Photo: Kari MedigLillooet, BC

Great Northern Bikepacking Route, BC Part One

A ride described at Great Northern Bikepacking Route

How we describe routes →

Epic Expedition scale. Many demanding factors stacked, or 1,000 km and up, or 10,000 m of climbing.

Difficulty Our overall read of how demanding a route is. We score surface roughness, climbing, singletrack, and how far it runs from services. The route publisher's own rating, a lot of busy road riding, or sheer scale can push the tier up, never down.

Derived from OpenStreetMap. Good data, not perfect. Spot something wrong? Tell us.

How we describe routes →

The first half of the Great Northern Bikepacking Route's British Columbia section: about 583 km from Richmond through the Coast Mountains into the Interior, on mixed pavement and gravel. The climbing is the story, nearly 12,000 m of it, as the route fights its way up from sea level through some of the steepest country in the province. A committed multi-day leg of a much longer journey. Route created by Matt Kadey.

Get the route on Great Northern Bikepacking Route →

Where this ride goes#

Approximate lineGet the real route ↗

Map key & layers

Show stops Mute other bike trails

Food & DrinkAttractionsSuppliesCampingAccommodationBike ServicesTransport

Riding near fast trafficFastest stretches

Dashed line = our rough sketch of where the ride goes. The rideable route lives at get the route from Great Northern Bikepacking Route.

Fast-road stretches#

We believe these are the fast, unprotected roads on this route. We can tell you which roads and roughly how far, but not the order you will ride them. If you see an error, tell us and we'll fix it.

about 52 km of Hwy 99 · near Pavilion
about 49 km of Highway 97C · near Lower Nicola
about 45 km of Sea-to-Sky Highway · near Porteau
about 43 km of Bridge River Road · near Moha
about 8 km of Trans-Canada Highway · near Munroe
about 5 km of Cornwall Road · near Ashcroft
about 4 km of Nicola Avenue · near Coutlee
about 2 km of Horseshoe Bay Drive · near Horseshoe Bay
short stretches on other roads · 2 km total

and 2 more

☕Stops worth stopping for942 along this route

Maenam: earned a place in MICHELIN's inaugural Vancouver Guide...named one of Canada's 100 Best Restaurants. · Vancouver

Whistler Blackcomb: North America's largest ski resort; summer gondolas, alpine trails, and resort village. · Whistler

Museum of Vancouver: Canada's largest civic history museum, exploring Vancouver's communities from Vanier Park. · Vancouver

A la Mode: founded in 1986... inside Granville Island Public Market... Featured in international travel guides. · Vancouver

Ancora: repeated Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence and multiple appearances on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants list. · Vancouver

Vancouver (491)

MaenamWelcoming· Restaurant · $$$$ · Fine dining

Museum of VancouverAccredited· Museum / Gallery · $$$

A la ModeWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

AncoraWelcoming· Restaurant · $$$ · Upscale

AnnalenaWelcoming· Restaurant · $$$$ · Fine dining

H. R. MacMillan Space CentreWelcoming· Museum / Gallery · Free

Lee's DonutsWelcoming· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Prospect Point Bar & GrillWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Tetsu Sushi BarWelcoming· Restaurant · $$$$ · Fine dining

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare FestivalInfo· Museum / Gallery · $$$$

Plus the fast-food chains — Cockney Kings, Fraser Valley Juice, La Belle Patate/Poutine +66 more

+412 more in Vancouver →

Whistler (188)

Whistler BlackcombInfo· Community Centre · $

AraxiWelcoming· Restaurant · $$$$ · Fine dining

Audain Art MuseumWelcoming· Museum / Gallery · $$$

Bearfoot BistroInfo· Restaurant · $$$$ · Fine dining

Fairmont Chateau WhistlerInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$$ · Luxury

Il Caminetto di UmbertoInfo· Restaurant · $$$$ · Fine dining

Joe FortesInfo· Restaurant · $$$ · Upscale

Nita Lake LodgeInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$$ · Luxury

Squamish Lil'wat Cultural CentreInfo· Museum / Gallery · $$$

Thunderbird CafeInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Plus the fast-food chains — Misty Mountain Pizza, Fat Tony's Pizza, Avalanche Pizza +8 more

+167 more in Whistler →

West Vancouver (129)

Troller Ale HouseWelcoming· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

AncoraInfo· Restaurant · $$$ · Upscale

Talaysay ToursInfo· Activity / Experience · $$$$

Beach House RestaurantWelcoming· Restaurant · $$$ · Upscale

Delany's Coffee HouseWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Ferry Building GalleryWelcoming· Museum / Gallery · Free

MereonWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Park Royal South Food CourtWelcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Persia Foods Produce MarketsWelcoming· Grocery Store

Thai PudpongWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Plus the fast-food chains — Pizza Garden, A&W, Bourbon St. Grill +23 more

+93 more in West Vancouver →

Squamish (33)

Sea to Sky GondolaInfo· Activity / Experience · $$$$

Stawamus Chief CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Fergie's CafeWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Alice Lake CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Brennan Park Recreation CentreInfo· Community Centre · $

Squamish Adventure CenreInfo· Park / Nature · Free

Sunwolf Riverside ResortInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$$ · Upscale

