June 5, 2025 - The Nelson Kootenay Lake region in BC offers world-class trails for road, gravel and mountain biking. With charming Nelson as your base there are a multitude of fabulous two-wheeled adventures at your fingertips including amazing scenery and amenities.
For road afficionados, cycling the East Shore of British Columbia’s Kootenay Lake 80km south to Wynndel is like taking a 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.
From the Kootenay Bay Ferry Landing weave through a coniferous forest to the artisanal hub of Crawford Bay and be sure to visit the North Woven Broom Company where 6,000 corn brooms are handcrafted each year.
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.
Nelson and the surrounding communities of Kootenay Lake are a mountain biking mecca and Mountain Station is a local paradise that’s easily accessed from downtown. Only 4km east, enjoy the multiple trails at Morning Mountain Bike Park.
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.
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.
