enjoy in warmer months.

The Key to the Woods Trail is a forested route on Mount Rigaud that follows gentle-to-moderate terrain through mature hardwood forest and serves as a connector trail to the broader Sentiers de L’Escapade network. The trail passes through areas of sugar maple, hickory, and white birch forest, crosses wetlands, and passes underneath the elevated zipline course at Arbraska, with interpretive signs along the way that explain the area’s ecology and geology. Although relatively accessible, the route includes some steady climbing and is a fantastic, picturesque route to explore the biodiversity and wooded landscapes of Mont Rigaud.

While passing through this area, you may find buckets hanging off trees. This area is where the Mountain Sugar Shack harvests maple syrup from the maples, then boils it down to its final product. Typically, modern productions use more advanced tools, but this area practices the original method of making maple syrup. Want to taste the final product? Head over to Mountain Sugar Shack to buy some or enjoy a meal with some authentic Maple Syrup.

Mountain Sugar Shack is a Québec heritage site serving and selling old-world maple syrup from a 120-acre forest of mature maple trees using authentic syrup-making methods. Mountain Sugar Shack is open all year with optional tours. It's a great place to stop and enjoy a classic feast of Québec dishes like pea soup, wood-fired baked beans, omelettes, sausages, maple-smoked ham, tourtière, crispy pork rinds, mashed potatoes, and more, all served with their maple syrup.