Located across the border in British Columbia, the Towns of Radium Hot Springs and Golden are only 3 hours from Calgary by car and very accessible for a weekend getaway. Add an extra half hour from Radium, and you are at Fairmont Hot Springs. Take it further for a long weekend and you can also reach Kimberley to the south.
Awesome family mountain biking in the Columbia Valley, BC (Deja View Trail) |
Trails around Radium Hot Springs and Area
The Radium Hot Springs Bike Park and Sinclair Creek Trail
Playing at the Radium Pump and Jump |
We love biking along the Sinclair Creek Trail on our way to/from the bike park. It is a lovely gravel hiking trail, only 1.2 km long (one way,) double track width the whole time, and pretty much flat the entire distance. It's a great trail for novice riders.
Radium Pump and Jump Bike Park |
The pump track is a great addition to the town, and combined with a bike ride or hike along Sinclair Creek, makes for a great half day adventure. (and even adults will have fun playing in the bike park.)
Easy biking along Sinclair Creek, Radium Hot Springs |
Family Biking at Nipika Mountain Resort, near Radium Hot Springs
Spend a weekend or a day at Nipika Mountain Resort just outside Radium Hot Springs and you can bike on 100+ km of singletrack and double track bike and ski trails. We spent a weekend here in May of 2015 and loved it! Our group of kids biked about 15 km over our two days spent here and had a lot of fun exploring the Natural Bridge and the Canyon Bridge.
For more information and a full trip report, please read my story on our experience: Kids on Wheels - Nipika Mountain Resort.
Family Riding at Nipika Mountain Resort |
Suggested Bike Loops at Nipika Mountain Resort
First, visit the Trail Forks site to see a map of the Nipika bike trails so you can get a general idea of where I'm sending you on the following suggested loops. All loops below follow the north trails.
Double track easy loop: Starting from the day lodge, follow "Main Street" to the meadow where you'll find a warming hut and outhouse bathroom. Follow the cross country ski trails from here to the Natural Bridge (there are maps at the day lodge if you want to take one with you, and you'll find a map at every trail intersection as well.)
Cross the natural bridge and continue following the cross country ski trails around until you come to the Canyon Bridge. Cross, and make your way back to the day lodge for a loop that's approximately 10 km in length. Read the full trip report for this loop here: Kids on Wheels - Nipika Mountain Resort
And if you read the story above, I've offered suggestions on how to add some easy singletrack biking to the loop.
Crossing the Natural Bridge on the cross country ski trails |
Singletrack easy/intermediate loop: Follow "Main Street" from the day lodge to the first meadow with the warming hut. From Main Street, you can do an optional short out and back ride on "Teen Spirit" to get an idea of what Nipika singletrack looks like. It's only 600 metres long one way and is a fun flowy trail (especially coming back down towards the meadow)
Back at the meadow, follow Dunbar's Trail (easy, flowy, and fun) to the intersection with Cliff Hanger. You'll follow CH for a short distance until you get on the Kootenay River Trail. The river trail is 1.8 km long and relatively flat. It is quite rooty in spots, but it's nothing that a 20" bike can't handle. There's one challenging hill you'll have to push your bikes up, but other than that, it's easy riding and it connects several small beach areas to stop and play at.
Beach area along the Kootenay River Trail |
Once you reach the last beach area on the Kootenay River Trail, you'll have to push your bikes up a steep hill (a double track ski trail) to get back towards Main Street. From here you can either follow ski trails back to the day lodge (or be adventurous like us and attempt to bike Chamois Whammy.) Note that Chamois Whammy is very exposed in spots and that a fall could end in the river far below you. My son wasn't scared at all when we just did this in 2017 (age 8) but I walked a lot of it.
This loop is no more than 7 to 8 km in total distance.
Recommended for competent riders with previous mountain biking experience on bikes with at least 20" tires, hand brakes, and gears.
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A look at some of the narrow riding along Chamois Whammy at Nipika Mountain Resort |
Biking the Old Coach Trail from Dry Gulch to Radium Hot Springs
The Old Coach Trail, an old historic road is one of the nicest family-friendly mountain bike rides in the valley and isn't too long if you set up a vehicle shuttle or send an adult back for the car. The Old Coach Trail is double track the entire time and is 9 km one way.
There's a lovely coffee shop on main street as well near the end of the trail in Radium Hot Springs if you should find yourself waiting around with the kids while another adult is riding back to the trailhead for the vehicle. There's also an ice-cream shop on main street on the other side of the highway.
