Bikepacking Routes in NB

Hola,

Bikegeek here, long time, no type! Looked over at the cogeyed forums and it’s pretty quiet over there, but I saw a mention about this new fangled place. Seems that the ECMTB brand has been resurrected. Nice.

It has been a while since I’ve ridden my bike back east, and since I’ve started riding seriously again here on the wet coast, I’ve been thinking that my next trip back to the Maritimes should include my bike. The nostalgia for some of my favourite old riding spots has been palpable, and the thought of some new longer off road/gravel routes has me a little excited to maybe make a trip happen.

I’ve been researching but I can only find paved routes for touring on various websites and map guides. I was wondering if any of my dirt-loving cohort over there knew of any routes on back roads/gravel/singletrack that could be ridden over a few days, with good camping available? Is the NB Trail in good repair? Has it been expanded? How about the Trans Canada Trail?

I’m looking at a loop from Freddy to Moncton then along the Fundy coast over to St. Stephen and back to Freddy. And another from Freddy to Bathurst and Edmunston and back. I know there are a few unpaved highways, but I haven’t looked at my backroads mapbook in several years (it’s at my mother’s house) and wouldn’t know where all the good singletrack is, either.

Are there any endurance cyclists that have done any off road touring on here? Anybody know of a blog or any other online resources? I’m not limited to NB, I would love to ride everywhere in Atlantic Canada. Newfoundland is high on my list, too.

Cheers.

@bikegeek this Strava heatmap will give you a pretty good idea of what’s rideable.

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I’ve been on the Trans Canada Trail Edmunston to Fredericton. The last time was maybe 5 years ago and I can report it was all rideable then but it wasn’t always in great condition, much of it had been rutted to crap by atv’s other sections were quite grassy and overgrown from lack of use. Any part of the trail that passes close to a town was usually in good shape because it was used more. We found ourselves skipping some sections of trail and riding on Hwy 144 or 105 instead.

I’ve heard that the Fundy Trail has had a lot of work in recent years:
www.fundytrailparkway.com/en/trail/
I’d like to tour there one day

If you’re not limited to NB, the TCT in PEI is excellent I’ve been on every section and it was always in good shape, camping is easy the mosquitoes can be nasty though. If you plan it right you can hit up the popular MTB singletrack areas as side trips pretty easily.

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Thanks for the replies guys! I forgot about Strava heatmaps, what a resource! It’s showing trail networks I had no idea existed. Amazing. As for the Fundy Trail, I think I knew about that, but it wasn’t quite ready for the public way back, however many years ago. Nice to know that it’s open and ready to see some rubber! And riding around PEI would be amazing. Haven’t been there in 20 years, but I’d definitely love to go back.

Thanks again for the info. Hopefully I can make the trip happen soon.

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