June 11, 2024
As I roll out of my driveway with my bike onboard, I love that I have almost too many trails to pick from. With three great trail networks within 25 minutes of uptown Saint John, there is something for whatever kind of ride I am looking for that day. If I’m in the mood for old school, rocky, rooty riding I will head to Rockwood Park, right in the heart of Saint John. As one of the largest urban and, I’m sure, prettiest and most historical parks in North America, Rockwood Park deserves a post all on its own but suffice to say that with 49 kilometers of trails I will have no problem getting a great workout.
With more than half of the trails at Rockwood rated blue and black and with a few double black diamonds thrown into the mix, most of Rockwood would appeal to more experienced riders. But having said that, there is a really fun loop called Jedi Academy that is rated green and has some introductory features and is situated right beside a bike skills park which makes it a nice spot to develop some new skills. The park recently added a couple of blue rated enduro trails called High Tide and Low Tide and, for the expert riders, a double black diamond enduro trail called Rip Tide featuring a near vertical rock slab.
If I’m in the mood for flowy, smoother trails I will head to Shady Grove. Shady has 19 kilometers of trails with most of them rated blue but with a significant number of machine-built green trails that are really fun and an equal number of challenging black diamonds. One of my favourite sections in Shady is a 3.5 kilometer ride from the trailhead to MacFarlane Lake, all on smooth, flowy, machine-built green rated trails. This is a great way for me to warm up before heading around Dam Beaver to tackle Shady’s enduro trails.
The third park in the Saint John Region is Millenium Cycle Bike Park. This park is a partnership between the town of Quispamsis and a local bike shop, Millenium Cycle and Sport. The park currently has seven kilometers of trails with more on the way. Part of this park is built on a hill giving the designers the opportunity to build green, blue and black trails. But what I think really sets this park apart from Rockwood and Shady is how accessible it is for newer riders. If my kids were still young and just getting into riding, this is where we would be spending a lot of time. The park has a one-kilometer crushed stone double track trail with a series of short, green rated loops coming off either side that are ideal for younger riders. And the double track itself is perfect for those just learning to ride without worrying about vehicle traffic. Millenium Park is a place where you can really grow your skills from newbie to expert.
It's not enough to simply have facilities for a sport to grow. It’s important to also have mentors and instructors. In Saint John, Be Rad Adventure Co. goes a long way to filling this need. Be Rad offers skills courses ranging from beginner to advanced, but they do more than just teach cycling skills. They organize group rides, act as race directors and organize mountain bike festivals throughout the Maritimes, including the very popular (and quickly sold out), She+ Rad festival for womxn+. Be Rad is instrumental in keeping the mountain biking culture vibrant, not just in Saint John, but throughout the Maritimes.
I am grateful that, in a city the size of Saint John, we have three mountain biking parks to choose from, with each of them offering a slightly different experience and catering to all levels of riders. Couple that with a committed team of instructors, volunteers and knowledgeable bike shops and the Saint John Region is a great place for an avid mountain biker (or mountain biker-to-be).
