Trans British Columbia bike route

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Photo ofTrans British Columbia bike route

Author

JamesPascall

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Trail stats

Distance: 815 mi
Elevation gain: 35,886 ft
Technical difficulty: Moderate
Elevation loss: 40,417 ft
Max elevation: 6,825 ft
TrailRank: 71
Min elevation: 0 ft
Trail type: One Way

Coordinates: 34404
Uploaded: August 17, 2019
Recorded: August 2019

2 Claps

near Banff, Alberta (Canada)

Viewed 2272 times, downloaded 16 times

Trail photos

Itinerary description

Multi day touring/ MTB trail across British Columbia starting in Banff (just over border in Alberta) and finishing at Horseshoe Bay outside Vancouver (ferry to Vancouver Island where trail could be continued). Use of highways/ gravel road/ old railway line roughly following the route of the Trans Canada Trail. General notes:

Daily average mileage will depend on ability/ terrain etc. There are some tough sections on this trail - notably the Gray Creek Pass (especially if doing this trail west to east - much steeper).

First 3 days on road to cover more mileage and skip more remote section of TCT.

Sections such as Gray Creek Pass will be snowbound until June/ early July at times. Check http://graycreekstore.com/news for updates.

Some sections of this trail are very remote and good planning is required.

Carry bear spray and be ready to use it!

Many sections of the Kettle Valley Railway are in poor condition due to the trail being ripped up by ATV's. This results in a sandy/ loose gravel surface which makes cycling much harder. My touring (cyclocross) bike with 38mm touring tires just made it but MTB tires would be more comfortable. Long sections of the rail trail were skipped using roads where available but some sections there is no road option.

In places the TCT is poorly marked and badly maintained. The worst section on this route was alongside highway 5 between Brookmere and Coquihalla Lakes. No signs/ landslips/ trees across trail/ overgrown/ almost non existent path/ gravel sections. I resorted to using highway 5 in the end.

Section Hope to Vancouver tries to use less busy roads, in part following Highway 1 alternative route. But signage is also a problem and roads get progressively busier on approach to Vancouver. Last section very busy and hilly. Appear to be multiple bike routes available on entry to Vancouver but again hard to follow at times.

A rewarding, beautiful and at times remote trip.

Waypoints

Horseshoe Bay

Ferry to Vancouver Island from Horseshoe Bay

Vancouver

Bridge view

Hope

Good accommodation stop

Othello Tunnels

Descent towards Hope

Hard navigation here

Start of difficult, poorly signposted section to Coquihalla Lakes. Basically follow Highway 5 or to speed things up join the highway - traffic is busy but there's a decent hard shoulder.

Brookmere

Old station here. No facilities.

Turn off road back onto KVR

Easier and faster to ride up gravel road to this point, then turn off onto rail trail again towards Brookmere.

Otter Lake Camping

Good overnight camping location before ascent to Brookmere. Beware bears very active in this area!

Coalmont

Very quiet place - Tulameen is bigger and has good general store.

Jellicoe Inn

Overnight option, next to Chain Lake. Camping also available. This B & B is a very steep climb off the road up a gravel track but worth it!

Tulameen River

Great lunch stop after Princeton on way to Tulameen

Penticton

25 mile descent from Chute Lake to Penticton - one of the best and easiest sections of the KVR. Watch out for rattlesnakes! Lots of vineyards on approach to Penticton. Town is large, lots of facilities, very busy in summer.

Chute Lake

Good overnight spot. Lodge with bunk rooms, camping available. Restaurant - but shuts at 7pm!

Myra Canyon

Highlight of the KVR. Very busy with tourists, but a mile either side becomes completely deserted again.

Turn off 33 to rejoin KVR

Beaverdell

Good place for stocking up, coffee etc.

Midway

Overnight option. Start of the Kettle Valley Railway

Greenwood

Good stop for refreshments - Copper Eagle Bakery!

Eholt

Old station stop, nothing left to see now. Downhill all the way to Midway

Cascade

Cascade or Catherine Lake good overnight stop. Very hospitable B & B here https://www.facebook.com/CascadeCityGuestHouse/ I arrived very late - restaurant at next door golf club closed so owner went out and got me pizzas. Thank you!

Farron Summit

From here downhill all the way to Catherine Lake, but trail is sandy with loose gravel lower down.

Bulldog Tunnel

About 10km before the summit. A 900m long tunnel. Water available at tunnel entrance. Tunnel is very dark, cold and long!

Photo ofStart of the Columbia and Western Rail Trail

Start of the Columbia and Western Rail Trail

About 6km outside Castlegar, after the huge lumber mill next to the lake. Start of a very long climb and very remote section of trail. The next habitation is Christina Lake about 50 miles further, although wild camping is possible along the trail.

Ferry to Balfour

This is a free ferry! First run around 7am, good timing to have breakfast on the ferry.

Crawford Bay

After Gray Creek Pass, a good place to stop with accommodation options before taking the ferry across Kootenay Lake to Balfour

Gray Creek Pass. 6,800ft

From the Kimberley side this is a long climb, not too steep but on progressively rougher track. Descent to Gray Creek is much steeper and shorter - up to 15% gradient

Kimberley Riverside Campground

Unless camping wild this is about the closest location to start the climb to Gray Creek Pass from the Kimberley side.

Fairmont Hot Springs

Accommodation available here.

Vermillion Crossing

Kootenay Lodge at Vermillion Crossing. Historic lodge in the middle of Kootenay National Park. Accommodation, restaurant, shop. Lots of bears around here....

Continental Divide

Crossing the continental divide

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