Travel Blog

These are pictures of the bike trail that runs from Ottawa to Rigaud , Quebec along the old Via rail line that has been disbanded since 1968.

This picture on the right is on the Prescott Russell bike trail near Hammond Ontario.  The trail runs from Anderson road in the west to the Quebec Border and on to at least Rigaud, Quebec.

Prescott Russell bike trail

I have traveled from Anderson road along this trail to as far as Bourget. In addition the trail is well maintained with crushed stone all the way to Bourget. Once you get to Bourget, there is a short section that is paved for approximately one KM as you travel through Bourget. This is the first location at Hammond that has a gazebo and a picnic table to stop at for lunch or a snack.

The trail is wide enough for two riders to ride side by side quite comfortably. There are not a lot of people on the trail so it is a very peaceful ride through the country side without needing to worry about traffic.

Other Riders

There have been a few other riders and several people on horses. Beyond Bourget I have been told that the trail is a bit rougher, but find for a mountain bike with wide knobby tires. This is pretty typical of what the trail looks like with crushed stone. Hence it is easy to ride on and well maintained

The third picture shown here is looking west along the trail. .

As you can see there are gates at each road crossing to prevent motorized vehicles from going on the trail. The opening is just large enough for riders to squeeze through.

Winter Time Trail use

In the winter time this same trail is used by snowmobilers and cross country skiers. These gates are at each road crossing to provide safety for all riders. There is also a small gazebos at Bourget as well to sit for a bit. There are porta poties at these locations as well.

You can ride into Bourget and grab a pizza at Milannos right on the main corner in the town. Just ride south about half a KM and you will see it on the right. There is a grocery store, a beer store and a hardware store and that is about it.

I purchased a slide of pizza for $2 and water for $1, then sat on a bench by the church to watch what was happening in town. A nice peaceful place to spend a few minutes for a rest.

If you have traveled other parts of the trail , please leave your comments.

For more information about biking in the Ottawa region, click here.

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