Located on the shore of Kootenay Lake, Nelson BC is a vibrant, and charming city full of art, history and culinary excitement! There’s so much to discover all at your fingertips including glacial-fed Kootenay Lake, the Ainsworth Hot Springs, and a multitude of fabulous two-wheeled adventures.

Nelson and the surrounding communities of Kootenay Lake are a mountain biking mecca, delivering authentic Canadian singletrack experiences for riders of all stripes.

Mountain Station is a local paradise that’s easily accessed from downtown, offering riders a plethora of trails ranging from beginner to double black diamond, along with awesome descents. Nelson Brewing Company’s certified organic process is a great spot to relax and refuel at the end of your day.

Only 4km east, enjoy the multiple trails at Morning Mountain Bike Park including beginner routes to more challenging terrain including many intermediate options to sample as well while taking in the distant views of the Kokanee and Valhalla Mountains.

Heading west, Svoboda Road in West Arm Provincial Park offers a popular 5km doubletrack, mountain-bike-only trail with 434m of climbing. A little further west lies Balfour and the Kootenay Lake ferry where you can explore the East Shore’s Crawford Bay Trails, another popular spot.

A must-visit is Ainsworth Hot Springs, halfway between Balfour and Kalso, to enjoy the hot springs and mineral waters that have been healing visitors for hundreds of years.

For road afficionados, cycling the East Shore of British Columbia’s Kootenay Lake south to Wynndel is like taking an 80-kilometre trip back in time.

The East Shore region can be accessed via Highway 3A from Creston or the Kootenay Lake ferry that offers stunning views of the surrounding Purcell and Selkirk mountain ranges — it’s one of the longest free scenic ferries in the world.

Continue south along the shoreline to Gray Creek and then on to Boswell where it’s worth checking out the Glass House, built from a half-million empty embalming fluid bottles. About 10km from Wynndel, riders wanting to celebrate their journey should stop in the community of Sirdar on Duck Lake. Visit the Wynnwood Cellars, established in 2007, the only winery in the Nelson and Kootenay Lake region.

For gravel cycling adventures, it’s hard to beat the 52km Slocan Valley Rail Trail along the picturesque Slocan River or take on the 140km Southern Slocan Range Loop, a Nelson gravel biking classic.

Read more about the Nelson Kootenay Lake region here.
Order a copy of Best Cycling Great Escapes with a feature on the Nelson Kootenay Lake region and many other great spots here.