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British Columbia is littered with amazing riding. Here are some
of the awesome areas that I have visited. I have ranked them on
the fun factor and technical skills
needed to have fun. Remember that riding is a privilege so respect
the trails and the other people that use them. I run, mountain bike,
hike and dirt bike on these trails and there is enough room for
everyone. Just treat people how you would want to be treated. If
you come upon some hikers, dog walkers or anyone else, stop, shut
down your motor, say hi and go about your merry way.
GPS: One of the hardest things I have found is
finding all the rad single track that is out there. We already have
a couple of maps up that have been kindly pasted on to me and you
can print them out. You will also notice a GPS map (PDF file) that
you can also print out. I carry a Garmin 60c on each ride and am
slowly mapping each area so it will be easier for you to find all
the incredible areas. So take the time to check them out and if
you have any comments or concerns, please let us know. Before we
start here is some…
Trail Etiquette:
1. Clean up after yourself and others. Don't leave trash lying
around. It makes us look bad.
2. Help work on the trails. A few people do a lot of the work so
donate to your local club or better yet donate your time and help
keep riding areas pristine.
3. If trails are deliberately blocked, then leave them. Often they
need to be kept in shape for a race or other event.
4. Use CAUTION on the trails. These trails are used by other people
so there may be hikers, mountain bikers, quad riders, horse riders,
four wheelers and other riders on the trails too. Treat everyone
on the trails with respect! Remember that unless you are in a race
most trails ride in both directions. Ride accordingly.
5. Remember: Riders have died in accidents on the roads. Forestry
Service roads require you to have proper insurance. Please be careful
on the roads.
6. Less sound equals more ground: Keep your muffler in good repair
and avoid annoying people with loud bikes.
7. Ride smart: Don’t ride over your head, you know your skill
level so ride accordingly. Always wear the proper gear, which includes:
a helmet, eye protection, moto boots, gloves, heavy pants and jacket,
chest protector, food and drink and tools. There are a lot of things
out there that can hurt you. Be smart!
Trails- These trails are super technical. It is
wet, rooty, and steep. This is often called the hardest place in
BC. So be prepared, take your time and enjoy the ride!
Click here for
a trail map of McNutt.
GPS trail maps of McNutt (PDF files)
McNutt Overview
Map
Start
Area Map
West
Side Lower Trails
East
Side Lower Trails
Fun Factor- If you are a good intermediate rider
and like tight, tough riding then you will love McNutt. It is a
full body work out here that will definitely put a smile on your
wasted face.
Head East off the Lougheed Highway onto Dewdney Trunk Road . At
256th St. turn left. Drive north on 256th, past the Sawdust Shack
Cafe, until you come to the end of the pavement where there is a
closed gate. This gate has been closed due to all the partygoers
and people who dump trash on the side of the gravel road. You can
park along the paved road, unload your bikes and head around the
gate and along the road. You will pass the old open parking lot
area on your left and then the road will swing right up a small
hill and then turn left (800 meters in total). At this point look
for the entrance to the trailhead called Sandman.
Please use common sense when unloading your bikes and resist the
temptation to burnout on the road or to use the gravel pits on either
side of the road. These areas are privately owned and the
whole McNutt Area is under a watchful eye by people who want the
access shut down. Don’t give them any fuel for their
fire. Please carry out all trash and remind others to do the same.
The Blue Mountain Club who works with the local government and forestry
has put in hundreds of hours maintaining and fighting for the continued
use of these trails help them by using proper etiquette. Don’t
ruin it for everyone.
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Trails - Vedder Mountain is a great area but is
also very busy. It is also a very technical area due to its clay
soil. Not so great after a lot of rain.
Fun Factor - I have run into a lot of Red Necks
here. So if you are new people are not as patient as other areas.
But there are a ton of great trails for every ability.
Take the Sardis / Cultus Lake exit off Hwy 1. Follow the road south,
over the big steel bridge. Hang a left at the intersection and head
towards Cultus Lake. About a kilometer later, turn right onto Paramenter
Road and head up to Vedder Peak. Park after the fork in the road.
