Mountain Biking : Bike Camps Vancouver Island, British Columbia,
Canada
Activities
Island Adventures
Travel Info
Mountain Biking
Vancouver Island, British Columbia,
Canada
The mountain biking opportunities on Vancouver Island, British Columbia vary from very structured mountain bike parks to extreme technical riding on wilderness dirt trails.
Vancouver Island is well known in British Columbia as a top mountain biking destination. The high number of downhill biking trails, the abundant wildlife and the amazing wilderness scenery attract many to the trails on the island.
The community mountain bike parks vary. Some parks are as simple as cement swimming pool oval type parks while others consist of trick ramps, barrels and rails. There is usually a bike trail that leads to the mountain bike park located in the community.
Vancouver Island is better known for its off road wilderness mountain bike trails and gravel roads. There are so many. Some are short and go down a hill fast. Some mountain bike trails and gravel roads explore for many kilometres over boulders, logs and tree roots leading to a wilderness campground.
The wilderness mountain bike trails are sometimes shared with hikers and horseback riders so be respectful. The mountain biking routes sometimes connect to gravel logging roads so beware of big forestry trucks and keep your head up.
Like most areas of British Columbia, the island,
has a deep history in the forest and mining industries. And in
developing those industries roads and rail lines were cut through
the forests and were used to transport logs.
Today some of those same routes are deactivated and have become mountain bike trails.
There are tour groups, mountain bike rentals and bike clubs in some of the communities on the island. Tour groups can arrange a guide, equipment, meals and accommodations. But most importantly they provide experience.
In the communities with a big mountain bike culture there are usually trail maps available. Some of the island communities who have a big mountain bike following include the Cowichan Valley, Nanaimo and the Comox Valley.
Mountain
Biking