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An Island Built for Cycling
When you're gently pedalling down a tranquil, historic road that was carved from the red clay and hardwoods well before the first
bicycle was even invented, it's hard to imagine that over the next hill you could find a cross country trail that gives a whole new meaning to the word extreme.
The 2008 Confederation Trail Cycling Guide will help you plan your cycling vacation on the Confederation Trail. Included in the guide are accommodations which participate in the "Cyclists Welcome Program", which take the needs of cyclists into consideration and make their properties welcoming and easy for cyclists. Browse through the different parts of the guide below, or order one by mail.
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We have also planned out five exciting Prince Edward Island cycling itineraries for you to enjoy!
No matter what your game -- quiet drives in the country that provide frame after frame of breathtaking
photographs, day-long tours that test skill and endurance, or bone-shaking terrain that will challenge both bike and
rider, PEI is the destination of choice for die-hard and casual cyclists alike.
For touring enthusiasts, just get on your bike and start pedalling. The rolling hills, lush farmlands and
postcard coastlines that keep our visitors coming back for more will reveal to you a whole new appreciation for your
two-wheeling hobby.
The Confederation Trail, the Prince Edward Island leg of the TransCanada Trail,
runs tip-to-tip from Tignish to
Elmira and totals 350 km of excellent rolled stone dust surface for cycling and hiking.
Frequent villages along the way offer cyclists a convenient selection of accommodations, food and services.
Read all about Zack’s Tip-To-Tip Tour Experience. Zachary, at the age of nine, and his 78 year-old grandmother Phyllis, cycled the 273km trail and created memories to last a lifetime!
One man, one trail...Read Tom Couture's journal entry as he travels the Confederation Trail as part of his solo journey across Canada.
Read about how one families cycling and kayaking trip brought them all closer together.
Read Tip-to-tip Touring by Bill Scheller, a Vermont travel writer whose work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler,
The Washington Post Magazine, Yankee, and Islands, for which he is a contributing editor. He is an avid long-distance
cyclist who is already planning next year's trip with his son, Dave.
Take a trip back in time on one of 16 designated
Scenic Heritage Roads and experience Prince Edward Island the way it used to be.
These clay roads meander through farmland and woodland and provide an excellent opportunity to experience nature at its best.
Steep hills and wet areas are common, and these roads should be avoided in the spring when snow and frost are still melting and mud is a problem.
Keep in mind that many of these routes are still used by farmers with large machinery and caution is advised.
The Island's six Demonstration Woodlots
feature some challenging terrain. Although they weren't designed for mountain bikes, they do cover some hilly countryside
and provide worthwhile lessons about the province's natural history. Some very steep grades and awesome downhills
will demand either precision driving or some serious aches and pains!
For further details on recommended trails there are two handy pocket guides available.
Nature Trails of Prince Edward Island, published by Ragweed,
The Island Publisher, and written by well known environmentalists J. Dan McAskill and Kate MacQuarrie, describes
about 66 biking, hiking and walking trails. Although bicycles are not permitted on all of these the book clearly
indicates which ones are accessible. As well, the publication lets you know where you can find brochures on specific
trails and which of the paths are best for specific types of wildlife viewing. The Prince Edward Island Cycling
Guide was written by Denis Beaudry and published by Veloaisis. It is most useful to touring enthusiasts and includes
some excellent tips on cycling with small children. Nature Trails is available at most Island bookstores and
through the Island Nature Trust in
Charlottetown. The Cycling Guide can be
found at selected bookstores and at cycle stores. The PEI Cycling Association,
Atlantic Canada Cycling and
Island Trails can provide more information about cycling in PEI. Now you've got
the literature. You've got the information you need. And we know you've got a destination. So, what's stopping you?
Come on over to Prince Edward Island, our own cycling heaven.