A shorter way for riders coming from Abbotsford and points west,
is to turn off Hwy 1 at the Yarrow exit. Pass through the town and
take a left at the intersection to Cultus Lake. The rest of the
directions are the same.
NOTE: There has been some trail use conflicts in the past between
motorcycle riders, mountain bikers and horse riders. Respect other
users and signage. Also many mountain bike trails are deliberately
blocked; respect the blockage since the mountain bike trails are
not designed for motorcycles.
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Trails - Tailings Pond has everything from wide-open
fire roads (boring) to tight wicked single track. Pack a lunch and
then go exploring. Yahoo Hill and Sesame Street are two wicked trails.
Click here for a trail map of Tailings
Pond.
Fun Factor - The first time I rode here I had
so much fun I returned every weekend for a month. The only thing
that slowed my return was the winter and the low snow pack.
Drive north through Hope up into the Fraser Canyon for approximately
10min. The access to the tailings pond is at B.C. Nickelmine Road.
You will cross a small bridge over Texas Creek and Nickelmine Road
will be on your left. This paved windy road is steep and then turns
to gravel. You will come to a fork in the road. Left is how you
get to the gate that can only be opened by a Fraser Valley Off-Road
Member. If you are just there for the day you can keep left and
park 100 meters up the road.
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Trails - Welcome to one of the coolest areas in BC. The
trails are plentiful and unique in every way. You can explore this
area for years. Lots of people to show you around.
Fun Factor - This area is so wicked! You will
leave with a smile on your face and be unable to drive home due
to the arm pump you have endured all weekend. This place is for
everyone!
From Lytton head on Highway 12 for 20 km. On your left you will
see the Laluwissin Creek North Fire Service Road. Head up another
14km to the trailhead. You will hit a fork with a small drinking
water lake. To head to where the start of the Monkey Wrench Race
starts head left. There is tons of space for camping and a fresh
water creek with it own unique outdoor wood burning hot tub. You
can also head right at the fork and head to more camping although
I have never been there…yet.
Click here for
Onion Lake Trail Map 1 (PDF)
Click here for
Onion Lake Trail Map 2 (PDF)
Click here for
Onion Lake Trail Map 3 (PDF)
Download all 3 maps and then tape together
for the full trail map of Onion Lake!
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Trails - I have only ridden here once and it was
hard to find trails to match my ability. The trails are dry and
fun but I need more exploring in this area.
Fun Factor - Lots of great stuff here from what
I hear. Again only been here once so I can’t give the most
accurate state of the trails.
Head northwest out of Merritt on Hwy 8 to Spences Bridge. Approximately
ten minutes out of town you will reach Aberdeen Road. Turn right
up Aberdeen and follow until the road becomes gravel. Park before
the cattle gate.
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Trails - Dry, rolling, open single track. Something
for everyone.
Fun Factor - This place is awesome. So many areas to explore
and so many options. Just go and have fun. Watch for cattle grazing!
Inks Lake is off the Coquihalla Highway approximately 13 kilometres
before Kamloops. Follow the Inks Lake U-Turn Route Exit. Follow
the road under the large culvert and you'll see a large salt/sand
shed. Park at the shed and the trails will begin just across the
cattleguard. You can also drive across the cattleguard and camp
in this area. There are literally hundreds of kilometres of trails
in this area, everything from singletrack to 4x4 roads to loose
slippery hillclimbs. Its easy to get lost in there, since there
are so many trails that criss-cross each other. A GPS can be very
handy.
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Trails - Awesome is the only way to describe
this area. I talked to a guy who has ridden there for 7 years and
is still finding new trails.
Fun Factor - Again every level can ride here. Windy
single track, great hill climbs and then head for a dip in the lake
so you can refresh and do it all over again.
Go across the floating bridge, go right at the first light after
the bridge, follow Westside Road for either 8 or 12 km. then turn
left, drive up the logging road and you will see the new motocross
track and the log sorting yard on your left. Keep going until the
first open gravel pit on your right. Turn up the hill to the right.
