Burns Lake Biking
When Pigs Fly trail, Kevin Derksen photo
The mountain bike community in Burns Lake is well organized and highly active, which makes for excellent, accessible, and easy to navigate mountain biking trails.
There are two areas for riding: Boer Mountain Recreation Site and Burns Lake Bike Park. The main mountain biking area is Boer Mountain, just a few minutes drive north of town. Burns Lake Bike Park is located adjacent to Boer Mountain Recreation Site.
The recreation site and bike park are managed by the local bike club (Burns Lake Mountain Biking Association).
Boer Mountain Recreation Site
The recreation site is comprised of 4,000ha/9,884ac of Crown land, with more than 13km/8mi of downhill trails and 7km/4mi of cross-country trails. Additional trails are also in the works.
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The downhill trails off the top of Boer Mountain were designed by the renowned Gravity Logic team (the same trailbuilding team behind Whistler Mountain Bike Park). Beginner to intermediate riders will enjoy the trails around Kager Lake, which also has walk-in camping and picnic spots.
Burns Lake Bike Park
Burns Lake Bike Park's well-marked routes twist around a wetland area, several streams and a small lake. The terrain includes a variety of cross-country and downhill, with difficulty levels ranging from beginner to advanced. Various trails include fun and challenging features such as jumps, drops, wall rides and boardwalks.
Difficulty levels are clearly marked on the Burns Lake Bike Park Map, but riders are apt to know how hard the trails are according to their names. Examples of the more difficult tracks include "Smells Like Bacon," "Pork Grind," and "Slaughter House." Some of the easier ones such as "Piglet" and "Curly Tail" are less intimidating.
The bike park also hosts a 4-cross track and a skills park for riders to practice. Features include log rides, ramps, jumps, skinnies, a pump track, and more.
More Trails
More trails are located in various spots around Burns Lake, such as above Nourse/Allin Creek on the northside of Francois Lake, and in the backwoods throughout the southside of the lake. For competitive riders, Burns Lake hosts an annual August mountain bike competition called the Big Pig.
Note: Visitors should bring their own bikes and helmets. Safety gear such as body armour is also recommended for those who aim to take on the more difficult terrain and features.
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