With the easing of health restrictions, it is now possible for ATV riders to cross the border between New Brunswick and Quebec. My friend Dominic and I took the opportunity to go for a nice ride to the Moose Valley Lodge for dinner.
My last hike there was in October 2019. Indeed, with the Covid crisis, the border was closed and we could not travel to New Brunswick in 2020.
Before crossing into New Brunswick, however, you must register. It is possible to do so from the following link:
https://www.pxw1.snb.ca/snb9000/product.aspx?productid=A001P783003&cs=1.
It is advisable to bring your proof of registration and proof of vaccination with you.
We are ready!
We left Sainte-Luce in the Rimouski region at about 8:00 am. We headed to the ZEC du Bas-St-Laurent. It is important to register there too. It is also possible to do it by Internet at the following link: https://pavnew.manisoft.ca/login.php?idZec=zec-bsl
On the ZEC as well as in New Brunswick, the trail passes by forest roads. You can therefore ride at a good pace. You can enjoy beautiful landscapes and if you are lucky, you can also see animals. The diversity of the fauna is great. From a small animal like the chipmunk to the majestic moose, it is also frequent to cross ruffed grouse (partridge), savannah grouse, foxes, coyotes…
We also cross several streams and we can see several lakes. The trail even follows the Kedgwick River for a few kilometers.
The Moose Valley Lodge
The Moose Valley Lodge is a very popular place for nature lovers. People come here by truck, jeep, quad and motorcycle. In the winter it is a very popular snowmobile stop.
The staff’s welcome is very warm. A restaurant service allows you to eat a copious meal. For hamburger lovers, you must try the famous Moose Burger!
It is also possible to refill the tank of your machines. Finally, if you wish to enjoy the site and the surrounding trails for a longer period of time, the Moose has four small cabins where you can spend the night.
Please note that the Moose Valley Lodge is only open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the summer. For more information, you can visit their website at: http://moose-valley.com/
Our return trip went well. We opted for a different route on the ZEC Bas-St-Laurent. This territory is full of paths that offer an impressive quantity of possible routes.
We returned to our starting point around 6:00 pm after a journey of over 380 km. We will keep for a long time good memories of this ride which marks our return in the New Brunswick trails.
A small note in closing. The agreement between the Quebec and New Brunswick Federations has not been renewed. So, make sure you are properly registered if you are using federated trails on either side of the border.
I am already dreaming of my next adventure on New Brunswick trails!
