Mountain Bike in Shawinigan

By Tommy Corriveau

If you fancy adventure on two wheels, Shawinigan is a great destination for you. The vast territory offers several places to go mountain biking. If you come to Shawi for mountain biking, it’s more specifically to head for La Mauricie National Park and Parc de l’Île Melville.

La Mauricie National Park offers bike routes on forest trails accessible through the Rivière-à-la-Pêche and the Saint-Gérard sectors. You then access a network of approximately 55 km which includes several rest stops in the heart of the forest. We’re talking here about trails 3, 5, 6A, 7, 8, 9, 11, the promenade route, trail 6 between Lac Bouchard and Lac du Pimbina and the Vallerand trail.

Our favorite ? Trail number 9. This trail is beautiful, easy and suitable for the whole family. It runs along Lake Edward and has stops or views of this same lake. It’s an 8 km linear route that can take you to other trails of the same level or more difficult. Plus, it’s the perfect spot for photos!

The Parc de l’Île Melville is another great place for mountain biking. It’s located along the Saint-Maurice River and offers approximately 15 km of trails that were laid out during the Quebec Games in 2012 and have been maintained by a team of volunteers ever since. The park has intermediate and difficult trails, more suitable for those well accustomed to this sport. However, if you’re more of a beginner but have a reckless temperament, you’ll undoubtedly appreciate the trails of this magnificent park in the heart of downtown Shawinigan.

There’re also two other popular sites near Shawinigan known for their mountain bike trails: Mont-SM and the Parc Récréoforestier de Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, both with intermediate and more challenging trails.