Mountain Biking in the Fall: Six Spots to Enjoy the Season on the Trails
There’s a special magic to riding in the mountains when the forest is ablaze with color. The days are getting shorter, the air is getting cooler, but the trails have never looked more beautiful: the green of the conifers blends with the reds, oranges, and yellows of the deciduous trees, and every descent feels like riding through a painting.
It’s also a very special race against time—the season slowly drawing to a close before giving way to winter. Just a few more beautiful weekends, and Quebec’s mountain biking centers will swap their trails for snow—which cyclists can enjoy on skis or… on a fatbike! So before this big transition, here are six centers across Quebec where you can fully enjoy the spectacle of fall colors.
Here’s a quick tip for planning your trip: on each resort’s page, under the “Accommodations” tab on the trail map, check the “Bienvenue cyclistes!” box to instantly spot certified accommodations nearby. This certification guarantees, among other things, secure storage in a locked area for guests’ bikes—a detail that makes all the difference after a day on the trails.
Le Massif de Charlevoix
This fall, let the vibrant colors of Charlevoix accompany you on the trails of Le Massif, a unique destination offering the greatest elevation drop east of the Canadian Rockies. With trails specifically designed for mountain biking—including 23 enduro-style trails, a pro-line, and adventure bike routes—mountain biking enthusiasts of all skill levels will find a playground that’s as vast as it is exhilarating.
For families, the “Cerise sur le sundae” loop (3 km) offers breathtaking views of the river, as does the “Tutti Frutti” trail, accessible near the gondola. Want to hone your skills? Two skills areas await you: “La Chouenneuse” at the summit, designed for turns and jumps, and a beginner’s area at the base of the mountain. Don’t miss our signature trail, “L’histoire sans fin”: a challenging 6-km descent—intermediate in difficulty but very accessible—featuring a series of stunning viewpoints.
To extend the experience, the region is full of accommodations certified as “Bienvenue cyclistes!” (Cyclists Welcome!), where your bike is guaranteed a safe place to stay overnight.
Near Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, LA SHRED offers a vacation rental with bike rental services, while halfway between Mont-Sainte-Anne and Le Massif, the Auberge St-Tite-des-Caps charms guests with its rustic decor and warm atmosphere, along with a wide range of activities and services for the whole family.
In Baie-Saint-Paul, three options are available depending on your preferences: the elegant Hôtel Maison Otis, the Motel des Cascades with its 22 immaculate rooms (one of which features a whirlpool tub), or the Hôtel Baie-Saint-Paul, a comfortable stop at the entrance to town with on-site dining and bike rentals.
The Le Panoramique Mountain Bike Center is THE go-to spot for cross-country enthusiasts in the Saguenay region. Located in the heart of the Chicoutimi borough, on nearly 9 km² of private wooded land owned by Rio Tinto, it is a major mountain biking center in the region, featuring nearly 40 groomed trails that wind through a mountainous landscape of granite rock, black soil, and clay—offering routes renowned for being technical and challenging.
Riders of all skill levels—beginner, intermediate, and expert—will find something to enjoy, whether it’s a family outing, a serious training session, or a day of adventure with friends. As a bonus, a roller track, an agility course, and a brand-new visitor center round out the on-site experience, allowing you to improve at your own pace before even tackling the trails. Easily accessible in the heart of Saguenay, it’s a must-visit destination to add to your list!
For stays longer than a day, downtown Saguenay offers several “Bienvenue cyclistes” accommodations. The Auberge Centre-Ville and the Comfort Inn Chicoutimi—the latter of which is entirely non-smoking and offers a hot breakfast on-site—are perfect for a comfortable rest after a ride on the Panoramique trails.
Over in Jonquière, the Auberge Les Deux Tours charms guests with its historic character and antique furnishings—a little slice of paradise right in the heart of downtown, complete with on-site dining.
Les Sentiers du Moulin - Quebec City Area
At the forefront of the outdoor experience for years, Les Sentiers du Moulin in Lac-Beauport offers an extensive network of mountain bike trails for all skill levels, from easy to very difficult. Within this vast, world-class, year-round network, the Maelstrom sector has earned a special reputation among cyclists seeking technical, carefully sculpted trails—and that’s exactly where this season’s new addition is hidden.
With Saga, the Sentiers du Moulin have opened a new gateway to the Maelstrom, revealing a previously unexplored northeastern slope. This 4.5-km trail is a true masterpiece of trail building, raising the already very high standards of the Maelstrom area even higher. From the very first meters, the SDM’s signature style is evident: exposed granite slabs, bare roots, and spectacular rockwork integrated into the natural terrain. Here, each section is a blend of technical challenge and aesthetic appeal, where the craftsmanship of the trail shines through at every turn.
Saga stands out for the quality and variety of its features: challenging rock sections designed to remain accessible to a confident rider, passages along exposed ridges, and smooth transitions between rugged terrain and more rollable segments. The panoramic views suddenly open up onto the Sainte-Brigitte Valley or the Montmorency River, while the lines literally cling to the mountain. Every turn, every push reflects thousands of hours of work, half of which was done by volunteers. Saga isn’t just a challenging descent—it’s a technical experience that redefines what a mountain trail can be, and leaves a lasting impression on those who ride it.
