Walks and Views

A 26 hectare nature park in the Saint-Luc sector with forest, meadows, wetlands and a pond, crossed by trails with interpretive panels. You can walk the trails and go snowshoeing in winter. Leashed dogs are allowed. Free and open all year.

A waterfront park in Sorel-Tracy with a view of the St. Lawrence River, about 1 km of walking paths and 1 km of bike paths, picnic tables and a boardwalk. A free public park; boat tours from the marina are paid.

A 6 km walking loop along the L'Assomption River in Joliette, with two footbridges over the river, and it connects to the cycling network. Reach it from boulevard Base-de-Roc or rue Saint-Pierre Sud. A free public trail.

A large natural park in Saint-Hyacinthe with walking trails, nature observation and picnic spots, open all year. Bonjour Québec describes the park as free for everyone (gratuit pour tous). Equipment rentals and group bookings cost extra.

A free nature park on the shore of Lac Saint-Pierre in Nicolet, where wooden boardwalks on stilts wind through woods and marshes to an observation tower. The 2 km trail is easy and open all year, for walking in summer and walking or snowshoeing in winter. Balise Québec lists access as free; parking is free and dogs are allowed on a leash.

A free garden park behind Bécancour city hall with about 70 varieties of lilacs, flower beds, sculptures and a small bridge over a stream. A walking path, picnic area and washrooms make it an easy stop. Free admission and free parking; the lilacs bloom from May to July, which is the best time to visit.

A free ecological park in the Saint-Grégoire sector of Bécancour with year round walking trails of 1 to 3 km, nature interpretation panels, a picnic area and an observation tower. In winter about 2 km of trails stay open, including the Le Feuillu trail, and part of the route is lit in the evening. Tourisme Bécancour says access to the park is free; dogs are allowed on a leash and parking is free.

A free self-guided walk through the Grand-Mère sector, suggested by Tourisme Shawinigan. Start at the castle-like Maison de la culture Francis-Brisson with views of the marina and the 1928 suspension bridge, then wander the Quartier des Anglais with its New England style houses and Parc Forman. Stop at the Rocher de Grand-Mère, the rock behind the town's legend (stairs to the top are closed in winter), and the neo-Gothic former St. Stephen church. Tourisme Shawinigan lists the route as entirely free.

A free self-guided walk suggested by Tourisme Shawinigan: stroll the riverside Promenade du Saint-Maurice between Parc des Vétérans and Parc Saint-Maurice, then head up avenue Broadway past the Art Deco city hall. Cross the footbridge via rue Paulin to rue des Érables, lined with English style houses once home to factory managers, and finish at the lookout over the river basin and the Cité de l'énergie. The route itself costs nothing; shops on the way have their own hours.

A free riverside park with two trails: a multi-use linear path of about 6 km round trip, and the stroller-friendly Thibodeau-Ricard trail that follows the Shawinigan River to the bay, past old dam remains and one of North America's first seismographs. Open all year: waterfalls in spring, walking, jogging and cycling in summer, and groomed cross-country ski tracks in winter. Tourisme Shawinigan describes the trails as accessible and free.

City nature park with 2.9 km of walking trails, shown on the Trois-Rivières urban outdoor map. A quiet free walk in the woods close to town. City parks and nature areas are open from 7 am to 11 pm, and dogs must stay on a leash.

A city nature park with 7 km of marked trails in the Saint-Louis-de-France sector, maintained by the City in winter for walking and cross-country skiing, with a 1.9 km snowshoe trail. Snowshoes can be borrowed at the nearby Orise-Longval library. Trail conditions are posted on the City website. Free.