Oka National Park

A Quebec Provincial National Park (Sepaq, 1990) On The Lake Of Two Mountains, A Beach Park For Montreal In Summer With The Calvaire D'Oka Trail Of Chapels And Good Birding. The Trappist Monastery And Cheese Of Oka Are Nearby But The Cheese Is Made Elsewhere Today. A Sepaq Park, Not A Parks Canada Park. · Oka, Quebec

Oka National Park is a Quebec provincial park run by Sepaq, not a Parks Canada park, so Parks Canada passes do not apply. It sits on the Lake of Two Mountains about 50 km west of Montreal, and for Montrealers it is mainly a summer beach park: a long sandy shore, shallow water, forest behind and a campground. Away from the sand there are woodland trails, a cycling route and good birding on the lake edge. The best-known walk is the Calvaire d'Oka, a hill path of chapels and stations that is part pilgrimage and part forest hike. The village of Oka and the Mohawk community of Kanesatake share the same area, and the 1990 Oka Crisis took place nearby, so the landscape has a history beyond the beach; treat that part with respect. The old Oka cheese is no longer made at the monastery as it once was, so do not plan a visit around it. It suits families, cyclists and day-trippers. On hot weekends the beach can reach its visitor limit, so go early and confirm entry rules. Allow half a day to a full day.

Provincial national park on the shore of Lake of Two Mountains about 50 km west of Montreal, with a beach, forest trails and the Calvaire d'Oka, a hill path with chapels, Oka, Quebec, Canada

Sepaq parks run on seasonal hours. The beach and services are fully open in summer, usually from late spring to early autumn, with the gate and welcome desk open through the day and longer hours in July and August. Outside that season, the trails stay open for walking, cycling and in winter snowshoeing or skiing, but beach services, lifeguards and many washrooms close. On very hot weekends the park can stop admitting cars once it reaches its capacity, and Sepaq may ask visitors to reserve a day pass online beforehand. Check the current Sepaq listing for season dates, day-pass rules and any limit before you drive out. The campground follows its own booking calendar, and the village shops keep their own hours.

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