Canadian Shield Bikepacking 2026

The Canadian Shield Bikepacking Route is a 900km adventure through the Laurentian Mountains of Western Quebec. With alternative distances of 250km, 400km, or 1,150 km, there is definitely something for everyone.

The route will take riders off the grid, through some of the region’s most epic trails and roads, including Gatineau Park, Mont Tremblant National Park, Montagne du Diable Regional Park, Papineau-Labelle Wildlife Reserve, Ouareau Forest, Centre Vorlage and Mont Ste. Marie.With over 13500 metres of elevation gain across the 900km route, this is definitely a route that will challenge you both physically and mentally, while creating a lifetime of memories.

For those looking to keep things a little less spicy, control points throughout will indicate where you can go to avoid some of the more intense sections of trail.The Grand Depart for 2025 will begin at the conclusion of the 3rd annual Canadian Shield Bikepacking Summit, allowing participants to go on an epic bike adventure at the conclusion of the summit. With a departure time of 5:30pm, you’ll start the adventure with a night ride and good company.

The ONLY question left to answer is:
‍What type of bikepacking adventure are you looking for?
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Canadian Shield 250: The CS250 is a 250m adventure through the Outaouais region of Quebec, over a mixture of gravel roads, unmaintained winter roads, rail trail and doubletrack. This route will take you up along the Gatineau River to Gracefield, before turning east where you will get some chunky unmaintained roads on the west side of Lac Cayamant. After reaching Otter Lake, it’s a mix of gravel roads and double track through the Gatineau Park as you make your way back to Wakefield. This is the perfect ride to get a taste of bikepacking adventures.

Canadian Shield 400: The CS 400 is a 400km adventure through the Outaouais region of Quebec, over a mixture of gravel roads, unmaintained winter roads, doubletrack, singletrack and rail trail. Cruising through forests, provincial parks and ski resorts, this is the perfect route for bikepackers looking to challenge themselves with a route that dishes out a lot of trails and elevation gain. This route is perfect for those on a time constraint and unable to take on a longer adventure. Lastly, it’s also the perfect early season adventure to get your bikepacking legs ready for some bigger and longer routes.

‍Canadian Shield Bikepacking Route: The CSBR is a thrilling 900km sojourn across and over the Laurentian Mountains in Western Quebec. With around 13,500 metres of elevation gain, you’ll have all the great riding of the CS 400 but also get to traverse the Papineau-Labelle Wildlife Reserve and its rugged roads, the Montagne du Diable Regional Park, which is filled with excellent single and doubletrack, as well as some truly spectacular lake district cottage country.

‍Canadian Shield XL: The CSXL is the longest Canadian Shield route, as 1150km odyssey through a huge swath of Western Quebec. In addition to the CSBR, you will cross the Ouareau Forest Regional Park and traverse Mont Tremblant National Park, providing you ample opportunities to explore the vast region of lakes and some of the higher points of the Laurentian Mountains.