This is the “lower pits”, you can camp here but need
to bring water and there is no washroom. People also show up here
for late night parties so if you are camping I suggest choosing
a camp site further up the road at the “upper pits”
staging area. There are washrooms here and the riding is in every
direction from here.
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Trails - This area is incredible. It is mostly
flat at the beginning with tons of single track. This makes it great
for beginners and intermediates. It is also a lot easier and not
a sloppy when the rain comes.
Fun Factor - The wild single track and great views
make this place awesome for any level of rider. There are also a
ton of bears around so look out while your riding.
Travel north to Sooke BC. When you reach Sooke check your odometer
at the only set of lights in Sooke. (Otter Point Road) Continue
north towards Port Renfrew for exactly 16Kms. Pull over at Western
Forest Products gate and enjoy over 200Kms of uninterupted single
track. Here you just park on the side of the highway. You will see
a paved road into the area and riding exists on either side of this
road. Great exploring from here.
Squamish and the surrounding area is an awesome playground
for dirt bikes. There are unlimited logging roads in every direction
for beginners to try out their new toys and old skidders trails
to explore as well.
Over recent months dirt biking has come under some scrutiny and
we have only ourselves to blame. It is true that old school riders
have been riding here longer than most however the town of Squamish
is changing. Hikers, Mountain Bikers and Dog Walkers now frequent
the trails systems around the Garibladi Highlands and beyond. The
Mountain Biking Community under the awesome leadership of SORCA
(Squamish Off-Road Cycling Asso.) has built an amazing network of
trails. As a fellow mountain biker I urge you to resist the temptation
to ride these trails. While it is true that no one owns the forest,
we must help them and their hard work by not destroying these trails.
Instead find alternate routes as there is usually one and if not
then please ride with respect for others and do not pin it up or
down these trails. You're rear spinning wheel can ruin their trail
for a very long time.
Thanks a great group of people the Squamish Dirt Bike Asso. www.squamishdirtbikeassociation.com
has been created. Their goal is to educate the renegades so that
all user groups can co-exist in this beautiful area. Don’t
give locals and visitors any more reasons for kicking us out. We
know it is only a few bad apples but they do spoil it for everyone
else. Please use a quiet pipe, respect others by keeping clear of
them or stopping and shutting down your engine. You will be surprised
how much more accepting people will be by doing these simple things.
Visit the Squamish Dirt Bike Asso. Site, join them in creating a
new trails system a proper track for our purpose and above all HAVE
A WICKED TIME!
Trails - The trails at Shawnigan Lake are like
most on Vancouver Island. They are tight twisty and super fun. Because
of the tight trails and the trees that are just spaced wide enough
for you to ride between I think is a tough area to ride. However
there are also wider trails for quads and some snotty climbs that
are tough for everyone.
Shawnigan Lake is located one hour from Nanimo or Victoria. Take
the island highway from either Victoria or Nanimo and watch for
signs to Shawnigan Lake. Once in the little town follow Renfrew
Road until pavement turns to gravel road. Once past all the homes
and Campsites you will see the Old Burnt Bridge, which now has a
gate across it. At this point continue up the hill for 4km until
you come to another gate and a parking lot alongside the river.
Park here and continue up the road for 500 meters and look for 3-Stages
hill climbs on your right and trails continue from here. GPS Update
coming soon!
Port Alberni is halfway to Tofino from Nanimo. There are many great
areas around these parts but it is by local knowledge only. When
traveling on highway #4 you will turn off at Coombs Candy Store
just before the town of Port Alberni. Just behind the store is a
place to park and the trails start from there. You can also ride
to the Alberni Motocross Track from here or use these trails from
there.
*Note-This area has mountain bikes, dirt bike, quads and horses
so please give the respect that you would expect.
Trails: Trails here range from easy and flat to twisty
and steep and everything in between. Please respect free ride mountain
bike trails as their stunts are not built to support dirt bikes.
Click here for
a trail map of Port Alberni Trails.
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