Photo: Dave HeathKaslo, BC

Lakes and Hot Springs Loop

A ride described at Bikepack Canada

How we describe routes →

Challenging Demanding on several fronts at once, or a lot of riding on busy roads.

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 →

A 550 km figure-eight route through the Central Kootenays from Nakusp, mapped by Ali Becker and Mat Leblanc, passing fourteen lakes, three hot springs, and two free ferry crossings plus a cable car over Carpenter Creek. Moderate to challenging, mostly for its remoteness through grizzly, black bear, cougar, and wolf territory.

Get the route on Bikepack Canada →Free route map on Ride with GPS ↗

Where this ride goes#

Approximate lineGet the real route ↗

Map key & layers

Show stops Mute other bike trails

Food & DrinkAttractionsSuppliesCampingAccommodation

Riding near fast trafficFastest stretches

Dashed line = our rough sketch of where the ride goes. The rideable route lives at get the route from Bikepack Canada.

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 136 km of Highway 31 · near Five Mile
about 89 km of Nakusp-Mica Creek Highway · near Fosthall
about 59 km of Vernon-Slocan Highway · near Carrolls Landing
about 7 km of Kaslo-New Denver Highway · near Three Forks
short stretches on other roads · 2 km total

☕Stops worth stopping for50 along this route

Japanese Canadian Museum: Museum of the WWII Japanese Canadian internment, in the Kaslo building where internees lived. · Kaslo

Nakusp Hot Springs: Community-owned natural mineral hot pools in the Kuskanax Valley, 14 paved km from Nakusp. · Nakusp

The Langham: Provincial Heritage Site in Kaslo: galleries, a 70-seat theatre, and the internment museum. · Kaslo

Communities along this route#

Kaslo 18 Nakusp 14 Lardeau 3 Fauquier 2 Galena 2 Meadow Creek 2 Poplar Creek 2 Shelter Bay 2 Arrow Park 1 Edgewood 1 Hills 1 Summit Lake 1 Trout Lake 1

Kaslo (18)

Japanese Canadian MuseumInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

The LanghamInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

Eric's Meat Market & DeliInfo· Specialty / Health Food

Kaslo Hotel & Brew PubInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$$ · Upscale

Waypoint Restaurant and BarInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Kaslo & District Public LibraryWelcoming· Library · Free

Angry Hen BrewingInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Buddy's Front Street PizzeriaInfo· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

CornucopiaInfo· Grocery Store

Kaslo Adventure Centre & KayakingInfo· Outdoor Gear

+8 more in Kaslo →

Nakusp (14)

Nakusp Hot SpringsInfo· Activity / Experience · $$

Leland on the Lake RestaurantInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Nakusp Hot Springs CampgroundInfo· Private Campground

Bella SoriahInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Mountain Top CoffeeInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Municipal Campground and RV parkInfo· Public Campground

Nakusp Municipal CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Nakusp Public LibraryInfo· Library · Free

Studio Connexion Art GalleryInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

The Lodge at Arrow LakesInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

+4 more in Nakusp →

Lardeau (3)

Davis Creek CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Group CampInfo· Public Campground

Lost Ledges CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Fauquier (2)

Arrow Lake MotelInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

Arrow Lakes MotelInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

Galena (2)

Halcyon Hot Springs ResortInfo· Private Campground

Harris Lake Recreation SiteInfo· Public Campground

Meadow Creek (2)

Lardeau Valley Community CentreInfo· Community Centre · Free

Meadow Creek StoreInfo· Convenience Store

Poplar Creek (2)

Wild Bear LodgeInfo· Resort · $$$$ · Luxury

Trout Camp Recreation SiteInfo· Public Campground

Shelter Bay (2)

Eagle Bay Recreation SiteInfo· Public Campground

Shelter Bay CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Arrow Park (1)

McDonald Creek Provincial CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Edgewood (1)

Whatshan Lake RetreatInfo· Resort

Hills (1)

Bonanza Marsh Conservation Area (NCC)Info· Park / Nature · Free

Summit Lake (1)

Summit Lake CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

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 allKaslo

Getting to this ride, bike and all#

Kaslo is the handiest transit doorway for this ride. Buses, the SkyTrain, and ferries will carry you and your bike there:

Nelsonbest: bus
Vancouverbest: bus
Victoriabest: bus + SkyTrain
Nanaimobest: ferry + SkyTrain + bus

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, Ĩyãħé Nakón mąkóce (Stoney), Ktunaxa ɁamakɁis, Secwepemcúl’ecw (Secwépemc), snʕickstx tmxʷúlaʔxʷ (Sinixt), and Syilx (Okanagan).

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

Ready to ride it?

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