Photo: BIKEPACKING.comThe BC Trail

The BC Trail

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 BC Trail traverses eastward across British Columbia’s southern border. The route starts in Cultus Lake, a stone’s throw from Vancouver — where BC’s segment of the Trans Canada Trail leaves suburban pathways for dirt — and ends in the small Rocky Mountain ski town of Fernie.”
— BIKEPACKING.com

Note: the Hope to Princeton rail trail closure currently reroutes that section via Tulameen.

Get the route on BIKEPACKING.com →

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 BIKEPACKING.com.

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 42 km of Highway 3A · near Troup
about 23 km of Coalmont Road · near Princeton
about 22 km of Highway 3B · near Ross Spur
about 19 km of Crowsnest Highway · near Mayook
about 15 km of Coquihalla Highway · near Othello
about 3 km of 10th Avenue · near Beaver Falls
about 2 km of Coquihalla Lakes Road · near Vancouver, Coast and Mountains
about 2 km of Chilliwack Lake Road · near Slesse Park
short stretches on other roads · 5 km total

and 1 more

☕Stops worth stopping for400 along this route

Kettle Valley Rail Trail: Myra Canyon's 18 trestles and two tunnels on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, a National Historic Site. · Myra

Othello / Quintette Tunnels: Five 1914 railway tunnels cut through the Coquihalla gorge. · Othello

Kootenay Lake Ferry: cyclists walk or roll bikes aboard as foot passengers at no charge… Unboxed bikes OK. · Nelson

SS Sicamous: Restored 1914 sternwheeler SS Sicamous, moored on Penticton's Okanagan Lake shore. · Penticton

Castlegar Museum: Railway and pioneer museum in one of BC's finest surviving Canadian Pacific stations. · Castlegar

Penticton (76)

SS SicamousWelcoming· Museum / Gallery · $$

Laughing Stock VineyardsInfo· Winery / Cidery · $$ · Casual

Munson Mountain ParkInfo· Park / Nature · Free

The Bench MarketInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Cannery BrewingWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Abandoned Rail Brewing Co.Info· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

ElmaInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Grape Savvy Wine ToursInfo· Winery / Cidery · $$ · Casual

Hillside WineryInfo· Winery / Cidery · $$ · Casual

Hillside Winery BistroInfo· Restaurant · $$$ · Upscale

Plus the fast-food chains — A&W, Booster Juice, Domino's +4 more

+59 more in Penticton →

Nelson (58)

Kootenay Lake FerryWelcoming· Ferry

Nelson Brewing CompanyInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

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

Plus the fast-food chains — A&W, Edo Japan, KFC +3 more

+42 more in Nelson →

Kimberley (30)

Kimberley Aquatic CentreInfo· Community Centre · $

Kimberley Heritage MuseumInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

The SullivanInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Biscuit: A Place To SupInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

BlackdogInfo· Repair Shop

Bohemian SpiritsInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Burrito GrillInfo· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Fantails Expresso BarInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Full-Fill Zero Waste MarketInfo· Grocery Store

Grist and Mash BreweryInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Plus the fast-food chains — A&W, Subway

+18 more in Kimberley →

Hope (29)

Hope Bike ParkInfo· Community Centre · $$$$

Hope Recreation CentreInfo· Community Centre · Free

Mountainview Tasting LoungeWelcoming· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Spice and GrillWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Coquihalla CampgroundInfo· Private Campground

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

Holiday Motel & RV ResortInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

Home RestaurantInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Hope Korean KitchenInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Hope LibraryInfo· Library · Free

Plus the fast-food chains — Triple O's, McDonald's, A&W +6 more

+10 more in Hope →

Fernie (28)

Fernie Heritage LibraryWelcoming· Library · Free

Fernie Aquatic CentreInfo· Community Centre · $

Fernie MuseumInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

Straight Line BicyclesInfo· Repair Shop

The Arts StationInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

The Brickhouse Bar & GrillInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

The CentralInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

The Fernie TaphouseInfo· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

The LocalInfo· Grocery Store

Raging Elk Adventure LodgingAccredited· Hostel · $ · Rock-bottom

+18 more in Fernie →

Grand Forks (27)

gallery2Info· Museum / Gallery · Free

Grand Forks Aquatic CentreInfo· Community Centre · $

True North DistilleriesInfo· Activity / Experience · $$$

Clyde'sInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Grand Forks & District Public LibraryInfo· Library · Free

Grand Forks Municipal CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Grand Forks Station PubInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Johnny's MotelInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

Omega IIInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Riverside Court RV & CabinsInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

Plus the fast-food chains — A&W, Panago, Subway +1 more

+13 more in Grand Forks →

Trail (20)

Trail Aquatic and Leisure CentreWelcoming· Community Centre · Free

Charles Bailey TheatreInfo

Double HappinessInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

The ArlingtonInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

The Trail Museum & ArchivesInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

Bridgeview CafeInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Caffe AmericanoInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Crown Columbia Hotel, BW Premier CollectionInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$ · Mid-range

Glenwood Inn & SuitesInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

J & V RestaurantInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Plus the fast-food chains — A&W, McDonald's, Pizza Pizza

+7 more in Trail →

Princeton (18)

Centennial Outdoor PoolInfo· Community Centre · $

Princeton & District MuseumInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

Princeton Visitor CentreInfo· Visitor Centre · Free

Swan Lake Wildlife RefugeInfo· Park / Nature · Free

Ace MotelInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

Cool Beanz Coffee HouseInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Gold & Jade RestaurantInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Little Creek GrillInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Mikado SushiInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Princeton ArenaInfo· Community Centre · $

+8 more in Princeton →

Salmo (10)

Reno MotelInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

Sal-Crest MotelInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

Salmo Municipal CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Salmo Valley Public LibraryInfo· Library · Free

Salmo Valley Youth & Community CentreInfo

Salmo Village Grocery on MainInfo· Grocery Store

The Dragon Fly CaféInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

CentexInfo· Convenience Store

EssoInfo· Convenience Store

Plus the fast-food chains — Subway

Slesse Park (9)

River Wrangler SportsfishingInfo· Activity / Experience · $$$$

Tamihi East CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Tamihi Rapids CampgroundInfo· Private Campground

Thurston Meadows CampgroundInfo· Private Campground

Cirrhosis of the RiverInfo· B&B / Inn · $$ · Budget

The Chick InnInfo· B&B / Inn · $$ · Budget

The Fish & ChicksInfo· B&B / Inn · $$ · Budget

The RodfathersInfo· B&B / Inn · $$ · Budget

The Trailer Trash Tacky ShackInfo· B&B / Inn · $$ · Budget

Cranbrook (8)

Great Canadian Liquor WarehouseInfo· Liquor Store

Travellers MotelInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

Real Canadian SuperstoreInfo· Grocery Store

Super 8Info· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

WalmartInfo· Grocery Store

Plus the fast-food chains — Booster Juice, Tim Hortons, Wendy's

Fruitvale (8)

Beaver Valley Public LibraryInfo· Library · Free

Co-opInfo· Convenience Store

Fruitvale Pub & GrillInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Petro-CanadaInfo· Convenience Store

Ruala CafeInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

The Fruitvale KitchenInfo· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Plus the fast-food chains — Burgervale, Subway

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 allPenticton

Getting to this ride, bike and all#

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

Summerlandbest: bus
Vancouverbest: bus
Victoriabest: ferry + train + bus
Nanaimobest: ferry + SkyTrain + bus

Also on the bike-transit map: Nelson · Kimberley · Hope · Fernie

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, Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group, Ĩyãħé Nakón mąkóce (Stoney), Kalispel, Ktunaxa ɁamakɁis, Nłeʔkepmx Tmíxʷ (Nlaka’pamux), S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō), Secwepemcúl’ecw (Secwépemc), snʕickstx tmxʷúlaʔxʷ (Sinixt), Stz’uminus, sx̌ʷyʔiɬp (Colville), and Syilx (Okanagan).

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

Ready to ride it?

Get the route on BIKEPACKING.com →Got the GPX? Add BC Bike Stops to it →