Categories > Guides and Tips
11 Mountain Biking Spots in Canada for Your Next Epic Adventure
If you’re in Canada, it’s impossible not to get involved in outdoor activities, what with its wonder-filled natural splendor. Though I wasn’t an outdoorsy person when I was younger, I finally gave into the curiosity of venturing into the great wild outdoors, starting with camping.
One of those cool sports that I now love is mountain biking—sure, I’m not exactly the best at it and I do fall quite a bit, but it’s something I enjoy!
With our mountains and rugged terrains, there’s no shortage of cool destinations to start your adventure. But where should you go?
Don’t worry! We narrowed down our favourites to help you pick which spots are best for mountain biking! Newbies and pros, time to list these places down!
Whistler Mountain Bike Park
Media credit: whistlerblackcomb
Location: 4282 Mountain Square, Squamish, BC
Contact: 1-800-766-0449, 604-967-8950 (local), [email protected]
Operating Hours: Subject to change due to weather conditions. Click here for updated hours
Difficulty Level: Intermediate – expert (bike school for beginners)
Website
Whistler is notorious for outdoor sports and activities, may it be summer or winter. If you love mountain biking, this BC hotspot should be on your list!
With 70 crafted trails across different areas in the mountains, you’ll find singletracks and doubletracks with unique challenges. Enjoy dirt and snow-packed trails at Whistler, which means you can ride no matter the season.
Whistler Mountain Bike Park is for all skill levels. Beginners should start at the Orientation Centre at the top of Fitzsimmons Express for some tips, tricks, and trail advice.
Pro Tip:
You need a bike pass to enter Whistler. You can also save energy by purchasing lift tickets— buy them online instead of at the window for cheaper rates. If you’re staying for a week, check the park passes.
Canmore Nordic Centre
Media credit: alberta_parks
Location: 1988 Olympic Way, Canmore, AB
Contact: 403-678-2400, [email protected]
Operating Hours: Monday – Sunday: 9 am – 5 pm
Difficulty Level: All skill levels (majority of trails are difficult)
Website
Alberta’s Canmore Nordic Centre has impressive trails. It has a network of over 100 km of trails for beginners, intermediate, and expert skill levels.
The best part about it all is the scenic lookouts— while you’re riding along Alberta’s trails, you’ll also see the gorgeous Canadian Rockies. Enjoy wide dirt roads, narrow trails, rolling terrains, and singletracks.
For bikers who want to practice and perform tricks, pedal over to the Mountain Bike Skills Park. It’s free to use and has technical trails that include skinnies, drops, and bridges. Be warned: this is an unsupervised zone.
Pro Tip:
Part of the trails (mainly the wildlife corridor) is closed from June to November and December to June. Don’t forget to check the website for updates and current restricted areas.
Mont-Sainte-Anne
Media credit: coupemtbmsa
Location: 2000 Bd du Beau Pré, Beaupré, QC
Contact: 418-827-4561, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday – Friday: 9 am – 4 pm
- Saturday – Sunday: 8:30 am – 4 pm
Difficulty Level: All skill levels
Website
At Mont-Sainte-Anne, there are trails for every skill level. The beginner loop mostly has singletracks, the intermediate trails are full of small challenges, and the expert loop is for tough, long-distance rides.
It also has the longest history with the Mountain Bike World Cup and has hosted various events throughout the years. It’s not surprising, really, since it’s composed of lots of downhills, rugged terrains, and cross-country trails.
Watch out for treacherous terrains, which are really not for beginners. If you want to spread out your biking activities, you can camp out at Mont-Sainte-Anne so you can take breaks.
Pro Tip:
Download the interactive trail map on your phone to ensure you won’t get lost. If you’re a beginner, it’ll save you the hassle of accidentally turning to the intermediate and expert tracks.
Fundy National Park
Media credit: outdoor_elements_fundy
Location: Fundy National Park, Alma, NB
Contact: 506-887-6000, [email protected]
Operating Hours: Monday – Sunday: 8 am – 8 pm
Difficulty Level: Beginner – expert
Website
Fundy’s biking trails welcome beginners and pros— even kids can ride the terrains. It’s also ideal for families because of the flat and forested paths, but seasoned riders still get to enjoy ravines, rocky, and enduro trails.
It has multi-use trails, so always be aware of hikers. They have the right of way, so avoid going fast when you’re on the shared trail.
If you go to the Chignecto Recreation Area, there’s a pump track with easy and moderate loops. And if you cannot bring your own bike, you can find bike rentals for both mountain and fat biking.
Pro Tip:
Not all trails allow mountain biking. Click here to see which ones are open to riders.
Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park at Brookvale Nordic
Media credit: tourismpei
Location: 1800 PE-13, North Wiltshire, PE
Contact: 902-658-7862, [email protected]
Operating Hours: Depending on the weather conditions. Click here for the full schedule
Difficulty Level: All skill levels
Website
Riders will have a special time at Brookvale Activity Bike Park. This is a mountain biking paradise, with 22 km of singletrack trails and freestyle paths— there’s always a spot to practice your skills.
The 2.2 km trail called Surf & Turf is for seasoned riders, but intermediate skill levels can ride this as well. This loop is well-maintained but equipped with drops, jumps, climbs, and skinnies.
If you’re still unsure if this is the right PEI bike park, we want you to know that this is home to the Rigid Riders Mountain Bike Club, a group both youngsters and adults can join in.
Pro Tip:
This bike park is not open all the time. It has seasonal availability, so carefully plan your Prince Edward Island vacation if you want to go mountain biking.