Biking the Old Coach Trail from Dry Gulch to Radium Hot Springs |
We first biked the trail with our son at age 4 and while challenging at that age, he did awesome. My husband ran along beside him to offer a bit of assistance on the occasional steep hill or loose gravel patch but by age 5 he was doing fine - and just walked the big hills (of which there are a few.)
Route Directions:
We prefer to start at Dry Gulch, biking into Radium Hot Springs. This way, most of the ride is gradual downhill until the final climb back up to town at the end. Note that the final hill is over 2 kilometres long in distance (and quite steep) so bring lots of candy for the end.
Climbing up the final section of the Old Coach Trail to Radium Hot Springs |
Deja View (Singletrack Extension to the Old Coach Trail)
This is one of our favourite mountain bike trails in all of the Columbia Valley. It's smooth, flowy, technically easy, and there are very few roots or rocks. It's paradise!
Easy singletrack riding on Deja View off the Old Coach Trail |
Amazing views on the Deja View Trail |
The beauty of the mountain bike loops along Deja View is that you can ride as many as you want for a short out and back ride. Start at Dry Gulch, ride a few loops, and come back on the old road. (It will be a gradual uphill climb the whole way back on the Old Coach Trail so save energy for the return ride!!)
Alternately, ride some of the loops and then continue on the Old Coach Trail to the far trailhead in Radium Hot Springs so that you don't have to backtrack at all. This is what we usually do. (And my husband always rides back for the truck.)
Flowy easy riding on Deja View |
Our favourite bike trail in the Columbia Valley |
Trails around Invermere and Area
Lillian Lake Trails, near Invermere
5 year old approved! |
Our 5 year old still found the trail to be a challenge when we first rode it but it's one of the easiest trails in the area by far!
The Junior Johnson: Balance bike friendly |
Once you've mastered the Junior Johnston, the next trails to try are "Let it Flow" and "Filler up." They are rated "green" but are singletrack and quite a bit more difficult than the Junior Johnson. There are quite a few hills as well and you definitely need gears on the kids' bikes.
Note if you're going to ride "Let it Flow" and "Filler up," check Trail Forks to ensure you're going the right direction. "Filler up" is the climbing trail and "Let it Flow" is the descent trail for the loop. Depending on where you join up with this loop you'll either climb first or descend first.
Once you've mastered all of these trails, you can try sections of "the Johnson" or the "Kloosifier." My husband and son also really love the "Arch Potential Trail," which has a crazy snake-like section in the middle where you wind up and down a gully. (note it is a downhill trail and you need to start from the Johnson parking lot in order to get the best flow on the snake part.)
The Junior Johnson double track trail |
Arch Potential - Johnson Intermediate Loop (Lillian Lake)
Arch Potential Trail near the junction with the Johnson |
Easy flowy section on "Let it Flow" |
The Kloosifier Trail (Lillian Lake)
The Kloosifier Trail is one of our new fav. trails in the Columbia Valley, but my son didn't graduate to this trail until he'd ridden all of the other intermediate cross-country trails in this guide! He finally rode this loop at age 10 (and we still walked a lot of hills, both my son and I.) - heck, I still do!
The full loop is 8.2 km and the trail is amazingly flowy, smooth, and fun. Expect very few roots or rocks, but a few sandy sections if it hasn't rained recently. The trail is much more technical than others like Deja View outside Radium Hot Springs or the Spirit Trail in the Fairmont area - both which you should ride FIRST.
Scenic riding on the Kloosifier Trail, Lillian Lake, Invermere |
My suggestion is to start with other intermediate trails in the valley and work your way up to this one with the kids. It's also not a bad idea to solo ride it first as an adult. I'm not ashamed to admit that I have to walk some sections because a few of the hills scare me.
This trail is very beautiful though and I highly recommend it for the views alone.
Biking along the top of the hoodoos on the Kloosifier |
Flowy fun riding on the Kloosifier Trail, Lillian Lake |
The Johnson (Lillian Lake)
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Looking out over the hoodoos on the Johnson Trail |
Rock'n the Flume (Lillian Lake)
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Wooden features on Rock'n the Flume |
Panorama Mountain Resort Trails, near Invermere
We rode two different trails on our last visit to Panorama. These are both cross-country trails and free to ride. We have not paid to ride any of the lift-assessed downhill trails yet.
Option One: The Paved Valley Trail Loop
The first option here is the Valley Trail, a paved 3.9 km loop. And while it is paved, know that there is some steep climbing from the upper village to the Grey Wolf golf course. Once you leave the golf course, you'll be riding down to the lower village (where you'll have one section of very steep switchbacks.)
The best direction to do this loop is from the Upper Village up to the golf course and then down to the Lower Village. You'll end up at the gondola (which you can ride for free with your bikes back up to the Upper Village.)
I do not recommend riding uphill from the Lower Village to reach the golf course. This would involve biking up the steep switchbacks.
Riding the paved Valley Trail at Panorama Mountain Resort |
The first cabin on the Pacer Trail |
Option Two: Hale Hut Ride
For a second option that is more of an easy mountain bike ride (and not paved) you can bike from the Grey Wolf golf course up to the Hale Hut in roughly a 5 km return ride. You'll be riding on winter ski trails.
You'll start on the Pacer Trail, a double track gravel trail, and you'll pass by a small cabin before reaching the junction with the Hale Trail.
The Pacer Trail gains about 100 metres but it is never overly steep. You can always push your bike up any hill that proves to be too difficult. From the junction with the Hale Trail you'll gain another 60 metres or so (in a very short distance.) We pushed our bikes up most of this section (which thank goodness only took about 10 minutes at the most.)
The ride out from the Hale Hut is very fast and you'll be at the final climb back up to the golf course in no time!
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Hale Hut (which is open for warming up in on cool days) |
Option Three: Combine the Valley Trail and the Hale Hut Trip
Starting at the Upper Village, bike the Valley Trail until you reach the golf course. Hop onto the Pacer Trail and ride out to the Hale Hut. Return and then finish your ride on the Valley Trail, heading down to the Lower Village. Ride the gondola back up to return to your starting point at the Upper Village.
Total distance here would be roughly 9 km. It is a half day outing and fun for families staying in one of the condos at the resort.
Riding along the Pacer Trail en route to the Hale Hut |
During the summer season there is also lift accessed mountain biking at the resort, but the chairlifts weren't running for biking when we were there.
You can see all of the trails at Panorama Mountain Resort on the Trail Forks website.
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Biking down from the Hale Hut |
The Markin-MacPhail Westside Legacy Trail, near Invermere
The full trail is 24 km in distance, one way, and has 270 - 320 metres of climbing depending on which direction you ride. The link above takes you to the Trail Forks map to view the stats.
Paved biking on the Westside Legacy Trail |
Alternately, the trail is easy to find from the Fairmont side as well.
Climbing switchbacks on the Legacy Trail |
Riding the Westside Legacy Trail near Fairmont |
The SRL Trail near Invermere
Gorgeous views of Lake Windermere from the SRL Lakeside Trail |
To reach the parking lot from Invermere, get on to Westside Road on the far side of Lake Windermere. This road goes all the way towards Fairmont. Follow the road until you see the paved Legacy Trail beside you on your right. Keep driving until you arrive at a big parking lot with a sign that says SRL Property on your right hand side. The parking lot is shown on this map between segments 3 and 4 on the Legacy Trail.
Optional ending 1. Leave the kids and an adult at the end, and send a second adult back for the vehicle. It's a short ride back if you take the road but it's uphill most of the way.
Optional ending 2. Cross the road and head further up the road a short distance where you'll see a gate and a single track trail leading off from it. This is the mountain side portion of the trail. It returns through the forest to the parking lot you started from.
All together with the SRL Lakeside Loop and the Mountainside Trail return, you'll be riding approximately 8 km. You can also hop off the Mountainside Trail onto the paved Legacy Trail for the return ride.
Trails do not get more beautiful than this! |
Mount Swansea South Park Trail via the South Ridge, near Invermere
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Smooth downhill riding on South Park off Mount Swansea |
Note, Hula Girl isn't the smoothest trail, and it's quite challenging with small bike tires. Once you get through this section though, Beyond Beef and Chic-n-Chuck are both smooth again.
The biking trail goes left, the hiking trail goes right from the top of the South Ridge |
Trails around Fairmont Hot Springs
The Spirit Trail, Fairmont Hot Springs
The Spirit Trail is a wide double track old road that takes you from Fairmont Hot Springs towards Canal Flats. From this trail, you can hop on several different single track trails for a spectacular ride above Columbia Lake.
Fairmont Trailhead:
Continue past the big sign for the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort on the highway (coming from Invermere.) Turn left onto Fairmont Creek Road (same side of the road as the resort.) Take your first right off this road onto Columbia River Road.
Follow Columbia River Road until it turns to gravel and keep going as you follow the river. Drive until you reach the gate for the Nature Conservancy's protected area. There is an official parking lot with bathrooms here.
From the parking lot, there are many options for rides depending on your family's abilities.
