Mountain Biking: The Eastern Townships’ Most Notorious Trails

Are you one of these mountain bikers who are always looking for trails with the most technical features, the highest jumps, the most cardio tracks? Well, strap on your helmet and hit the Eastern Townships’ mountain bike circuits, where you’ll find a wide variety of expert trails. Here are 16 of the most challenging ones of the region.

By Rosalie Croteau and editoral team

At The Parc des Sommets, in Bromont

The Anglemort — Located on Spruce Mountain, this trail is strewn with many technical features, the most formidable of which is “the Boa,” an imposing vertical rocky ledge. Don’t worry, you can always avoid this obstacle by taking the Chicken Pass! The key to successfully completing this expert course? Always check your blind spots!

The Chaton bicolore — Known for its steep sharp rocky turns, the Chaton has its claws out for you! And, when you reach the end of the run, this cat hasn’t had its last word . . . you’ll have to work twice as hard if you want to get back to the top! Take the Aninja trail which leads to a magnificent lookout point on the Pic du Chevreuil. Here you’ll have a moment to recover a bit.

At Bromont, montagne d’expériences

The Adrénaline – A rush of adrenaline will run through your veins on this very technical trail, which has a large rocky segment that can be extremely slippery. For sure, you’ll need to have all your wits about you to come out of the Adrénaline without a scratch.

  La Cachette — Only the most experienced riders know this trail well, which explains why it is called La Cachette (the hideout). With huge rocks scattered throughout, it requires precise agility and good coordination skills to guide your bike well and to pump at the right times. We recommend that even the most fearless riders wear their full protection, namely a full-face helmet and back protection.

At Plein air Sutton | Mont Sutton

Attache ta tuque (avec d’la broche) — Are you a speed enthusiast? Make sure you have more than just your tuque to tackle the descents of this enduro-style course! You’re in for quite a wild ride here with the trail’s numerous obstacles, including three imposing boulders you’ll have to take on one after the other.

Tiguydou Right Through — If you like puzzles, head out on the Tiguydou right through trail. Mainly structured as a singletrack with only one possible line to tackle the different challenges (pro line), this trail will require that you have an impeccable technique with its rocky section, its off camber, its gaps and its very steep downhill section!

©Mathieu Dupuis

At the Parc National du Mont-Orford

Sanguinaire — Because the first kilometres will have you climb, the Sanguinaire offers an excellent cardiovascular training. Those who dare venture here will have to deal with its many banked turns, also known as berms, and its rocky ledge followed by gaps. At the end of the course, you’ll need to be quite agile when tackling the final obstacles as you take on an incredible jump that will lead you to a series of berms!

Chaga — Hold on tightly to your handles, Chaga, Parc National du Mont-Orford’s most technical trail, will challenge you all the way with its abrupt berms. An amazing cross-country track, the Chaga also offers an excellent cardio training with its many uphill and downhill features!

©Daphné Caron

At the Parc du Mont-Bellevue, in Sherbrooke

Kamikaze — Having hosted the mountain bike event at the Canada Games in 2013, the Kamikaze is strewn with a few enduro type obstacles, but, more than anything else, it’s a cross-country track with plenty of berms! The more adventurous will certainly be satisfied with the drop feature, a 5-foot-high jump!

Phénomène Bacon — Reserved for more experienced riders, the Phénomène Bacon offers you a technical enduro course. Be prepared for all kinds of unexpected features including climbs and descents, berms, drops and above all a huge gap! The trail lives up to its name because, besides the fact that it has more or less the same topography as a slice of crispy bacon (!), at the end of the course, you’ll be asking for seconds . . . a bit like with bacon!

©Francis Harvey

At the Parc De La Gorge de Coaticook

Les Trois Sources — First, you’ll have to tackle an old-school climb on an especially gnarly surface and cross several streams on rock bridges. Then comes the descent where sharp turns and steep hills will definitely put your cycling skills to the test!

Montée des Cadets — Another “old school” trail, the Montée des Cadets, has technical ascents that require a great deal of effort to climb the very steep sections and a narrow descent between trees and roots. You will need to ride with finesse to come out of this trail unscathed!

On the Circuit Frontières Network in East Hereford

La Maîtrise — Starting at the top of Mount Hereford, La Maîtrise is a 1.5 km expert downhill trail that will give you just the right balance of speed and adrenaline with plenty of old school technical challenges. La Maîtrise will provide you with a good dose of humility while creating lasting memories and the urge to tackle it again!

La Valse du Diable – Its name says it all: waltz, for the rhythm it provides and devil, for the technical traps it hides so well when you don’t quite master your technique! Jumps, fluidity and adrenaline will be the order of the day as you head down this track. The Valse du Diable and its thrilling features can be easily combined with La Maîtrise.

The Centre National de Cyclisme de Bromont

The Dirt Jump Section — If you’re a fan of jumps, the Dirt Jump Section will offer you quite a challenge! Showing no mercy, even for expert cyclists, this trail is truly the best place to perfect your jump sequences and acrobatic skills!

The Centre’s BMX Track— The 350-metre-long provincial level BMX track at the Centre National de Cyclisme de Bromont will leave you breathless with its rollers, turns and high jumps! You can choose to explore it either in speed or in freestyle.

Mountain Biking: The Eastern Townships’ Most Notorious Trails

At The Parc des Sommets, in Bromont

At Bromont, montagne d’expériences

At Plein air Sutton | Mont Sutton

At the Parc National du Mont-Orford

At the Parc du Mont-Bellevue, in Sherbrooke

At the Parc De La Gorge de Coaticook

On the Circuit Frontières Network in East Hereford

The Centre National de Cyclisme de Bromont

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