BC Cycle Tourism Society
Kootenay Rockies
Photo: Dave HeathKaslo, BC

Kootenay Rockies

Rail trails running valley to valley, with hot springs and small towns at the end of the day.
39 rides from 11 publishers — all of them, no shortlist. Open any ride for its welcoming stops and how to get there; the maps, turn-by-turns and full details live on the publishers' sites, one click further.
Frog Peak Loop
Photo: BIKEPACKING.comFrog Peak Loop
Highlight
Frog Peak Loop
BIKEPACKING.com · 107 km · Weekend or more
AmbitiousSome traffic sharingMostly gravelLots of climbing

If you are going to convert a first-time bikepacker, this is the route: 107 km linking rail grade, scenic gravel, and sub-alpine lakes through the Slocan Valley, with the beloved Frog Peak Cafe on course and swimming holes for hot afternoons. One real climb, easy resupply, and campgrounds spaced for a relaxed weekend. The route's namesake peak carries deep significance for the Sinixt, whose Frog Mountain story tells of survival and resilience in this valley.

Stops, map + getting there →

BT 700 Bikepacking

individual route creatorvisit site →
BT 700 Bikepacking is a route-publishing site run by Ontario adventure cyclist and writer Matt Kadey, one of Canada's most prolific bikepacking route builders. It grew out of the original BT700 gravel loop in southwestern Ontario and now offers downloadable route files for gravel and bikepacking rides across Canada, including several in British Columbia.
10 of their BC rides + their story →
BT700 Castlegar
BT700 Castlegar
304 km · 3,490 m up · Expedition

A 304 km BT700 stretch rolling toward Castlegar, mostly gravel with long chunky sections where fatter tires earn their keep.

AmbitiousLow-traffic ridingFast-road sections · 13 kmMostly gravelChunky gravelSome climbingRemote stretches
Photo: Tina BryanGrand Forks, BC
BT700 Fernie Alternative
BT700 Fernie Alternative
76 km · 1,119 m up · Full day

A 76 km mostly gravel BT700 alternative near Fernie, trading pavement for steady forest-road climbing.

AmbitiousSome traffic sharingMostly gravelLots of climbing
Photo: Mitch WintonFernie, BC
BT700 Fernie Sparwood
BT700 Fernie Sparwood
37 km · 569 m up · Full day

The BT700's 37 km link between Fernie and Sparwood, mostly unpaved and genuinely rough in places.

ChallengingLow-traffic ridingFast-road sections · 2 kmMostly gravelChunky gravelLots of climbing
Photo: Mitch WintonFernie, BC
BT700 Gray Creek Bypass
BT700 Gray Creek Bypass
174 km · 1,991 m up · Weekend or more

The BT700's 174 km mostly paved alternative through the Central Kootenays via Gray Creek, for riders skipping the rough stuff.

AmbitiousShares roads with trafficMostly fast roadsMostly pavedSome climbing
Photo: Mitch WintonNakusp, BC
BT700 Kaslo
BT700 Kaslo
85 km · 2,103 m up · Full day

From New Denver to Balfour by way of the Galena Trail's cable-car river crossing, the rough Wagon Trail into Kaslo, and lakeside highway south.

ChallengingSome traffic sharingFast-road sections · 30 kmMostly gravelMax climbing
Photo: Lindsay Marie StewartKaslo, BC
BT700 Nakusp Rosebery
BT700 Nakusp Rosebery
43 km · 513 m up · Full day

The BT700's 43 km leg from Nakusp to Rosebery: all gravel, nearly flat, and quiet the whole way.

AmbitiousLow-traffic ridingAlmost all gravelChunky gravelSome climbingRemote stretches
Photo: Mitch WintonNakusp, BC
BT700 Slocan Valley
BT700 Slocan Valley
76 km · 744 m up · Full day

The BT700's 76 km run through the Slocan Valley, mixing rail trail and quiet valley roads with gentle rolling terrain.

ModerateSome traffic sharingMixed surfaceSome climbing
Photo: Kari MedigNelson, BC
The Big Griz
The Big Griz
2261 km · 38,186 m up · Expedition

The 2,380 km BT700 flagship from Victoria to Banff, mostly unpaved, with nine side trips branching off along the way.

EpicSome traffic sharingFast-road sections · 530 kmMostly gravelLots of climbingRemote stretches
Photo: Darren RobinsonPrinceton, BC

Bikepack Canada

bikepacking platformvisit site →
Bikepack Canada is a bikepacking route-sharing platform founded in 2016 by adventure cyclist Ryan Correy, author of the guidebook 'Bikepacking in the Canadian Rockies' and the memoir 'A Purpose Ridden.' Correy died in 2018; the site continues today, hosting routes contributed by bikepackers from across the country.
12 of their BC rides + their story →
Eastern Kettle Valley Railway
Eastern Kettle Valley Railway
538 km · 7,570 m up · Expedition

A 538 km point-to-point route from Kelowna to Kimberley along the historic Kettle Valley Railway and Columbia and Western rail grades, mapped by Guy Stuart.