Éolien Cycling Club of Matane - Gaspé Peninsula
In Matane, at the entrance to the Gaspé Peninsula, the Éolien Cycling Club welcomes you to its newly resurfaced trails—most of which were refurbished in the fall of 2024 and are just waiting for your tires. The Sentiers de l’Igloo parking lot is less than 4 km from downtown. A wide, easy-to-ride uphill trail leads to a junction, where a second climb provides access to most of the trailheads; the climb takes only 10 to 15 minutes and is fairly easy. At the top, a lookout point nestled deep in the forest offers a welcome break. Then comes the part we’ve all been waiting for: the descent. There’s something for everyone, from families to advanced cyclists. Kilometers of pure fun await you, surrounded by the golden hues of the Gaspé forest. Ready for your next fall outing?
If you’d like to extend your stay, Matane and the surrounding area offer two very different “Bienvenue cyclistes!” accommodations. Right in the heart of town, just a short walk from the new F.-A. Gauthier ferry, the Quality Inn & Suites Matane features 67 renovated rooms and suites, with complimentary breakfast.
Ten minutes away, in the village of Sainte-Félicité, the Manoir des Sapins lets you drift off to sleep while watching the sun set over the river, whether in a private room or a dormitory—and be sure to stop by the on-site café and crêperie, Les Gamineries.
Mont SM - Mauricie
In the Mauricie region, at the entrance to St-Mathieu-du-Parc, Mont SM is breathing new life into a former ski resort that has been closed for over 15 years—and this fall is the perfect time to come see how far it’s come, if you haven’t already. Once the municipality’s main attraction, this place steeped in memories is now being reborn thanks to a tourism project centered around mountain biking.
Mont SM offers access to nearly 23 km of mountain bike trails, as well as a rental center, bike lessons, a shop, and a snack bar on site. What’s new this season? A brand-new intermediate jump line featuring 13 jumps, designed by the Mont SM trail design team—and already a huge hit with riders who’ve tried it. With this addition, Mont SM now boasts four jump lines for riders of all skill levels: the POP, perfect for improving your jumping skills; the Sauterie; the Gullyvair; and the Cline, which is currently undergoing a major facelift.
Want to test your skills in an autumnal setting steeped in history? Head to St-Mathieu-du-Parc!
If you’d like to stay overnight on-site or nearby, Camping du Parc, located in Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc itself, offers bike rentals and Wi-Fi access.
A few kilometers away, in Shawinigan, Camping Parc de l’Île Melville is located along the Saint-Maurice River in the heart of a wooded area, with three-utility sites, a swimming pool, laundry facilities, and a boat launch; right next door, the Auberge de l’Île Melville, open year-round, can accommodate up to 60 people in rooms with 3 to 6 beds, with access to Arbraska, an outdoor pool, and boat rentals.
Looking for a cultural break before or after hitting the trails? The small Place des Arts, housed in a former carpentry shop in Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, features free exhibitions by local artists—photographs, paintings, collages, and sculptural installations—just a stone’s throw from the trails.
Mont Apic - Centre-du-Québec
In Centre-du-Québec, in St-Pierre-Baptiste, Mont Apic has traded its white blanket of snow for its fall colors and invites you to discover its brand-new mountain biking trail.
This small, family-friendly ski mountain, a fixture in the landscape since 1959, has embarked on a mountain biking adventure with a unique feature in the region: it’s the only one to offer a T-bar-style lift dedicated to mountain biking. No more struggling uphill—it’s time for pure downhill fun!
With 12 km of trails and 95 meters of elevation drop, 12 trails await you, ranging from green to double black, plus a roller course to hone your skills (a beginner’s park will be added soon). With the fall colors of the Centre-du-Québec as a backdrop, every descent becomes a moment to savor. Mont Apic proves that the joy of mountain biking isn’t limited to major mountain ranges—sometimes, the best adventure is right in your own backyard!
For a vacation in the region, head to Plessisville, where Camping Mon Plaisir offers a heated pool, water games, and fishing on the lake, or between Victoriaville and Princeville, where Camping Plage des Sables boasts direct access to the Bois-Francs Linear Park and a beautiful sandy beach. Want to treat yourself even more? The Manoir du Lac William, in Saint-Ferdinand, is a hidden gem in the foothills of the Appalachians.
Foodies and curious travelers will also want to make a detour to Inverness: the Inverness Bronze Museum, housed in the former Mégantic County Courthouse dating back to 1861, has been showcasing the expertiseof Quebec’s artistic bronze casting artisans, while a stop at Alimentation Inverness lets you stock up on supplies before hitting the road again. A little further on, in Irlande, Produit de l’érable Saint-Ferdinand B invites you to take a little piece of the region home with you, in the form of maple syrup or maple-based products.
