Sugarloaf Bike Park offers sweet trails for cyclists

It's a sport where riders careen down a hill at speeds close to 50 kilometres an hour, but for those withthe skills, and the nerve, Sugarloaf Bike Park outside of Campbellton is one of the premier mountain bike experiences in eastern Canada.

That's according to outdoor adventure columnist Calixte LeBlanc. LeBlanc has been exploring New Brunswick's natural attractions and outdoor sporting facilities for CBC Radio's Information Morning.

The Sugarloaf Bike Park is located within Sugarloaf Provincial Park. It's unique in Atlantic Canada in that bikers put theirbike on a chairlift in order to get to the mountain bike trails.

LeBlanc says it might seem strange at first to put your bike on a chairlift, but there are attendants at the top and bottom of the mountain to help with loading and unloading.

"You just sit back and enjoy the ride up."

Bikersgo down many of the same trails that skiers use in the winter, but they've been modified by extra boardwalks and jumps.

"The actual trails are really well designed by a professional company which makes the flow much better than just going down any kind of mountain."

But the mountain bike trails also require a level of skill to get down.

"You do need to have some of that bike enthusiast in you,"says LeBlanc. "Even the green, so-called easy run was a rush."

A dual-suspension bike, heavy-duty helmet and all manner of padding are a must.

There arealso cross-country trails to ride that don't require the use of a chairlift for those just learning the ropes when it comes to mountain biking.

And LeBlanc says that Sugarloaf Provincial Park also has plenty to offer, with hiking, tennis, camping and more. But the best hike is the one up to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain.

"It's really beautiful, with views of Campbellton and Quebec. I recommend if anyone goes for the biking, they take time off to hike to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain."