Bikepacking

Already fertile ground for all kinds of two-wheeled adventures thanks to its wild topography, breathtaking panoramas, delicious local cuisine, and welcoming locals, Charlevoix—and especially its vast hinterland—is perfect for multi-day off-road cycling explorations. Its majestic mountains, enchanting forests, wild rivers, and nourishing lakes take the bikepacking experience to new heights!

The non-organized territories (TNO) of the region include two national parks—soon to be three—three ZECs, sectors of the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve (with its own bikepacking routes offer), and a multitude of outfitters. A complex network of forest roads, dirt paths, and double-track trails crisscrosses these wild lands, adding up to thousands of kilometers to explore.

Since each type of managed wilderness territory has its own rules and characteristics, we offer routes that have been tested by our team of backcountry off-road riders, along with instructions for use. Like our gravel bike routes, they are available on RideWithGPS and Avenza Maps.

Both an outdoor trend and a new way of traveling by bike, bikepacking involves riding over long distances and crossing wilderness areas independently, on unpaved roads, trails, and tracks, with a particular concern for minimalism. The confessed mantra of bikepackers: “Ride farther, carry less!” Above all, it’s an attitude characterized by the unshakeable confidence that you can go anywhere by bike and that adventure will always be waiting for you!