Deep in the woods of Sutton, Quebec, lies a little place where summer and Halloween intersect — at least in name. This pre-St.
It can just put a spell on you. Swimming is not allowed, but you can dip your feet in the water.*
The small swimming pool is located at the foot of the mountains less than two hours from Montreal. It is accessible by a hiking trail and, fortunately, by car.
If you’d rather brave a full hike, varioussites estimate the Village-Mountain Trail, on which the cauldron is located, will take a leisurely two to three hours one way. Dogs on a leash are welcome in this part of Parc d’environnement naturel de Sutton (PENS), but be sure to check before taking your pet elsewhere in the park—some trails have additional restrictions.
Otherwise, the PENS trail map suggests that the Chaudron is a short walk from the intersection of Bernier, Réal and Maple roads. There is a parking lot further up Maple Rd, which appears to be about a four minute walk from the swimming hole entrance.
If you can’t get enough of walking around, there are plenty of beautiful winding paths throughout the PENS, many of which only last an hour or two. To access these other hikes you will need to make advance reservations at $7 per person during the summer months.
Natural pool of the Cauldron of Witches
Price: Free
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekends between May and September
Address: 900, chemin Réal, Sutton, QC (Sutton Natural Environment Park Visitor Center)
Before you go, check out our Guide to Responsible Travel to be informed, be safe, be smart and above all, be respectful on your trip.
*UPDATE: An earlier version of this article, quoting Eastern Townships Tourism website, said swimming was allowed at the Witches’ Cauldron. A PENS spokesperson clarified that visitors can only dive with their feet in the water.
