Photo: Kari MedigKaslo, BC

Loop Kaslo Slocan

A ride described at Trails BC

How we describe routes →

Ambitious A real undertaking. Demanding on a couple of fronts, like rough surfaces plus steady climbing, or a long stretch on busier 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 221 km loop through the West Kootenay linking Nelson, Kaslo, and New Denver over two days, with an optional cable-car river crossing on the way out and a return leg on the Slocan Valley Rail Trail. About 2,300 m of climbing in all, with a fair amount of highway riding between the trail sections, so expect to share the road.

Get the route on Trails BC →

Where this ride goes#

Approximate lineGet the real route ↗

Map key & layers

Show stops Mute other bike trails

Food & DrinkAttractionsSuppliesCampingAccommodationBike Services

Riding near fast trafficFastest stretches

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

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 37 km of Kaslo-New Denver Highway · near Kaslo
about 30 km of Vernon-Slocan Highway · near Slocan
about 30 km of Highway 31 · near Riondel
about 29 km of Highway 3A · near Troup
short stretches on other roads · 3 km total

☕Stops worth stopping for121 along this route

S.S. Moyie National Historic Site: World's oldest intact passenger sternwheeler (1898), a National Historic Site on Kaslo's waterfront. · Kaslo

Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort: natural mineral hot spring pools including a remarkable 150-foot horseshoe cave ... used for healing by the Ktunaxa people since time immemorial. · Ainsworth Hot Springs

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

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

Nelson (57)

Gerick Cycle & SkiAccredited· Repair Shop

Backroads BreweryWelcoming· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Kootenay co-opWelcoming· Grocery Store

LibraryWelcoming· Restaurant · $$$ · Upscale

Mike's Place PubWelcoming· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Nelson Museum Archives & GalleryWelcoming· Museum / Gallery · $$

Oso Negro CaféWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Outer Clove RestaurantWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Red Light RamenWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

The Kootenay Bakery Cafe CooperativeWelcoming· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Plus the fast-food chains — A&W, A&W, Edo Japan +4 more

+40 more in Nelson →

Kaslo (22)

S.S. Moyie National Historic SiteInfo· Museum / Gallery · $$

Japanese Canadian MuseumInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

The LanghamInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

Kaslo Visitor CentreWelcoming· Visitor Centre · 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

+12 more in Kaslo →

New Denver (8)

Centennial CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Kohan Reflection GardenInfo· Park / Nature · Free

New Denver Visitor CentreInfo· Visitor Centre · Free

Silvery Slocan MuseumInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

Adventure DomesInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$ · Mid-range

New Market FoodsInfo· Grocery Store

Valhalla InnInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$ · Mid-range

Valhalla pureInfo· Outdoor Gear

Crescent Bay (5)

Friends Campground And Day UseInfo· Public Campground

Group CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Kokanee Creek Provincial Park Visitor CentreInfo· Visitor Centre · Free

Redfish CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Sandspit CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Slocan (4)

Lemon Creek Pioneer CampgroundInfo· Hotel / Motel · $ · Rock-bottom

Mountain ValleyInfo· Convenience Store

Slocan Community LibraryInfo· Library · Free

Springer Creek RV Park & CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Balfour (3)

Kokanee Park MarinaInfo· Convenience Store

Balfour SuperetteInfo· Convenience Store

Kootenay Lakeview Resort BW Signature CollectionInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$ · Mid-range

Crescent Valley (3)

Frog Peak Café & GuesthouseWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

EssoInfo· Convenience Store

EverGreenInfo· Convenience Store

Silverton (3)

Camp CaféWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Bannock Point Recreation SiteInfo· Public Campground

Silverton Campground - LakesideInfo· Public Campground

Ainsworth Hot Springs (2)

Ainsworth Hot Springs ResortInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$$ · Upscale

Ainsworth MotelInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

Lemon Creek (2)

Lemon Creek Pioneer CampgroundInfo· Private Campground

Lemon Creek Pioneer CampgroundInfo· Private Campground

Willow Point (2)

Kokanee Glacier ResortInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

Duhamel StoreInfo· Grocery Store

Winlaw (2)

Sleep Is For SissiesInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Fomi's BakeryInfo· Bakery / Donuts · $ · 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 allNelson

Getting to this ride, bike and all#

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

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

Also on the bike-transit map: Kaslo

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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