Quite Possibly Canada’s Toughest Mountain Bike Race
September 2026 – stay tuned for dates and registration details!
Styled after some of the best bikepacking ultra races in the world like the Trans Balkan Race or Atlas Mountain Race, the Fundy Highlands Challenge gives a taste of some of the toughest bike packing races in a shorter package, here in the beautiful Fundy Highlands of New Brunswick, Canada.
The race is ‘only’ 400 km, but it packs a punch with 8000m (or 26,000 feet) of climbing, and almost 80km of singletrack. The course is remote, through true wilderness and you’ll find yourself without cell phone reception for a large portion of it. While the distance might not seem too daunting, this isn’t a race to be taken lightly. While most of the course is rideable, there are a few short sections of hike-a-bike, and the consequences of a fall are high.
Weaving its way through some of the last untamed wilderness coastline left between Florida and Labrador, this route highlights the beauty of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of the Fundy region. Starting and ending in the coastal village of St. Martin’s, New Brunswick, the route crosses through a handful of small towns and villages for re-supply options, but you will find yourself on your own for much of the course. Crossing through the Fundy Trail Provincial Park as well as Fundy National Park, this is a route that will take your breath away in more ways than one.
Despite the difficulty, the course is truly beautiful and will leave you not only exhausted but wanting to come back again.
Race Rules
This is a self-supported event which means no outside support is allowed. Any supplies, accommodation or assistance required on route must be available to all riders. Riders registered as a team may draft off of each other, but solo riders must ride on their own.
Riders will be provided with the official racecourse GPX file one week prior to the start date. It should be uploaded to your GPS device (Garmin, Wahoo, etc) and followed for the entire loop. If riders must deviate from course for any reason, they must re-enter the course at the point they exited. A draft of the course will be available before the race but is subject to change prior to race day. Riders must finish the race in the category in which they entered (i.e. solo or pairs).
The following list is required at the start line to participate: headlight, tail light, GPS device, cell phone and a portable charger to support the listed items, and an emergency sleep system. All riders will also require a tracking device (available to rent from Follow My Challenge) if unable to provide your own.
Tracker Information
All tracking and mapping is organized by Follow My Challenge, a third party organization that provides tracker rentals and mapping services for events of this nature. A tracker is required to participate. If you are supplying your own tracking device (SPOT, Garmin InReach) there is mapping fee of $30 USD. If you require a rental tracking device, there is a fee of $80 USD which includes both the device and mapping fee.
Prices are determined by Follow My Challenge and they are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding their services. Payment is made directly through the company at the link above. Please note, this is separate from the registration fee.
Anyone requiring a rental tracking device will be able to simply pick it up at the start line and leave it at the finish line – we’ll take care the rest.