Sun Peaks Bike Park
Media credit: sunpeaksbikepark
Location: 3400-3270 Creekside Way, Sun Peaks, BC
Contact: Contact form
Operating Hours: June – September (subject to change based on weather conditions)
Difficulty Level: Intermediate – expert
Website
If you’re looking for a summer mountain biking destination, try Sun Peaks Bike Park in BC. It has over 83 km of trails with various difficulties and challenges, including steep and technical singletracks and freeride trails.
If you do want to freeride, new trails have been added that cater to beginners and pros. You can ride across three beautiful mountains in BC, which adds an absolutely gorgeous experience!
There’s a total of 45 trails, with the highest elevation of 1,850. After this, you can even go to the nearby trails for a whole new experience, like Kamloops and Revelstoke Mountain Resort.
Pro Tip:
Don’t forget to purchase the lift ticket here. However, you have to be ready to climb in case the lift is inaccessible due to the weather.
Kamloops
Media credit: thomasvanderham
Location: 1105 Highland Rd, Kamloops, BC
Contact: 1-250-372-8000, [email protected]
Operating Hours: Weather dependent
Difficulty Level: All skill levels
Website
There’s something special about Kamloops— it’s actually considered the birthplace of the freeride mountain biking community in BC. Once you get there, you’ll understand why (and how appropriate the title is!)
Kamloops is a fun mountain biking spot in BC because it’s challenging but not too much. Beginners and experts can pedal around here while enjoying the gorgeous scenery.
The trail network includes four cross-country areas and three downhill tracks. There are ups and downs, as well as jumps, that aren’t too tough to handle. But if you’re going on a kid-friendly adventure, head over to the KBRA Progression Zone.
Once summer ends, you can still bike here since it’s open all seasons. Not all are open, though, but check out Kenna Cartwright Park and Isobel Lake Winter Recreation Trails.
Pro Tip:
Kamloops is open all seasons, but keep note of the operating hours of the trails. Check the dog-friendly trails since most allow furry companions.
The Hydrocut
Media credit: the_hydrocut
Location: 1522 Glasgow St, Waterloo, ON
Contact: [email protected]
Operating Hours: Year-round, weather dependent
Difficulty Level: All skill levels
Website
The Hydrocut MTB Trails is only a short drive from Kitchener, or you can just bike for 30 minutes. This is a prime destination in Ontario for mountain biking, attracting over 80,000 visitors each year!
It has over 35 km of flowing trails, where you can enjoy obstacles, rollers, jumps, and smooth turns. There are 34 trails that actually connect to each other, which has its own set of unique challenges and difficulty levels— the majority have intermediate difficulty.
If you’re coming with the whole family, there’s a set of kids’ trails so they can ride their bikes safely and away from pros jumping and turning. You can also enjoy loop trails, which are ideal if you want to test the waters without accidentally wandering off.
Pro Tip:
Check their socials for trail updates. Riders aren’t allowed on the tracks when the ground is soft and muddy.
Corner Brook Stream Trail Network
Media credit: kennyg6239
Location: Corner Brook Stream Trail Network, Corner Brook, NL
Contact: 709-639-9266, [email protected]
Operating Hours: Year-round
Difficulty Level: Intermediate – expert
Website
The Corner Brook Stream Trail Network started off small but has now expanded to take you on an adventure from the city to the wilderness. It’s actually located in the downtown area and extends to nature’s territory.
It’s a beginner-friendly mountain biking trail, as it has marked access points in the city. Plus, there are multiple rest areas along the trails.
This hidden gem has a pretty rugged terrain, but it’s not too bad or too challenging. You’ll come across hikers, though, so be aware and give way to pedestrians.
Pro Tip:
Before visiting, check for trail updates on the website. Some areas and entrances may be closed for development.
Banff National Park
Media credit: banff_lakelouise
Location: Improvement District No. 9, AB T0L, Canada
Contact: Complete contact numbers
Operating Hours: Click here for complete hours of operation
Difficulty Level: All skill levels
Website
Something to tick off your bucket list is mountain biking in the Canadian Rockies. Banff National Park is a paradise for people who love the outdoors— it’s nature’s wonderland with its scenic viewpoints, snow-capped mountains, pristine lakes, and beautiful wildlife.
This magical place is brimming with nature trails for beginners, seasoned riders, and families with kids. Fenland Trail is a good start if you’re not familiar with the area because it’s only a 5-minute bike ride from the town of Banff.
If you want to challenge yourself, the Rundle Riverside Trail is fun, even with lots of rocks and roots.
Pro Tip:
If you plan on biking on the trails near the Canmore side, make sure you bring a really good mountain bike and essential gear. Some terrains will be rooty and rocky, so make sure you’re well equipped in case of accidents or broken down bikes.
SilverStar Bike Park
Media credit: silverstarbikepark
Location: 123 Shortt St, Silver Star Mountain, BC
Contact: 250-558-6083, [email protected]
Operating Hours: Based on the season. Click here for full hours of operation
Difficulty Level: All skill levels
Website
For seasoned riders, ride down to BC straight to SilverStar Bike Park for the coolest trails. You basically get all kinds of terrain, which makes it a one-stop destination for everyone!
There are an impressive 69 km of high-speed downhill trails that are full of unique challenges, such as berms, jumps, and rocky paths. But if you want the ultimate obstacles, go to the Enduro tracks and take on the cross-country trails!
The cool thing is the trails continue to get upgraded! More obstacles are added over time, so there’s something new to take on!
Pro Tip:
Although there are trails for beginners, it’s still pretty limited. If you’re bringing the kids, check out family-friendly activities to keep them entertained.