ChallengingSome traffic sharingFast-road sections · 90 kmMostly gravelChunky gravelLots of climbingRemote stretches
Photo: Andrew StrainKamloops, BC
Flathead Valley
Flathead Valley
292 km · 4,048 m up · Weekend or more

A 291 km loop through southern BC from Fernie, one of ten routes in Ryan Correy's guidebook 'Bikepacking in the Canadian Rockies.'

ChallengingShares roads with trafficFast-road sections · 66 kmMostly gravelLots of climbingRemote stretches
Photo: Kari MedigCrawford Bay, BC
Kootenay Flathead Fandango
Kootenay Flathead Fandango
547 km · 9,268 m up · Expedition

A roughly 1,200 km gravel-focused loop from Fernie through the Flathead into Montana, Idaho, and Washington and back into the Kootenays, following portions of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route and BC Epic 1000.

AmbitiousShares roads with trafficFast-road sections · 80 kmMostly gravelLots of climbingRemote stretches
Photo: Reuben KrabbeGolden, BC
Kootenay-Miller Pass
Kootenay-Miller Pass
79 km · 1,377 m up · Full day

An 80 km overnight loop from Nipika Mountain Resort into the East Kootenays, mapped by Peter Fordham, climbing to Miller Pass before a rugged, overgrown descent that calls for bike-hiking and solid navigation.

ChallengingSome traffic sharingMostly gravelChunky gravelLots of climbingRemote stretches
Photo: Kari MedigKaslo, BC
Lakes and Hot Springs Loop
Lakes and Hot Springs Loop
551 km · 9,866 m up · Expedition

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.

ChallengingShares roads with trafficMostly fast roadsMostly gravelLots of climbingRemote stretches
Photo: Dave HeathKaslo, BC
The Great Granby Loop
The Great Granby Loop
477 km · 7,345 m up · Expedition

A 475 km, five-to-seven day loop through the West Kootenays from near Castlegar, mapped by Ali Becker and Mat Leblanc.

ChallengingLow-traffic ridingFast-road sections · 80 kmMostly gravelChunky gravelLots of climbingRemote stretches
Photo: Kari MedigKaslo, BC
Top of the World
Top of the World
347 km · 6,340 m up · Expedition

A 347 km loop through southern BC from Cranbrook, one of ten routes in Ryan Correy's guidebook 'Bikepacking in the Canadian Rockies.'

AmbitiousSome traffic sharingFast-road sections · 15 kmMostly gravelLots of climbingRemote stretches
Photo: Kari MedigKimberley, BC
Two Lake Tootle
Two Lake Tootle
145 km · 2,093 m up · Weekend or more

A 145 km, two-to-three day gravel loop from Invermere up to lakeside Recreation Sites at Cleland Lake and Dogleg Lake, with an optional cafe detour to Spillimacheen.

AmbitiousShares roads with trafficAlmost all gravelLots of climbing
Photo: Mitch WintonNakusp, BC

BIKEPACKING.com

bikepacking platformvisit site →
Founded in 2012, BIKEPACKING.com is the leading resource for bikepacking routes, in-depth gear reviews, inspiration, planning insight, adventure stories, news, and events. For over a decade, we've been building, establishing, sharing, and maintaining the largest library of high-quality bikepacking routes around the world. We now have over 240,000 kilometers (150,000 miles) worth of routes in over 70 countries. This includes our Bikepacking Collective Route Network, which is our collection of original and exceptional bikepacking routes designed by our team of experienced Route Architects or skilled contributors from the community. New Bikepacking Collective Routes are partially funded and supported by the Bikepacking Collective, our member community. As we update and refine some of our popular published routes, we'll induct them into the network, along with other distinguished rides. We're a fully independent platform with a core team of editors who strive to inspire readers to get out and explore our planet, discover its wild places, and connect with its diverse cultures, all via the bicycle's elegant simplicity.
26 of their BC rides + their story →
8 Rivers Overnighter
8 Rivers Overnighter
206 km · 3,251 m up · Weekend or more

A 206 km East Kootenay overnighter hopping river valley to river valley on gravel, with waterfalls, a wildflower pass, and hot springs near the trailhead.

ChallengingSome traffic sharingAlmost all gravelChunky gravelLots of climbingRemote stretches
Photo: BIKEPACKING.com8 Rivers Overnighter
Bonnington Scrambler
Bonnington Scrambler
126 km · 3,396 m up · Weekend or more

A 126 km scramble from Nelson over the Bonnington Range: singletrack, hike-a-bike, overgrown ATV tracks, and the Kootenays done the local way.

ChallengingLow-traffic ridingMostly gravelMax climbing
Photo: BIKEPACKING.comBonnington Scrambler
Kootenay Confluence (BC Only)
Kootenay Confluence (BC Only)
473 km · 7,370 m up · Expedition

The West Kootenays' flagship: a nine-day loop from Nelson linking rail grades, gravel, and lake country, dipping into Washington and back.

