SCA Ride Guide: reporting on some of the best places to cycle in Saskatchewan.

Esterhazy – Qu’Appelle Valley

Nestled in the bur oak forest in the Qu’Appelle Valley is some of the best single track the province has to offer. Designed and built by Esterhazy’s bike club, the East Qu’Appelle Cartel has brought forth a multitude of tight technical trails with breathtaking views. You will be having too much fun to notice how tired you are from climbing some steep grades. The main trail system is known as "The Granny Oak" and hosts a provincial Sask Cup race every year.  The ever-expanding network of trails makes excellent use of the various terrain and altitude change to form fast and challenging runs.  With names like "Small Intenstine",  "Rocky Road", "Lil' Twister", and "Bankshot", you know you are in for one self-propelled adrenaline rush!  With the clubs zest for trail building you know you're in for something new with each visit.
		The East Qu’Appelle Cartel has focused on creating great trails to get more people cycling in the area. The club hosted the IMBA Trail Crew, the foremost authority on trail building, to come out last season and hold a trail building clinic. This means the trails will only get better. Esterhazy is located 230 km east of Regina and 400 km south east of Saskatoon. A great distance to make it a weekend trip! The majority of the trails have been built by the club on private property with the landowners’ permission. We ask that if you are interested in riding the trails that you contact the East Qu’Appelle Cartel, they would be happy to talk to you and they might even give you a guided ride if you ask nicely.
Helpful Links: East Qu’Appelle Cartel - http://www.saskcycling.ca/~eqc/ Town of Esterhazy - http://esthzy.sasktelwebhosting.com/