Riding Central Newfoundland

Riding Central Newfoundland

Written and photos by your HU Newfoundland hosts

Lion Max Simms Memorial Camp is located on the banks of the mighty Exploits River, the largest river on the island and a Mecca for sport fishers. It is almost perfectly centred in the middle of the island with riding opportunities in every direction, whether you want to stick to the asphalt or hit the gravel.

The views on interior roads sure beat the Trans Canada Highway.

Though Lion Max Simms Memorial Camp is in Central Newfoundland, you don't have to travel far to find the tiny outport communities and stunning coastal views that Newfoundland is famous for. A multitude of day rides to interesting places are accessible from this location.

It's only 30km to the town of Botwood, famous for its Flying Boat Museum and many beautiful murals decorating the town.

Continuing from Botwood another 50ish km will bring you along twisty coastal roads to the town of Leading Tickles, home to one of the nicest municipal parks on the island. On the way back from Leading Tickles, hang a right and visit Glover's Harbour to see the Giant Squid Interpretation Site, complete with a life-sized replica of the giant squid caught in the area in the late 19th century. You can read more about it in this Atlas Obscura article.

Campsite View in Leading Tickles

40km from Lion Max Simms Memorial Camp along Route 352 will take you to the town of Philip's Head. Unfortunately the town has missed out on a roadside attraction opportunity (who wouldn't want their picture taken with the world's largest screwdriver?) but they do have an interesting historical site where visitors can check out a World War II battery.

If you're hankering for some local craft brews, there are over a dozen craft breweries in this Province. Two options in under 150km each way are Spit Rock Brewery in the postcard-perfect town of Twillingate, along with Auk Island Winery. The town also offers hiking, kayaking, boat tours, boutique shops and fine dining. 150km in another direction will take you to perhaps the most out-of-the-way brewery, Bumblebee Bight on beautiful Pilley's Island.

Bumblebee Bight on Pilley's Island

If you'd rather get sand between your toes than hang out in a tourist hotspot, less than 200km will take you to the beautiful white sandy beaches of the "Straight Shore" between Musgrave Harbour and Lumsden, where you can camp on the beach and let the waves lull you to sleep.

The event site is a great starting point to explore the gravel roads in the interior of the island. Besides the Newfoundland T'Railway (the decommissioned Railway line) that is easily accessible in nearby Bishop's Falls, you could spend days navigating the spider web of trails and resource roads - and if you don't use a GPS, you may spend more days than you intended!

On the Buchans side of Beothuk Lake

200km from the event site is the Connaigre Peninsula, which offers days of twisty, hilly roads and lots of camping opportunities. If you're confident in your rigging skills, you can sling your bike onto the coastal boat in Pool's Cove and enjoy a stopover in Recontre East; a community so isolated that there aren't any roads. That fact doesn't stop the truly adventurous rider though, as Kinga 'On Her Bike' Tanajewska stayed overnight in the town and documented her visit on her Youtube channel.

Flying V-Strom!

Hop back on the coastal boat and steam to Bay L'Argent on the Burin Peninsula. If you're not seasick yet, ride 120km to the town of Fortune and take another ferry to the very unique French-owned islands of St. Pierre & Miquelon.

Wild camping on the Burin Peninsula

If Citroens, wine and baguettes don't float your boat, stick to dry land and explore the eastern portion of Newfoundland. You could easily spend the entire summer traveling the Burin, Bonavista and Avalon Peninsulas and still not see it all.

The town of Belloram on the Connaigre Peninsula

Even if you attended Horizons Unlimited 2022, the location of the meeting in 2023 will definitely lead you down different paths!

Government of Newfoundland & Labrador Transportation and Infrastructure page - links to intra-provincial ferry services, road distances, and more:

GNL Tourism, etc., page - T'Railway Park and links to other Parks & services:

Questions about route planning, accommodations, or anything related to your trip to Newfoundland? Post on the HUBB or get social with us on Facebook and we'll do our best to help you out!