Average Physical Difficulty – 3

Blazing Saddles is a route that follows a series of old rail trails that have been covered over for public use, both in Ontario and Quebec. Each of these have a different level of quality, ranging from difficulty level 1 to difficulty 4. It never really gets overly difficult, except for the need to continuously pedal and almost never being able to coast. The Gatineau Park has lots of climbing, but the majority of it is on paved road, which will definitely help you. There is also a section of trail in the park that is challenging if on anything less than a mountain bike, and will tire your shoulders and back.
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Average Technical Difficulty – 3

Aside from a bit of climbing near Calabogie ski resort and the paved climbing in the Gatineau Park, the majority of the route follows relatively flat rail trail with little technical difficulty. Some parts of the trail permit ATV access and thus result in a trail that is more chewed up, but for the most part the trail is quite enjoyable to ride. Only one section of single-track (Trail 34) requires some technical skills, but those bits are short and could be walked if you are not comfortable. The remainder is mostly double-track.

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