4 Trails to Experience the Best of Mountain Biking

Neilson Nord VBN, Gabriel Gakwaya

Québec City should be on every mountain biker's must ride list. With almost 300 km of singletrack trails less than an hour out of town—many added in recent years—this larger‑than‑life setting has plenty of great terrain and is home to a thriving mountain biking scene. Ready to get high on adrenaline in Québec City? Here are four lines that sum it all up.

1 La Boutteaboutte - Mont-Sainte-Anne

Length: 5 km
Ability: Intermediate

Having hosted the UCI World Cup for more tah 27 years in a row, Mont‑Sainte‑Anne is a bit of a given, with downhill and cross‑country trails that have gained mythic status among racers worldwide. Luckily, you don’t have to be Nino Schurter or Rachel Atherton to go for a rip. Take La Boutteaboutte, which opened in 2016. It’s a two‑way trail with a great mix of bermed corners, bridges, and rock gardens, perfect for working on those intermediate skills. Designed to keep you moving down the mountain at a good pace, La Boutteaboutte is best enjoyed as a descent.

Serious about downhill? Take the gondola up to the top and hit La Chômeuse, one of the most technical trails on the mountain (and probably in eastern North America).
2 La Viking - Sentiers du Moulin

Length: 1,2 km
Ability: Expert

The trailbuilders at Sentiers du Moulin got the Enduro memo alright. Five descents from the summit of the main hill, all fairly technical, have been added since 2015. Viking runs through a mature deciduous forest and has some really nice wood ramps, making it the prettiest of the five.

Léon has great scenery, too. It’s longer, with a few sections that can be a little intimidating.
3 La Tablerone - Vallée Bras-du-Nord (Saint-Raymond Sector)

Length: 800 m
Ability: Expert

Get your heart pumping on the Tablerone. This fast descent has bermed corners, big jumps, and a ramp made out of an old trailer. All in all, it’s one heck of a ride through the countryside.

If jumps aren’t your thing, try Grand Eggen, which is just as fast and fun but with a lot less jumps. Both trails are on Suisse Mountain. I recommend taking Jolie Jaëlle and Roche-Mère to get over there. They’re both nice descents.
4 La Neilson Nord - Vallée Bras-du-Nord (Shannahan Sector)

Length: 7 km
Ability: Advanced, with some technical sections

Ideally, any mountain biking trip to Québec City includes a pilgrimage to "Shannahan", home to the legendary Neilson Nord trail. Built with love along the Neilson River, this cross‑country epic trail takes you past a bunch of different views of Cap des Sept‑Côtes, an impressive glacier‑carved rock face. It’s the kind of trail people come back for, year after year.

For a bigger ride, add the new Neilson Est trail to your loop. It’s an extra 10 km, half descent, half climb, with wicked views of the Neilson Nord sector.