Easy riding on the double track section of the Spirit Trail, Fairmont Hot Springs |
Option One : The Double Track Spirit Trail
Half a kilometre in to the singletrack bit of trail, you'll reach a section of exposed trail hugging cliffs to your left. This is where you'll either turn around or you can walk the narrowest parts until the trail opens up again. It's only a kilometre through this section at most until the trail becomes the wide open road again.
Even if you just make it to the canyon and back, you'll still get a nice ride in that's at least 8 km round trip.
Easy double track riding on the Spirit Trail in Fairmont |
Option Two: Teen Spirit (Singletrack Extension to the Spirit Trail)
Teen Spirit is one of our favourite trails in the Columbia Valley. Prerequisite experience for this trail should be riding "Deja View" (mentioned earlier) or other intermediate singletrack trails in the area. Kids will need a 20" bike (or larger) with hand brakes and gears.
We love this trail because it is very similar to our beloved flowy, cruisy, "Deja View" Trail near Invermere. The hills are never very long or sustained, there are no big climbs, and the trail is gloriously smooth. (very few roots or rocks.)
Singletrack riding off the Spirit Trail near Fairmont |
Directions: From Fairmont, ride out on the double track Spirit Trail until you come to an intersection where the B&B Trail comes in from above and Teen Spirit descends to your right. I can't provide a link unfortunately because the trail has been taken off the Trail Forks app. (I assure you the trail is still there, that biking it is allowed, and that it's a great ride.)
Biking alongside Columbia Lake on Teen Spirit |
Biking above Columbia Lake on Teen Spirit |
Trails around the Town of Golden to the North
Playing on the town pump track located off the Rotary Loop behind the Mount 7 Rec Plex |
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Easy flat terrain on Bush Party |
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Descending the Mighty Quinn |
Standing on the launch pad at the top of Mount 7 above Golden |
Reminder to carry bear spray when riding and to make lots of noise! |
Trails around Kimberley and Cranbrook to the South
Biking The North Star Rails 2 Trails from Kimberley to Cranbrook
The North Star Rails to Trails path is a converted railway trail, 25 km in length, and completely paved. Start in Kimberley and it is all downhill to Marysville. From here there is a wee bit of uphill but it is mostly flat to Wycliffe. From Wycliffe, you will descend and then climb back up from the St. Mary's River Bridge. Once you finish the climb back up, it is relatively flat again until you reach Cranbrook.
We did this ride on a 30+ degree day in July 2015, and it was hot! There is very little shade on this trail so bring lots of water or else bike it on a cooler day. Starting early is also a good idea before it gets too hot.
Biking on the North Star Rails to Trails Path |
While it is possible to get a bus ride to Cranbrook to start the ride, you would then have to bike mostly uphill all the way back to Kimberley (less than ideal with kids.) Easier is to do your own shuttle with friends (stashing a second vehicle in Cranbrook) or else have an adult bike back for the vehicle.
If an adult is biking back, consider parking somewhere around the halfway mark (maybe in Wycliffe) so that you don't have to bike back so far at the end. My husband parked in Cranbrook and then biked back up the trail to meet us. This meant that he didn't get to ride the whole trail with us but at least we had our truck at the end.
All trail info. can be found on the North Star Rails to Trails website.
Mountain Biking at the Kimberley Nordic Centre
There were a couple of hills that felt steep for climbing (but could be walked by young children or beginner riders.) I loved the flowy ending to the ride as you descend back down to the trailhead (clockwise direction.)
Mountain biking at the Kimberley Nordic Centre |
I started out on this one but personally found it to be way too rocky and rough. I escaped on ski trails while my boys finished it. They completed the loop but they also found it to be unpleasantly rocky on all of the climbs. They said the first two descents were "unremarkable" but the third one was a lot of fun with flowy berms, jumps, and rollers. (So there is a reward if you manage to complete the loop.)
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Enjoying one of the viewpoints at the Kimberley Nordic Centre on "Magic Line" |
Mountain Biking in the Kimberley Nature Park
We found the trails in the Nature Park to be quite rocky and challenging, but families will enjoy the two traverses that we completed:
SW Passage Traverse from the Nordic Centre
We started from the Nordic Centre on the Spruce Trail, a multi-use double track trail that's part of the lit loop for cross-country skiing in winter. (Starting at the Nordic Centre allows you to start high for less height gain when traversing into the Nature Park.
From Spruce, we followed a few singletrack cross-country ski trails, open to multi-use traffic in summer. We followed the Horse Trail, Roy's Cut and Mussers. These trails took us to the boundary with the Nature Park.
