18 Best Runs in Cottage Country
For runners traveling to summer recreation areas, here are some routes that are off the beaten path
As the weather warms up and lakes and oceans beckon, thousands of Canadian runners are f locking to the nation’s most popular vacation areas, where many will ride out the pandemic. Here’s a selection of inviting routes for your daily run.
WWith a global pandemic sparking a running boom this spring but also threatening our outdoor urban spaces, many Canadian runners will be heading to their cottage, cabin or RV in the coming months as the weather warms up. We’ve curated some great places to run in those vacation areas.
Some provincial parks may be open for day use only, so check online for up-to-date information. And observe rules of safety when running in bear country.
Baie-Saint-Paul
An hour out of Quebec City, BaieSaint-Paul is a perfect spot to host a runner’s retreat for a long weekend that combines f lat road running with plenty of serious climbing trails just a few miles away. The town has an artsy vibe, a solid store for running gear (La Galerie du Sport) and plenty of restaurants for serious carb-loading (don’t miss Boulangerie a Chacun son Pain for coffee and pastries).
Route 1
Take the short ferry ride from Baie-Saint-Paul to run the 23.5-kilometre circumference of Isle aux Coudres to complete your personal version of the flat, fast Grand demi-marathon de l’Isle-aux-Coudres, which is normally held in August.
Route 2
Go off-road on the Les Florents Trail. From end to end, it runs almost 20 kilometres and links Baie-Saint-Paul to Saint-Urbain with roughly 770 metres of elevation gain through meadows, an old mining site, and the mountains in Grands Jardins National Park. There are several access points along the route, allowing you to choose the best distance for your running crew. Want to go longer? When you make it to Saint-Urbain, you’ll be near the start of the 65-kilometre, UTMB-qualifying Harricana ultra-trail race.
Better known as the ski resort with the highest elevation in the area, Mont Ste-Marie is less than an hour’s drive from Ottawa and home to some of the best trails in the Outaouais, with approximately 30 kilometres of singletrack dirt trail, a peak elevation of about 300m and a nice mix of easy and technical terrain. The trails were developed by the volunteer mountain-biking group VeloMSM ( velomsm.com/en/ t rails), which welcomes runners and hikers, who are encouraged to make donations toward trail maintenance.