Distance
642km
% Unpaved
61%
Ascent
9880m
High Point
609m
Difficulty
6/10
GNPB Loop
This is a 630km mixed surface route with 10,000 meters of climbing. Beginning the ride in Rocky Harbour the ride starts off with lots of paved roads along Hwy 430 until reaching Hawkes Bay. From there it’s resource roads and the road created for the Muscrat Falls transmission line to cross The Great Northern Peninsula over to the White Bay area. Then westward (mostly on resource roads) to get to Cormack and continuing west, staying north of Deer Lake to get to Hughes Brook. A very hilly Hwy 440 takes you from Hughes Brook to beautiful Cox’s Cove where you can pick up resource roads to get north to Glenburnie in the Bonne Bay/Gros Morne area. Hwy 431 takes you to Trout River where you can pick up a dirt road to take you to spectacular Chimney Cove. Then a bit of backtracking to get to Woody Point where you can charter a Zodiac to take you across Bonne Bay to Norris Point. A short uphill from there got you back to Rocky Harbour.
This route was created and contributed by Malcolm Simpson the SlowBiker.
- Coastal towns: You will have the chance to really experience sleepy coastal towns during the first 170km of the loop. Explore and enjoy the moment.
- Stunning views: The one great thing about all the climbing is that you are rewarding with phenomenal views across the landscape.
- Epic sleep spots: Sleeping at the edge of the ocean or on secluded beaches, you are in for a treat.
- Sub-arctic region: Experience true northern Canada climate. Remote, wild, raw!
- Swim: Quebec is covered in lakes that make for a great stop-over, whether a chance to cool down with a swim, a spot to cook a meal or a place to throw your tent for the night.
- Photos: Take the time to snap some pictures along the way. There are some amazing views to take advantage of, including the Étienne-Brûlé Lookout and Champlain Lookout in Gatineau Park, the ski resort in Mont Ste. Marie, the various covered bridges along the way, and more.
- Resupply: Resupply is important on such a long adventure. Some of the most important places to resupply before tackling the upcoming sections are:
- Prepare accordingly: When going off the grid, ensure that you tell your loved ones where you are going and how long you plan to be gone. It may also be prudent to have some form of satellite communication device
- Mountain Bike: For mountain bikes, it is recommended to use tires on the bigger end of the spectrum, in order to provide as much comfort as possible. Something in the 2.6″ or bigger range would be ideal. A full-suspension bike would be overkill.
- Gravel Bike: A cyclocross bike is not recommended for this route. If using a gravel bike with 700 wheels, you’ll want to have a newer style gravel bike that can accommodate tires in the 2.6″ or larger range. Many parts of the route can be ridden on smaller tires such as 45C, but some parts would be too difficult and risk injury.
- Setup: Run tubeless if possible. You can use bikepacking style bags or a hybrid setup with small panniers. A lighter set-up allows of easier riding, especially in the hillier and more technical sections. You are also going to want to have a wide-range of gear options for climbing the bigger and tougher hills.
The following ride notes are based on the experiences of Malcolm Simpson, the SlowBiker.
Day 1 – Rocky Harbour to Hawkes Bay 170 km: There are some opportunities to get off the main road and ride a bit of dirt, such as picking up part of the Heritage Trail near Broom Point and following it to St. Paul’s. We picked it up again after St. Paul’s and rode it to Cow Head.
Day 2 – 80km: From Hawkes Bay we picked up resource roads and eventually picked up the road constructed to install the Muskrat Falls transmission line. We were all smiles on the resource roads. A little less smiley once on the transmission line road. Lots of elevation gain, lots of VERY steep sections (20+ degrees!).
Day 3 – 85km: Finding a decent place to camp was more challenging than you would think. You want to be near water, you want the ground to be relatively flat and level. We ended up pitching at the base of one of the transmission line towers. Great choice, until a thunder and lightning storm rolled in during the middle of the night and all I could think about was a lightning strike on the tower…
Day 4 – 105km: We camped beside the Humber River near where Taylors Brook Road meets Hwy 420. We followed resource roads to Sir Richard Squires Park, some pavement to Cormack, then back onto resource roads north of Deer Lake, eventually camping beside the lake itself.
DAY 5 – 85 km, a shitload of climbing: We biked from our campground beside Deer Lake to Frenchman’s Pond. We began on resource roads (lots of climbing), then onto pavement (more climbing) and ended on resource roads east of Cox’s Cove.
DAY 6 – Frenchman’s Pond to Glenburnie 75 km-ish: Beautiful views throughout the day and excellent gravel to grind.
DAY 7 – Glenburnie to Chimney Cove – losing track of distance at this point: We biked the new trail down to Green Gardens. Hella fun on the way down, just plain hell on the climb back. But worth it – highly recommended.
DAY 8 – Chimney Cove to Woody Point, boat ride to Norris Point, bike to Rocky Harbour – maybe 45 km? Don’t care anymore as there is beer and food at the end: We chartered a Zodiac to get us from Woody Point to Norris Point as the ferry wasn’t running this year (thanks Covid-19). Robbie at Gros Morne Adventures was there to get us across the bay. Great service, great communication, highly recommended.
- Campgrounds: Check the POI’s for camping locations and use your diligence to look over the maps beforehand.
- Wild camping: When wild camping, do your best to leave no trace. Find a quiet spot near a lake, in a field, etc.
- Hotels: There are many places to stay along the way, particularly during the first 170km. From then on it will be very sporadic at best.
- Fresh water: You shouldn’t have any problem finding fresh water along this route. Just be sure to filter or purify it before drinking, as you don’t want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with stomach issues.
- Restaurants/Cafes/Bars: There are lots of towns/villages to get food and snacks, be it restaurants, cafes, convenience stores or gas stations during the first 170km. Be sure to re-supply before leaving Hawke’s Bay and to pay close attention to which sections of the route lack resupply options and stock up ahead of time.
Average Physical Difficulty – 7
1-2 – Relatively level riding
3-4 – Regular rolling terrain with sustained climbing
5-6 – Rugged terrain with frequent climbs, some of which may be steep and unrelenting
7-8 – Very rugged terrain with abundant climbing, some of which is very steep and unrideable
9-10 – Numerous very steep, climbs requiring bike-pushing and/or carrying
Average Technical Difficulty – 4
1-2 – Smooth riding surface with few obstacles (e.g., graded dirt roads, rail trails); suitable for novice mountain bikers
3-4 – Track has occasional obstacles and steep sections (e.g., maintained forest roads, mellow singletrack); suitable for beginner mountain bikers
5-6 – Continuous sections of track may be rocky, loose, and steep; (e.g., 4×4 roads or singletrack in rugged/rocky terrain) suitable for intermediate mountain bikers
7-8 – Narrow trail with regular obstacles, sustained steep grades; suitable for intermediate to advanced mountain bikers
9-10 – Very challenging riding with frequent large obstacles, exposure, very steep grades; suitable for advanced mountain bikers
The Great Northwest Peninsula Bikepacking Loop was not created by the team at Bikepack Adventures. It’s sharing on this website is for informational purposes only. For more information on this loop, go to SlowBiker Blog.
GNPB Loop Gallery
All photos reproduced with permission of Malcolm Simpson of the SlowBiker Blog.
