Mountain Biking the Technical Trails of Mont-Sainte-Anne in Quebec
Mountain Biking the Technical Trails of Mont-Sainte-Anne in Quebec
Mont-Sainte-Anne is one of Canada's top mountain biking destinations, renowned for its challenging technical trails that attract riders from around the world. Located just 40km northeast of Quebec City, this world-class venue has hosted numerous UCI Mountain Bike World Cups, making it a must-ride location for experienced cyclists. The terrain features steep descents, rock gardens, and root-covered singletrack, demanding precision, skill, and endurance. Whether training for competition or seeking a thrilling ride, Mont-Sainte-Anne offers some of the most demanding and rewarding trails in North America.
Adventure Guide to Mountain Biking the Technical Trails of Mont-Sainte-Anne
La Boutte à Bois
- Location: Upper mountain, accessed via gondola
- Why Ride It: This steep and technical descent challenges riders with large rock gardens, tight switchbacks, and significant drops. Advanced riders will appreciate the terrain variation, which demands full control and line selection.
- Key Features: Multiple off-camber sections, technical roots, and a steep gradient. Best suited for expert riders with high technical ability.
Tordue
- Location: Mid-mountain section of the bike park
- Why Ride It: Designed for aggressive riders, this expert trail combines wooden features, rock slabs, and tight turns.
- Key Features: Includes a mix of natural and man-made obstacles, mandatory drops, and unique technical challenges that require quick decision-making. Well-maintained but highly demanding.
La Vietnam
- Location: Cross-country network at Mont-Sainte-Anne
- Why Ride It: Known for its relentless technical difficulty, La Vietnam challenges riders with relentless rocks, roots, and tricky descents. This is not just a physical test but a mental one, requiring constant focus.
- Key Features: One of the toughest cross-country trails in the region, featuring punchy climbs and highly technical downhill sections.
Local Insights
- Mont-Sainte-Anne has been a mountain biking destination since the 1990s and remains one of the longest-running UCI World Cup venues.
- The bike park offers over 30 trails catered to all skill levels, but the technical trails demand expert-level skills.
Visitor Tips
- Best Time to Visit: June to October offers ideal trail conditions. Avoid early spring due to muddy terrain.
- What to Bring: Full-face helmet, knee pads, gloves, and a well-maintained full-suspension bike.
- Directions: From Quebec City, take Autoroute 40 east, then Route 360 for about 40 minutes. Parking is available at the main resort.
Adventure Map
Reviews
Robert Boivina week ago
A wonderful mountain in Eastern Canada. Ticket kiosk was pretty fast. No wait time in chair lift or cabins. I was even able to take a little nap in the gondola since I was alone 😊. For real.
2025 Equipment seems to be in order, they had some major failures in the last couple of years, but things seem in good working condition now.
Trails are worked on everyday but still there are large ice patches in intermediate level trails. January 2025 did not have all trails opened, still some rocks and soil patches visible.
North side was closed for night skiing, this limits a lot the number of trails available. Still great for night skiing.
Be aware, the restaurants/cafeteria at the base of the mountain were all closed at 18:00 hours. Food and beverages had to be bought at the Bar on the second floor.
Ask Dr. Dima7 months ago
What a lovely place to hike! The park is amazing, clean, and beautiful. It features some lovely statues, and the people there are friendly. I appreciate that it offers many clear viewpoints of the waterfalls, catering to all levels of hikers. Highly recommended!
justinmacnevina month ago
Beautiful scenery and awesome long runs. Staff was courteous and helpful. But lift tickets were almost $170 for one day on a Saturday , even though half the runs weren’t open. The website isn’t very user friendly and could definitely use an update. A good experience and I would come back.
Alex Hua month ago
Skiing is fine, but they closed the lift for an entire day so we drove 2 hours for nothing. We came back at a later date and while the skiing was fine, they took 30 minutes to make 2 burgers. Completely unacceptable
Richard S5 months ago
Went to Mont St. Anne for a mountain bike week. Loved it here. The price for a lift ticket (10 am to 4 pm unlimited) was very reasonable, and the trails are amazing. Everything was well groomed, packed well, and it was an absolute blast bombing the downhills here. We stayed nearby and could literally ride our bikes from the condo to the base of the mountain in 5 minutes. We will be returning here to try some of the cross country trails.
