Distance

753km
% Unpaved

70%
Ascent

4802m
High Point

215m
Difficulty

2/10
Maritime Meander
Nova Scotia stands out amongst Canadians as one of the most idyllic places in Canada to visit. The Maritime Meander is a long and gentle tour through Southern Nova Scotia with a majority of the route being on railtrail, taking you through idyllic small coastal towns as you explore everything that Nova Scotia has to offer.
The smell of ocean air and some of the world’s best seafood will help fuel the body after a day of riding and exploring this beautiful peninsula on Canada’s East Coast.

This route was contributed by Chris Panasky, creator of the Bikepack Adventures website.
- Railtrail towns
- Coastal towns
- Gravel backroads
- Atlantic Ocean
- Bay of Fundy
- Swim: You are going to pass some amazing beaches along the way. Don’t forget to stop for a plunge.
- Railtrail: Take your time and don’t push it too hard. Railtrail never gives you much time to rest your legs and stop pedalling.
- Photos: Take the time to snap some pictures along the way. There are so many picturesque little towns along the way.
- Mountain Bike: A mountain bike would probably be overkill for this route, but by no means should it be discarded. For mountain bikes, it is recommended to use tires on the smaller end of the spectrum, in order to allow a relatively good speed when on the rail trail. Plus sized tires would be overkill.
- Gravel Bike: A cyclocross or gravel bike would work wonderfully for this route with whatever size tire you have at your disposal. Due to the large amount of gravel riding, you would benefit from not using slicks, as they would wear quickly and be prone to cuts from rocks.
- Hotels: There is no shortage of towns and cities along the route to find a nice place to stay for the night.
- 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. It is always good practice to be neither seen or heard. Be aware of whether or not there is a fire ban in place if considering to make a fire by a lake or some such thing.
- Fresh water: Finding fresh water should not be a problem, as much of this route is never too far from a town or city. There are also many lakes and rivers where you can fill-up your bottles with fresh water. Be sure to always use a water filter or purification tablets to avoid getting sick. There are also water taps near the areas with camping where you can fill up.
- Restaurants/Cafes/Bars: With many towns and cities along the way, finding food should be relatively painless.
Average Physical Difficulty – 2
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 – 2
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 Maritime Meander was put together by the team at Bikepack Adventures by combining existing routes that meander around the south of the peninsula. It’s sharing on this website is for informational purposes only.