Once officially in the Nature Park, we took Higgins Hill, a short connector trail that I walked much of due to the rocky descent. And all this, to finally reach the Army Road, part of the TransCanada Trail (or the Great Trail as it's now called.)
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Easy scenic riding on the Army Road in the Nature Park |
The Army Road is a beautiful double track trail that traverses through the entire Nature Park. It is great for families or beginner mountain bikers. The section we rode took us through a beautiful lush forest and we felt miles from civilization.
You can also get on the Army Road lower down in the City of Kimberley at the Swan Street Trailhead where you start on the Lower Army Road. We just wanted to start higher up to avoid extra climbing.
We took the Army Road to Jimmy Russell, another section of the Great Trail, and also a wide double track trail that's great for novice riders. From here we were able to hop on the SW Passage Trail, our objective for the ride.
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Our objective for the ride: The SW Passage Viewpoint |
The SW Passage Trail only climbs 45 metres but I found it too steep to ride. After this, we took the short SW Passage Viewpoint Trail to reach a fabulous lookout that I encourage all families to either hike or bike to. Apparently this trail only climbs another 13 metres, but again, it is straight up, and there's no way any of us could ride it. (Though my boys did ride down.)
My recommendation is to bring a bike lock and to leave the bikes at the junction of Jimmy Russell and the SW Passage Trail. Continue on foot for the final 500 metres of distance. (It was a long ways to push one's bike!)
From the top of the viewpoint we walked/rode back down to Jimmy Russell and continued all the way down to the bottom, ending across the road from the Kimberley Riverside Campground where we were staying. My husband rode back across the park for the truck.
Riding down the SW Passage Viewpoint Trail |
Sunflower Hill Traverse from the Swan Street Trailhead Entrance
Most people just climb up to Sunflower Hill from the Kimberley Riverside Campground and return the same way. All I can say for our excuse is that we don't like climbing if there's a way to avoid it. And we wanted to see more of the Nature Park in another big traverse.
We followed the Lower Army Road, a double track section of the Great Trail, from Swan Street until we reached the Ponderosa Trail, another double track trail but with steeper climbing. We got back on the Lower Army Road and connected on to Eimer's Road so that we could check out Eimer's Lake (not much to see in reality.)
Our goal from there was to reach Elbow, and eventually the Forest Crowne Through Road. Everything we rode was double track easy riding and we were able to traverse much of the nature park without any technical riding.
Easy riding on the Forest Crowne Through Road en route to Sunflower Hill |
Sunflower Hill was the objective for the ride and it was a beautiful ridge which we loved riding across. Then the ride down to the campground was a lot of fun as well.
Scenic riding along the ridge on Sunflower Hill |
However you reach Sunflower Hill, it is a viewpoint I highly recommend hiking or biking to, and you'll only gain 126 metres if you decide to ride up from the campground. The grade is pretty gentle too.
Riding down the Sunflower Hill Trail in the Nature Park |
The Kimberley Bike Park and the Mark Creek Trail
The Bike Park is a lot of fun for kids who love jumps! |
Downhill Mountain Biking at Bootleg Mountain
"Kimberley's newest machine built trail is a 1.5km downhill/ flow/ jump trail. This trail can be ridden by all riders and has nice smooth dirt with very few rocks. The 44 features include tons of table tops and a gap jump over a big fallen tree, as well as one over a rock garden. Every big feature has an easier alternate line. This trail has 40 berms from top to bottom with the biggest ones being 6+ ft high." - Trail Forks
Kimberley's premier downhill trails at Bootleg Mountain |
"Built as an option for riders who want to progress a bit higher and more advanced than Nimby (Miss Demeanour). This new trail is fast and fluid with giant berms and terrific tabletops for intermediate riders." - Trail Forks
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Fun feature on the PPP Trail |
You'll want full face helmets and padding for the kids if you send them down PPP |
Biking on the Cranbrook Trail Network
Easy family-friendly biking on the Chief Isadore Trail |
"This is an easy beginner trail that is 1.2 metres wide that climbs at 3 - 5 % from the Chief Isadore Trail to the Kettle Lake parking lot. The lower part of the trail can also be linked with Elephant Run to make a nice 3.8 km beginner loop.
This makes for a great first ever downhill run. This trail is also a part of the Cranbrook Great Trail Loop" - Trail Forks
Easy flow riding on Pilsit and Elephant Run |
Padawan is a great mountain bike trail for novice riders |
More Biking in the Columbia Valley
For more information on biking in the Columbia Valley, visit Trail Forks for the Columbia Valley and search the various areas to see what trails might be suitable for your family.
Nipika Mountain Resort |
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