AmbitiousLow-traffic ridingFast-road sections · 57 kmMostly gravelLots of climbingRemote stretches
Photo: BIKEPACKING.comKootenay Confluence (BC Only)
Log Jam Loop
Log Jam Loop
101 km · 1,577 m up · Weekend or more

A mellow 101 km overnighter around Nakusp and Slocan Lake: smooth gravel, rail trail, endless swimming, and camping everywhere you look.

ChallengingLow-traffic ridingAlmost all gravelChunky gravelLots of climbingRemote stretches
Photo: BIKEPACKING.comLog Jam Loop
Santa Rosa Valleys and Vistas
Santa Rosa Valleys and Vistas
208 km · 4,560 m up · Weekend or more

Four days out of Castlegar around the Rossland Range: the Columbia & Western rail grade, the Bulldog Tunnel, and flowy historic singletrack.

ChallengingSome traffic sharingMostly gravelChunky gravelMax climbing
Photo: BIKEPACKING.comSanta Rosa Valleys and Vistas
The BC Trail
The BC Trail
1164 km · 16,531 m up · Expedition

The 1,164 km flagship traverse of southern BC, Fraser Valley to Fernie, on historic rail trails, gravel, and the occasional singletrack surprise.

EpicLow-traffic ridingFast-road sections · 134 kmMostly gravelChunky gravelLots of climbing
Photo: BIKEPACKING.comThe BC Trail

Let's Go Biking

guidebook authorvisit site →
Let's Go Biking is a British Columbia cycling guidebook series written by Colleen MacDonald, a champion of slow, scenic, family-friendly riding. Her three guidebooks — Around Vancouver; Okanagan and Beyond; and Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and Sunshine Coast — come with a companion website of mapped rides, walks, and runs.
179 of their BC rides + their story →

Elbow Valley Cycle Club

cycling clubvisit site →
Elbow Valley Cycle Club is a Calgary-based recreational cycling club, one of the largest in Western Canada with roughly 700 members. It organizes about 250 events a year, including road, gravel, and multi-day touring rides, several of which cross into British Columbia.
6 of their BC rides + their story →

Trails BC

trail organizationvisit site →
Trails BC (the Trails Society of BC) is a non-profit charity that advocates for greenway trails for self-propelled recreation and active transportation across the province. Léon Lebrun has been at the heart of that work for nearly three decades, building and championing non-motorized trails across the Lower Mainland and beyond; a bridge in Chilliwack and a trail in Port Moody now carry his name. The rides shown here are a handful of the many he's helped map over the years.
12 of their BC rides + their story →

Adventure Cycling Association

touring organizationvisit site →
For over 50 years, Adventure Cycling Association has been mapping the most iconic bike routes in North America, including the TransAmerica Trail and the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. It hosts over 90,000 kilometres of bikepacking and bike touring routes, leads dozens of guided tours each year, and advocates to protect the routes, access, and infrastructure that make bike travel possible. Supported by members and donors, Adventure Cycling's nonprofit mission is to inspire, empower, and connect people to travel by bike.
6 of their BC rides + their story →

Great Northern Bikepacking Route

individual route creatorvisit site →
The Great Northern Bikepacking Route (GNBR) is a mostly off-road bikepacking route created by Ontario adventure cyclist and writer Matt Kadey, spanning over 13,000 km across 10 Canadian provinces and 3 U.S. states, from the Pacific to the Atlantic — one of the most ambitious route-mapping projects in the country. It is published segment by segment on a dedicated website, with route data on RideWithGPS and gear and provisioning notes alongside the maps.
2 of their BC rides + their story →

Trans Canada Bike Route Network

route networkvisit site →
A volunteer-run, community-collaborative project mapping a proposed coast-to-coast National Cycling Route Network for Canada. It publishes route data as GPX files, a Garmin BaseCamp database (GDB) with points of interest, KMZ files for offline smartphone use, interactive Google Maps, and a curated Ride with GPS collection.
1 of their BC rides + their story →

Trans Canada Trail

trail organizationvisit site →
Trans Canada Trail is a national charitable organization, based in Ottawa, that coordinates and maintains the Trans Canada Trail (also known as The Great Trail) — a roughly 30,000 km multi-use trail network spanning every Canadian province and territory and connecting the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic coastlines. The network supports hiking, cycling, paddling, and other activities, and is built and managed through partnerships with regional and local trail organizations rather than owned as a single continuous trail.
2 of their BC rides + their story →

Different corner of BC?#

Vancouver, Coast and Mountains · 153Vancouver Island · 90Thompson Okanagan · 55Cariboo Chilcotin Coast · 9Northern British Columbia · 6
Do you publish well-documented cycling routes in BC — road, gravel, touring, or family rides?

We're interested in learning more about where you love to ride. Drop us a note and tell us what you publish.

hello@bccycletourism.ca