Combine this with a camping holiday in an RV and you have the complete freedom to move from bike park to bike park as the conditions change. If you don’t have your own RV, you should consider looking for RV rental locations online to find a company near you that meets your needs.
Here’s some of our top picks for some of the best cycling and mountain biking trails across Canada, all very accessible when you rent a motorhome from a CanaDream RV Rental location.
Whistler, British Columbia
Canadians and non-Canadians alike who are planning to mountain bike in Canada should certainly check out Whistler and the high alpine views from the Top of The World/Khyber Pass Trail. It’s an amazing singletrack ride with a Difficulty rating, so it’s definitely not for the beginner. In an effort to prevent trail damage through overuse, only a limited number of people can ride this trail each day, so you’ll need to purchase a TOW Pass along with your bike park pass. Open between mid-May and mid-October, the trail is recognized amongst mountain bikers as a Whistler ‘right of passage’.
If your mountain biking skills don’t extend yet to the Top of the World, the Whistler bike park has maintained trails to suit all skill levels, from beginner to expert. The Whistler Mountain Bike Park website has all the information you need on tickets, trails and more.
Squamish, British Columbia
While you’re in the Whistler area, there’s more highly-recommended biking opportunities close by. Squamish is another ‘go to’ destination for great mountain biking. The Diamond Head Trail System is Squamish’s most popular riding area. Featuring a trail network of more than 100 trails with names like 19th Hole, Angry M, Birdwire, and Deliverance, you’ll need to stay awhile to experience the best The Diamond Head has to offer.
Burns Lake, British Columbia
Located along Highway 16 west of Prince George, riding at Burns Lake, BC is a family affair, with cross-country, freeride and downhill trails, along with other challenges you’d expect from a professionally designed bike park. Burns Lake combines the adventure of mountain biking with the convenience of RV camping, right at the trails. The hub of the mountain biking area is the Boer Mountain Recreation Site where beginners and intermediate riders can explore over 90km of trails around Kager Lake. Advanced bikers have plenty of options too, including the black diamond (expert) trail "Full Boar" and the 18km machine-built trail called Razorback, which runs from the top of Boer Mountain down to the Bike Park.
The campsites are constructed to current provincial standards, making them the perfect location for RVers to chill out, even if you don't mountain bike.
Rossland, British Columbia
Explore Magazine has named Rossland, BC as “The Mountain Bike Capital of Canada”. It has a reputation for being one of North America’s top mountain biking destinations, with riding options for all skill levels and terrain types. Located just west of Trail, BC, close to the USA border, this biking destination has an enormous variety of specialty-built trails, all well maintained by dedicated staff.
Another 5.8km of trails were added in 2020 as part of the Millennial Trail Expansion, adding three loops branching out from the base of RED Mountain. These new trail focus on flow, fun, and variety. Rossland also has a skills park for beginners wishing to hone their skills before heading out to the real challenges. This mountain bike destination features step downs, step ups, rollers, berms, table tops, hips … you’ll probably find it all at Rossland.
Jasper National Park, Alberta
When talking about mountain biking in Canada’s National Parks, Jasper is right up there in the conversation. Jasper National Park maintains one of the best trail systems within any national park in the country. Two hubs within the Park provide ample challenge and adventure for all abilities and are easily reachable on connector trails from the Jasper Townsite. On the Across the River hub, the terrain is mostly wide and flat, ideal for those who are new to mountain biking. Rides like the Lac Beauvert Loop and Moberly Homestead are rated Easy while more advanced riders might like to try out the Teahouse to Andretti’s Loop or the Valley of the 5 Lakes.
The second hub features moderate to hard rides. Pyramid Bench has trails which are more technical with roots and rocks, along with some steep climbs and descents. For those without their own bikes, rentals are available from a number of companies in Jasper.
Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec
Claiming to feature the most spectacular mountain bike network in eastern Canada, Mont-Sainte-Anne has hosted a stop on the UCI Downhill Mountain Biking World Cup on more than 26 occasions. With more than 130km of cross-country trails, 28km of downhill trails and 9km of all-mountain trails, Mont-Sainte-Anne is the go-to destination for mountain biking in Quebec.
All trails are reachable by chairlift, and the pump track at the base of the mountain allows for an early season opening. Mont-Sainte-Anne is located about 30 minutes north of Quebec City. There are numerous campgrounds in the area for those who choose to combine their love of mountain biking with an RV vacation, including a 166-site campground at Mont-Sainte-Anne itself.
Le P’tit Train du Nord, Quebec
OK – so it’s not adrenalin-pumping mountain biking … but it’s an epic 4 day bike trip along a scenically spectacular rail trail in the Laurentians area of Quebec. It’s a family-friendly, easy-to-ride trail which you can do in its entirety or just do parts of it as you see fit. Summertime is the most popular for riding, but fat biking is become more popular with winter cyclists sharing the trail with cross-country skiers and snowshoers. Small towns along the route provide accommodation, food and cultural activities, allowing you the space of the outdoors while ensuring you’re never far from home comforts. The Le P’tit Train du Nord Linear Park runs through the Riviere du Nord valley over an old railway line previously operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway between Saint Jerome and Mont Laurier.
Prince Edward Island
Smaller than many other Canadian Bike Parks, the mecca for mountain biking in Prince Edward Island has to be the Brookvale Activity Park. Featuring 22km of single-track trails, skill levels range from easy to extremely difficult.
Brookvale is located in the Mark Arendz Provincial Park, only 25 minutes from Charlottetown. While the park has trails for beginners to expert, it’s one of the best facilities in the area for learning how to ride – and nothing beats the experience of carving your way through the famous red PEI dirt.
For a more relaxing alternative to straight up mountain biking, we suggest you ride The Confederation Trail, running tip-to-tip across Prince Edward Island. With the gradient never exceeding two percent, it’s an ideal option for families of all ages and fitness levels. The 273km long main trail takes some spur detours at various points along the route, giving you some additional exploration opportunities. Built on a decommissioned railway line, the Trail is akin to a walking museum with interpretive panels from one end to the other.
