Mountain biking and cycling trails in the Thompson Okanagan are as diverse as the region’s topography.
Riders can casually ride winding single-track through sagebrush-covered desert, or plunge down steep rock faces and catch air on huge stunts. There are paths for biking serenely past lakes and rivers and along abandoned rail lines.
Kelowna and Kamloops trails have lured mountain bikers for years. Salmon Arm and Merritt offer epic cross-country rides, with enough gnarly terrain to please freeriders. Don’t like pedalling? Head to the bike parks at Sun Peaks Resort and Silver Star Resort and concentrate on the descents.
Mountain Bike Trails
Kelowna has more than 10 areas to ride, so mountain bikers can explore for weeks. The Gillard trails have a few intermediate technical descents, but most trails are steep, with hundreds of built up stunts. Glenmore Highlands has less technical trails, while Knox Mountain Park features narrow, technical intermediate descents and big climbs. For an epic ride, head to MacDougal Rim and start climbing – for over an hour!
Explore diverse landscapes and a huge trail network in Kamloops. Stake Lake is good for beginners, while Harper Mountain caters to the downhill/shuttle crowd. Kenna Cartwright Park (Mount Dufferin) offers something for everyone. Practice skills at the Kamloops Bike Ranch, a 26-ha/64-ac skills park with jumps, a BMX Olympic training course and six short downhill runs.
Salmon Arm is an ideal place for beginner and intermediate riders. The Larch Hills Nordic Trail System offers 125km/78mi of beginner and intermediate trails. Check out the great lake views on the Larch Hills Travese/Shuswap Trail, a 38-km/24-mi (one way) cross-country route from Salmon Arm to Sicamous.
Merritt’s terrain includes wide open fields and grasslands, with forested beginner and intermediate descents. It has three areas for cross-country riders. Freeriders looking for steep, rocky and gnarly trails loaded with stunts can shuttle (or ride) up Iron Mountain.
Okanagan Bike Parks
The Thompson Okanagan has two bike parks offering trails for all skill levels, from cruising runs that keep beginners grinning to intermediate runs on twisting single-track. Freeriders love the natural steeps and challenging man-made stunts. Sun Peaks Resort offers 70km/44mi on 31 trails with more than 200 features. Silver Star Mountain Resort offers 20 bike trails including its signature run, World Cup, an expert trail filled with jumps, berms and wall rides.
The Kettle Valley Trail
The renowned Kettle Valley Trail covers 455km/283mi of easy to moderate terrain between Grand Forks and Brodie, with access points to the trail found in multiple towns along the way. Cycle from near-desert to sub-alpine meadows, ride across high wooden trestles and pass spectacular provincial parks, lush orchards and vineyards. The trail’s most notable section is Myra Canyon, which features 18 trestles and two tunnels.
Biking to Wineries
The Okanagan Wine Route stretches from Osoyoos to Salmon Arm and is dotted with wineries, some only minutes apart. Leisurely ride between wineries to sample award-winning vintages, pause for lunch on one of the many outdoor patios or cruise the outskirts of a burgeoning vineyard.
Interntational Biking and Hiking Trail
The 18-km/11-mi International Biking and Hiking Trail gently and levelly meanders through the heart of the South Okanagan. Starting near Oliver, it extends to Osoyoos Lake hugging the Okanagan River the whole way, and offering picturesque views of expansive farmland and Canada’s only desert.
Mission Creek Greenway
Pedal to unique geological sights on the 17-km/11-mi Mission Creek Greenway in Kelowna. This popular multi-use gravel path winds through downtown and passes diverse scenery: city neighbourhoods give way to historic buildings, forests and orchards, ending with views of hoodoos (stone-like pillars) in Gallagher’s Canyon.
Biking Trip Ideas
Check out Thompson Okanagan Cycling Tours for suggestions on biking trip ideas in this region, including some places to stay and things to do.
Bike Events
Around 400 participants gear up annually for the Okanagan Shuswap Century Ride (in Armstrong). This one day event offers three races: a 14km/8.7-mi, "Half-Century" (56km/35mi) and "The Century" (100km/62mi).
Training for a race? Cyclists preparing for grand prix, triathlon and ironman races are a regular sight around Penticton, which hosts Canada's only full Ironman race. Don’t miss recently founded mass cycling events like the GranFondo Kelowna and GranFondo Axel Merckx Okanagan in Penticton.
Practical Points
- Bike helmets are mandatory in BC.
- The best season for cycling is between May and October.
- Obey all trail signs and respect trail closures.
- Many communities and all bike parks in the region offer bike and equipment rentals.
- Full-face helmets and armour are recommended in bike parks, and riders must be at least 12.
- Check with local Visitor Centres for more information on biking and cycling in the region.
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