Just 3 hours North of Toronto, the provincial capital of Ontario, sits North Bay. A city nestled between Lake Nipissing and Trout lake and surrounded by snow-covered trees bursting with opportunities for winter adventure. When you arrive you will find a myriad of winter activities awaiting you just moments from your doorstep. One such activity is fat biking, one of the fastest-growing winter trends around. North Bay, with its vast network of trails, finds itself well-suited to be one of the winter getaway destinations you can visit to make the most of it all!
A great outing with friends and family – riding the Education Centre Trails in North Bay. Photo: Patrick Gilbert
Like its summer counterpart, fat biking trails come in many different varieties across a wide range of terrain. North Bay has them all! From machine groomed trails specifically for winter riding to shared trails with cross-country skiers and snowmobiles to wide open lakes and public lands that allow you to blaze your own trail. Check out Discovery Routes Ride Winter Adventure for self-guided winter fat biking, skiing and snowshoeing suggestions in and around North Bay.
Need equipment? Reluctant to try it for the first time without guidance? Learn to ride like a local with Remedy Rides. Just a few pedal strokes away from the trailhead for the 20km groomed Stepping Stones trails in Corbeil, Remedy Rides offers full fat bike rental service, guided rides, bicycle transport and more.
Riding singletrack on the Education Centre Trails – photo: Patrick Gilbert
KATE PACE WAY
An easy start for beginners is the groomed section of the Kate Pace Way, right in the heart of North Bay. This multi-use trail is groomed from Lee Park to Marshal Avenue making this summer classic an accessible, easy trail to try out what will no doubt become a new favourite winter activity. As they say, get on a bike and good things will happen!
An easy ride on the groomed section of the Kate Pace Way
LAURIER WOODS
The main trail at Laurier Woods (orange trail) is another great choice for the beginner wanting to get out and play in the snow. The trail gets a lot of hikers in the winter so it is usually well-packed but also wide enough to respectfully pass the wildlife watchers strolling along this shared natural treasure in the city. For a little more challenging ride, the purple trail is more like a singletrack trail. It gets less foot traffic and has a few up and downs to add variety to the ride. It isn’t uncommon in Laurier Woods to see an tenacious wildlife photographer poised to capture a Pileated Woodpecker as it forages for winter grubs. A mutual respect for all trail users is one of the things that makes Laurier Woods such a special place.
Trails at Laurier Woods Conservation Area – photo: Discovery Routes
THREE TOWERS TRAIL NETWORK
A rip on North Bay’s newest mountain bike trails; Three Towers Trail Network developed by the North Bay Mountain Bike Association really gives the feeling of being in the wilds of North Bay. Moderate in its challenge level depending on the snowfall and use prior to a ride, you may find yourself happily on a powder run. Because the singletrack trails are designed specifically for mountain bikers, late winter riding when the snowpack is beautifully deep as is the norm in the North you’ll need to watch for low branches made lower by the accumulated snow.
LAURENTIAN ESCARPMENT CONSERVATION
The network of trails that weave across North Bay’s escarpment at the Laurentian Escarpment Conservation Area are an exhilarating, flowy, singletrack popular with local winter riders. While the trails aren’t officially maintained for fat biking, they get tons of use keeping them well-packed and a local favourite. Be aware that the trails can get busy with dog walkers and the occasional wayward downhill skier.
Singletrack trails in the Laurentian Escarpment Conservation Area – photo: C. Hergott
EDUCATION CENTRE TRAILS
The Education Centre Trails accessed from the far end of Parking Lot 8 at the main campus of Nipissing University and Canadore College are an overlapping network of hiking and groomed cross-country ski trails for the Nipissing Lakes Nordic Ski Team. Fat biking is a welcome use on the trails but be careful not to bike on the track-set ski trails, that can ruin the efforts of the volunteer groomers. The wide trails groomed for skate skiing to the left of the track-set ski trails can be ridden if snow conditions are such that the fat bike is not leaving ruts. If it is, lower the tire pressure or move to the singletrack, snowshoe trails. There are some challenging hills on the Education Centre ski network so take heed of the signs if speed is not your thing. The singletrack hiking trails are extensive enough to fill an afternoon with views of Lake Nipissing from the lookout and Duchesnay Falls.
Riding the ski trails at the Education Centre – photo: Patrick Gilbert
TRAILS JUST OUTSIDE NORTH BAY
Just 10 minutes east of North Bay, the Stepping Stones Trails in the Mattawa River Provincial Park are the newest edition to North Bay’s Fat Biking repertoire. The trails are maintained year-round by volunteers and accessible from the Macpherson Drive Boat Launch in Corbeil. You’ll find a mix of smooth easy riding on groomed and snow-packed trails and challenging ups and downs on narrow trails through rocky terrain and forest. When the conditions are right, you’ll be able to ride across Long Lake and several small inland lakes on this unique ride. Ride for Jack is a growing Fat Bike charity ride in February attracting 40-50 riders each year.
Another fun trail system to check out, approximately 30 minutes from North Bay, is at the Canadian Ecology Centre within Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park. It has a series of non-motorized, multi-use winter trails with groomed sections perfect for fat biking. One of the highlights is riding along the shores of the Amable du Fond River, it is nothing short of magic in the winter.
Fat Biking beside the Amable du Fond River on the Canadian Ecology Centre’s multi-use winter trails at Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park – photo: C. Hergott
LAKE RIDING
And finally, no overview of fat biking in North Bay would be complete without mention of the countless lakes and waterways that increase the fat biking opportunities infinitely through the deep winter months. Lake riding isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s all grit with constant pedalling – eg. no restful downhills – across wide-open spaces, especially on Lake Nipissing, where wind speeds provide another level of challenge. Be sure to check the forecast before planning your lake ride, as weather can change quickly and whiteout conditions can make it easy to lose track of the direction you came from. A ride on Lake Nipissing to the Manitou Islands as the destination lends itself to one of Northern Ontario’s best sunset experiences. Be mindful of ice conditions, especially around creek outlets where water flows year-round.
Fat Biking to the backdrop of North Bay’s epic sunsets – photo: R. Bilz
Don’t be confined indoors this winter! Fat Biking is a great way to stay fit and healthy, both mentally and physically through the winter months and North Bay is the perfect place to glide through the trails while embracing all of the joy this season has to offer! Fat biking may just be the best adventure you have yet to discover. Check out the number of accommodation options to start planning your next adventure today!
