If you ride mountain bikes seriously and you’ve never been to Vallée Bras-du-Nord, here’s your sign. VBN is the trail system that more or less kickstarted the modern Quebec mountain bike scene, and almost twenty years after the first trails went in, it remains one of the most jaw-dropping riding destinations in eastern North America. We don’t say "bucket list" lightly. This is bucket list.
VBN sits about an hour northwest of Quebec City in the rolling hills around Saint-Raymond, and the riding here doesn’t feel like riding in Canada. It feels like riding in a Pacific Northwest backcountry film. Rushing rivers. Towering cliffs. Waterfalls in the middle of descents. Wood features built into the landscape like they grew there. It’s the kind of place that makes you reconsider everything you thought you knew about Ontario riding.
What You’re Actually Riding
Vallée Bras-du-Nord has over 100 kilometres of singletrack spread across two distinct sectors. The Saint-Raymond sector is the more accessible side — roughly 30 kilometres of trail laid across three small countryside-style mountains right at the edge of town. The trails here are shorter, more playful, more technical in spots, and easy to access for a half-day session. This is where you’ll find Mont-Laura with its iconic chapel viewpoint at the top, and the Roquemont trails that connect right to the hotel and brewpub of the same name.
The Shannahan sector — 20 minutes north of Saint-Raymond on a gravel road — is the wild side. This is the VBN that gets written about in international cycling magazines. The trails wind through boreal forest along glacial hills, climb past cliffs, and trace the Bras-du-Nord River past waterfalls and cascades that look like postcard backdrops.
And then there are the Neilson trails. Neilson Est, Neilson Nord, and Neilson Sud, all in the Shannahan sector — these are the trails that built VBN’s international reputation. The "Full Neilson" — riding all three back-to-back — is roughly 32 kilometres of riding with over 1,100 metres of vertical, and a complete sensory experience that you’ll talk about for years.
There are trail systems you ride. There are trail systems you experience. VBN is the second kind.
Who It’s For
Solid intermediates and up: The trails here are technical — rocks, roots, wooden bridges, rock slabs, exposure. The blue trails ride like blacks elsewhere. Be honest with yourself about your skill level.
Adventure riders: If you love long days in the saddle in remote, scenic terrain, this is your trail system. The Full Neilson is a small expedition. The new Godzilla descent in Shannahan is a world-class jump line for the gravity crowd.
Riders who want a multi-day destination: VBN is set up to be a destination — campsites, yurts, cottages, and the Hôtel Roquemont in town all within easy reach. Two days minimum, three or four if you can swing it.
Newer riders: The Saint-Raymond sector has enough easier trails to be ridable, but VBN isn’t a system we’d send a brand-new rider to. Work up to it.
A Few Trails to Build a Trip Around
Neilson Nord: River views, wood features, rock spines, and just enough technical terrain to keep you on your toes. Many riders’ favourite trail in eastern Canada.
Neilson Est: A fast, natural descent with no manmade features holding your hand. Tests your skills honestly.
Godzilla: The newer flagship jump line in Shannahan — pristine jumps, berms, and bumps cascading down the mountainside.
Coulée Douce and Beurre d’Érable (Saint-Raymond): Flow, berms, smiles. Great session trails.
Sucre d’Orge and Grande Ourse: Local favourites in the Saint-Raymond sector.
Plan Your Trip
Where to park: Saint-Raymond sector: 107 Grande Ligne. Shannahan sector: 2180 Rang Saguenay (note the last 5 km is gravel, take it slow). Download the Ondago app and load the trail maps offline before you arrive — there’s no cell service in the backcountry.
Cost: Day pass required (currently around $23.50 CAD for adults). Buy online through the Endorphine platform. Season passes available.
When to ride: June through October. September is statistically the most popular month — the fall colours through the valley are unbelievable.
Where to stay: Camping or yurts at the Shannahan campground (you can ride straight from the campsite). The Hôtel Roquemont in Saint-Raymond is a hotel, restaurant, and brewpub all in one (yes, they brew an IPA called Singletrack).
Drive time: About an hour from Quebec City. Five and a half hours from Toronto if you’re road-tripping out.
Make It a Bikes and Beers Day
The Hôtel Roquemont in Saint-Raymond is basically purpose-built for what we do. Brewery on site, restaurant on site, hotel on site, bike shop next door, and a pump track in the parking lot. Singletrack IPA at the bar after a Full Neilson is one of the more genuinely earned beers you’ll ever drink.
VBN is one of the most rewarding trails we hit on our Quebec adventures. Two or three days minimum, the right group, and a willingness to leave it all on Neilson Nord — that’s the playbook. Watch for our Quebec trips and come along.