Squamish Adventure InnAccredited· Hostel · $ · Rock-bottom

Gillespie's Fine SpiritsWelcoming· Winery / Cidery · $$ · Casual

Alice & BrohmsInfo· Ice Cream · $ · Cheap eats

Plus the fast-food chains — A&W, McDonald's, Pizza Hut +3 more

+17 more in Squamish →

Merritt (28)

Canadian Country Music Hall of FameInfo· Museum / Gallery · $$

Merritt LibraryInfo· Library · Free

Merritt Visitor InformationInfo· Visitor Centre

Nicola Valley Aquatic CentreInfo· Community Centre · $

Nicola Valley Community Arts CentreInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

Nicola Valley Museum & ArchivesInfo· Museum / Gallery · $$

BreatheBikesInfo· Repair Shop

Claybanks RV ParkInfo· Private Campground

Coldwater HotelInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

Empty Keg Brew HouseInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Plus the fast-food chains — Yaki Joe's Pizza, A&W, Subway

+15 more in Merritt →

Richmond (19)

BiBo PizzeriaInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Caffè ArtigianoInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Milltown Bar & GrillInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Castella CheesecakeInfo· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Neptune Wonton NoodleInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Ryuu IzakayaInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Sea Island Community CentreInfo· Community Centre · Free

Soft Peaks Ice CreamInfo· Ice Cream · $ · Cheap eats

Cha HouseInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Food Folk EateryInfo· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Plus the fast-food chains — JAPADOG, Hugo's Churros & Tacos, Chachi's +3 more

+3 more in Richmond →

Ashcroft (12)

Ashcroft MuseumInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

Wabco 50T Haulpak Mining TruckInfo· Activity / Experience

Ashcroft Bakery & Coffee ShopInfo· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Ashcroft LibraryInfo· Library · Free

Barnes Lake Recreation Site - North EndInfo· Public Campground

Barnes Lake Recreation Site - South EndInfo· Public Campground

Drylands ArenaInfo· Community Centre · $

Ashcroft Apartments and MotelInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

BC Liquor StoreInfo· Liquor Store

ChevronInfo· Convenience Store

+2 more in Ashcroft →

Pemberton (12)

Nairn Falls CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

One Mile Lake ParkInfo· Park / Nature · Free

Pemberton Valley LodgeInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$ · Mid-range

Visitor CenterInfo· Visitor Centre · Free

Whistler Shooting AdventuresInfo· Community Centre · $

Mile One Eating HouseWelcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Mount Currie Coffee CompanyWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Lynx CafeInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Pemberton Gateway Village Suites HotelInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$$ · Upscale

Petro-CanadaInfo· Convenience Store

Plus the fast-food chains — BackCountry Pizza, McDonald's

Britannia Beach (8)

The Britannia Mine MuseumWelcoming· Museum / Gallery · $$$$

Beaucoup Bakery and CafeWelcoming· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Chatterbox CafeWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Autostrada Oyster Bar and GrillWelcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Copper Beach Bar + KitchenWelcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Kawartha DairyInfo· Ice Cream · $ · Cheap eats

Outbound StationInfo· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

The Britannia Beach General StoreInfo· Grocery Store

Lillooet (7)

Xwísten Experience ToursInfo· Activity / Experience · $$$

Country StoreInfo· Grocery Store

BC Liquor StoreInfo· Liquor Store

Buy Low FoodsInfo· Grocery Store

CancoInfo· Convenience Store

Plus the fast-food chains — Subway, Tim Hortons

Logan Lake (4)

Leighton North CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Highland House Bed & BreakfastInfo· B&B / Inn · $$$ · Mid-range

Left Field Cider Co.Info· Winery / Cidery · $$ · Casual

Leighton CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Lions Bay (2)

Lions Bay LiquorInfo· Liquor Store

Lions Bay General Store & CaféInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Slice and dice these stops in the directory →

These stops come from our directory of welcoming places across BC. Spot something wrong, missing, or closed? Tell us and we'll fix it.

⛴Getting here, bike and allVancouver

Getting to this ride, bike and all#

Vancouver is the handiest transit doorway for this ride. The SeaBus, ferries, and buses will carry you and your bike there:

North Vancouverbest: SeaBus
Nanaimobest: ferry
Victoriabest: bus
Kelownabest: bus

Also on the bike-transit map: Whistler · West Vancouver · Squamish · Merritt

Or pick any two places on To & Fro →

🪶Traditional territories

This route travels through the traditional territories of the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Dënéndeh, Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group, Lil’wat, Nłeʔkepmx Tmíxʷ (Nlaka’pamux), S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō), Secwepemcúl’ecw (Secwépemc), səl̓ilwətaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsleil-Waututh), Skwxwú7mesh-ulh Temíx̱w (Squamish), St̓át̓imc Tmicw (St’at’imc), Stz’uminus, šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmaɁɬ təməxʷ (Musqueam), Syilx (Okanagan), and Tŝilhqot’in Nen.

Territory data from Native Land Digital, for educational purposes only.

Ready to ride it?

Get the route on Great Northern Bikepacking Route →Got the GPX? Add BC Bike Stops to it →