Only 1 hour away from Montreal, you can find the streaming Ouareau River surrounded by forest trees. This regional park has few lookout points of the Dorwin waterfall and 2.5km of trails along the river with information points. This is a good place to take visitors – a nice viewpoint of the falls and a simple & relaxed walk in the forest (and of course so close to Montreal).
Address: Parc régional des Chutes-Dorwin, 3102, 1re Avenue, Rawdon
Region: Lanaudiere
Drive 1h north of Montreal
Entry fee: This is a regional park of MRC Matawinie. Ages 0-6 free, ages 7-12: $4, 13+: $8. The entry bracelet of the park is also accepted at the Rawdon municipality beach, with no additional cost.
Parking is included in the entry fee
Opening time: 10am to 8pm every day, from the weekend before National Day until Labor Day. Open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, from mid-May to mid-June and from the beginning of September to the end of October.
Toilet available at the entrance
Picnic tables are spread throughout the park
No restaurant or canteen
Not suitable for a baby stroller
On the left of the parking, there is a kids’ playground & picnic tables.
The entry to the park is located on the opposite side of the playground. No swimming is allowed in the river.
You will receive a map of the park with suggestions for 8 different short walks. A sign is available at the beginning of each trail with a map and a description of the forest vegetation. The terrain is changing from gravel to wooden deck to rocks. I can imagine how slippery it can be when it rains as few walks are downhill and quite steep.
We kept the yellow park’s entry bracelet on our wrists and we continued to the nearby Rawdon beach. This beach is very popular and hence extremely busy. The beach sits on the shores of Rawdon lake and has a natural slope with sand. The day we visited it was so busy and the water wasn’t very clear and the ground was muddy. Unfortunately, the vegetation around the beach was not maintained and the toilet area was very crowded.
Address: 3304, 8th Avenue, Rawdon
5 minutes drive from the Dorwin falls
Open daily, from 10 am to 8 pm, beginning the weekend prior to the Fête Nationale holiday, right through till Labour Day
The beach offers supervised swimming
Kayak and small boats available for rent
I don’t tend to recommend restaurants but this creperie in Rawdon’s town center was so delicious. Salty & sweet yummy crepes for all. 🙂
Creperie Bretonne (Crêperie Les Copains d’Abord)
Quebec Family Hikes 