For all the pedal pushers out there that love long distance cycling. There are no gear requirements and no 'minimum distances' here.
Have you ridden for a cheeky overnighter or a 3 year global trek? Doesn't matter, you're welcome here.
Have you got panniers, bikepacking bags or just a backpack with the essentials? Doesn't matter, you're welcome here.
Have you got the latest in carbon engineering or your dads old 10 speed from the 70's? Doesn't matter, you're welcome here.
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I've been doing some rail trails on the "green roads" (routes vertes) to visit my parents for the last three weekends and I stopped at the park for overnights as I didn't want to cycle the full 140 km in one shot and then back. It's getting greener!
The Yamaska National Park is a small park located around a reservoir in southern Québec. From there it's possible to access multiple rail trails and "linear parks" going in all directions.
More pictures in the comments.
It's about 90 km from Montreal to the park, using dedicated trails mostly on a disused tramway line.
Here's some pictures of that route:
There is also another itinerary following the Chambly canal then another disused rail line from St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu but I never tried it yet.
And here are the two other pictures of the camp sites I got in the park for previous weeks. We can clearly see the difference in the foliage!
Then, from the park, I cycle a bit more (40 km) on another rail trail to my destination. And back! It's a really nice place for rail trails. I'm glad summer is back!
Oh that looks so nice. And the trees just seem to have got their foliage, it makes me wonder if the quebecoise summer might be short and sweet :)
Are motorized vehicles aloud at all on those trails, like tractors or something? They look really nice, although i like it better when they don't draw lines on the trails. In italy they had lines often too, but white ones iirc, i like the yellow ones much better.
Really cool option to visit your parents and include a night out in the woods!
if the quebecoise summer might be short and sweet
It is! It's hot and humid but only for a few months then it's dark, cold and gloomy, so we are fully taking advantage of it while it's there.
In fact, I had no reservation last Sunday and the campgrounds at the park were full, so they had to put us (cyclists) in a field. There is a thing here where cyclists can show up without a reservation to national parks and they have to find you a place for $10. Otherwise you can reserve a specific campground in advance but it's $40. We were apparently a lot of people showing up on bikes that day!
And no motorized vehicles (except e-bikes) are allowed on that trail. Dogs are also forbidden. The lines are standard North American median yellow but they will fade with years and probably never be repainted. It's mostly because this section is brand spanking new.
I like having the option to go see my family on entirely dedicated trails, and we are kind of lucky to have some very nice and long ones. But those trails are at the expense of decent rail service, as they are built on disused rail lines. This specific trail had a tramway line decades ago. It's pretty much the only way we get cycling infra here. And to be honest, sometimes I'd like to take a train with my bike and ride "only" 40 km to get there.
But anyway, it "trained" (hehe) me for summer and I'm ready to go tour the other trails around.
I think it's so good that you have this "accept slow travellers" rule on the campsites. You also often have fire pits there, right? Totally not a thing in most of europe.
Wish you a nice summer, and trips!
Yes, there's always a fire pit that comes with a camp site in a national park, but you can't always use it. There's an organization in charge of fighting forest fires and they are the ones saying what region can have fires and what region can't. It can change from one day to another. The park will tell you that day if you can build a fire or not. They can mostly be used in the spring and autumn/fall, while usually being restricted during the hottest weeks of the year.
Speaking about Europe, I'm planning a trip to go cycle the Vennbahn and the surrounding rail trails in Belgium/Germany/Lux and around the Ardennes/Eifel as my next international trip. In fact, from what I can gather (I'm slowly going through your posts here), you're currently in Spain making your way north?! I wish you exactly the same!
Yeah i also wish there were summer vibes in spain other than my shorts and sandals, haha.
If you really plan this as a trip to europe i could join in for a weekender or something, i live kinda close to that whole area. If you're down hit me up. I have done a lot of shorter trips there (mostly ardennes belgium, it is a quick "exotic" place for me to get to), maybe i could give you some tips. But to be completely honest, if you make a trip to europe for cycling, there might be nicer places to go, but you may have your reasons to go there. There's a lot of car free routes or so few cars that they really don't that are not necessarily rail trails.
Rode a long rail trail today though here in spain, i am now at the atlantic coast in san sebastian, drinking a beer. Cheers!