BC Cycle Tourism Society

Bonnington Scrambler

44 cycling stops along this route · Kootenay Rockies

126 km · Weekend or moreChallengingComfortable for mostMostly gravelMax climbing

A weekend loop out of Nelson for riders who like earning it: Kootenay River trails, an eclectic mix of doubletrack and gravel over the Bonnington Range, then the Great Northern Rail Trail home through the Salmo valley. Expect genuine hike-a-bike, some bushwhacking, and serious climbing for the distance. Gold-rush mining claims once blanketed these hills; today it is quiet backcountry where meeting another bikepacker is unusual. Type two fun, well worth the effort.

Our map below is a rough sketch
How to get the detailed route

The full map, turn-by-turns, and GPX for this ride are on bikepacking.com. Our map shows roughly where the ride goes, not how to follow it.

Communities along this route#

Roughly where this ride goes#

Food & DrinkAttractionsSuppliesAccommodationBike Services

The dashed line is our rough sketch, drawn only to show where the ride is. For the real, rideable route, get the route from bikepacking.com.

BC Bike Stops#

Nelson (44)

Gerick Cycle & SkiAccredited· Repair Shop
A&WWelcoming· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats
Backroads BreweryWelcoming· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual
Empire CoffeeWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats
Finley'sWelcoming· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual
Kootenay co-opWelcoming· Grocery Store
L&C French BakeryWelcoming· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats
LibraryWelcoming· Restaurant · $$$ · Upscale
Louie's SteakhouseWelcoming· Restaurant · $$$ · Upscale
Mike's Place PubWelcoming· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual
+34 more in Nelson →
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.