Cycling Saint John

Located where the majestic St. John River flows through the frenzy of the Reversing Falls Rapids and on into the Bay of Fundy, Saint John, New Brunswick has always had a maritime focus.

Beginning with the Maliseet First Nation and onto the era of riverboats and logging barges, the St. John River has long been one of North America’s major waterways. And with the city located right on the Bay of Fundy, the local industry has naturally had a nautical focus with a busy port and a long history of shipbuilding. Today, Saint John is a popular port of call for cruise ships and the river and ocean are a great source of recreation for water sports of all types.

But it’s the attraction of the water that also makes this area a great destination for cyclists. The St. John River and its largest tributary, the Kennebecasis River, have a combined length of almost 770 km. With good secondary and regional roads running along virtually the whole length, these rivers offer endless options for beautiful cycling trips. One of the unique aspects of travelling the road system in southern New Brunswick is that it has six cable ferries crisscrossing the river.

One of the most popular river rides crosses three of these ferries. Beginning in Quispamsis, a suburb of Saint John, the ride starts by crossing the Gondola Point ferry to the Kingston Peninsula where the region turns largely rural. The population of Greater Saint John is only about 130,000 people, so car traffic diminishes quickly once you leave the more built up areas, allowing you to concentrate more on the beautiful scenery than dealing with traffic.

The first section of this 70 km out and back ride cuts across the Kingston Peninsula to the Belleisle Bay, where it rolls along with farms and summer camps on your right and the river on your left, offering up some great water views. At about the 24 km mark, you get a break at the longest river crossing of about 1 km on the Belleisle ferry. After another 11 km, you arrive at the smaller Evandale ferry. Directly on the other side of this crossing is the Evandale Inn and your turnaround point. The Inn is a great spot to watch the boat traffic sailing up and down the river while enjoying lunch on the deck. However, don’t eat anything too heavy because the return trip starts with a steep 1 km climb.

The next day’s ride trades the pastoral farmland of the St. John River for the much more rugged Bay of Fundy coast. Again, like cycling the river, there are numerous ride options around the Bay. One of the nicest starts in the small fishing town of St. Martins, about 40 km east of Saint John. St. Martins can trace it roots back to the arrival of the Loyalists from New England in the late 1700s. Through the 1800s, it was one of North America’s major wooden shipbuilding areas and the majestic homes of some of the rich barons of the time still stand along St. Martins’ main street.

This ride is another about and back, this time about 50 km long. Starting from the tourist bureau in St. Martins, the ride begins by cycling through one of the town’s pair of quaint, covered bridges, past the harbour and on toward the Fundy Trail Parkway. Before you leave, note the level of the tide. The Bay of Fundy has the world’s highest tides and here in St. Martins the difference between high and low tide is about 10 metres. The fishing boats that are floating freely at high tide will be resting on the mud at low tide six hours later.

The first nine kilometers of this ride is along secondary highways to the Fundy Trail Parkway – an initiative of the New Brunswick government to open up what is a visually stunning area of steep cliffs and pristine beaches. Currently, the parkway dead ends after 16 km, but the long-term plan, expected to be completed by 2013, will have the parkway continue on to Fundy National Park.

The Fundy Trail Parkway is more like a parkland than roadway. There are several hiking trails and lookouts along the route, as well as a multi-use trail that parallels the road. While a 50 km ride might not seem long, there are some punishing climbs with grades as steep as 16 per cent. When you get back to St. Martins, treat yourself to what might be the best bowl of seafood chowder you will ever have at The Cave View restaurant.

How to Get Here

Saint John is New Brunswick’s largest city and is easily accessible by road and air. Saint John is within a day’s drive of the major centers of Montreal (10 hours), Toronto (16 hours) and Boston (7 hours).

Where to Stay

There are a wide range of accommodations in Saint John from chain hotels to smaller motels and campgrounds. Seely Street Bed and Breakfast is located on the border of Rockwood Park, one of the largest urban parks in Canada and a favorite spot for the mountain biking crowd.

Where to Eat

Besides the Evandale Inn and The Cave View restaurant, visitors should visit the Saint John City Market for lunch. It has been operating continuously since 1876 and is a popular spot during the day. For a local treat, go to Slocum and Ferris for the DLT, a dulse, lettuce and tomato sandwich.

What to Do

History buffs should spend some time exploring Saint John. As Canada’s oldest incorporated city, history is everywhere. To experience the water from a different perspective, rent a boat from Go Fundy Events or River Bay Adventures and try sea kayaking.

When Doug Scott is not teaching engineering technology at New Brunswick Community College in Saint John, you’ll find him riding his bike, paddling his kayak or plodding along on his snowshoes.