Canadian Rockies and National Parks: Enjoy Stunning Cycling Trails

By Travel Alberta,

travelalberta [at] raremethod . com
www1.travelalberta.com

The Canadian Rockies are a breathtaking gateway to a range of activities that will set your heart racing. For those looking for a cycling adventure, you'll have your choice of spectacular parks and trails. From Banff to Jasper and Canmore to Lake Louise, the sky's the limit for Alberta cycling adventures.

Ever have one of those rides that were so sweet you didn't want it to end? In Alberta, where multi-day bike adventures are common, they don't have to v simply wake up and hit the dirt (pavement, if you're not a mountain biker) for more. More riding. More exploring. More adventure. More parks and trails. More dirt.

From routes, conditions and maps to GPS locations, TrailPeak is one of Canada's leading resources for mountain biking adventures as are Trails.com and Dirt World. The Canadian Cycling Association and Alberta Bicycle Association are excellent places for road riders to get the inside track on routes, races and clubs. You'll find these web resources and others at the bottom of this story.

Discover Rivers, Canyons and Crags

In Alberta, "pay dirt" comes to all types of cyclists, whatever the girth of their tires. It's ground into our landscape v for few spots match the drama of Alberta, book ended by the jagged peaks of the Canadian Rockies to the west and the golden flats of our prairies to the east. Although you'll find bike trails and mountain bike parks in most of Alberta's major cities and towns, out-of-towners are likely here for the hundreds of kilometres of trails zigzagging through the Rocky Mountains.

Here, on Alberta's western edge you'll find bike routes close to the mighty rivers like the Maligne and the Bow, that roar through vast serpentine canyons, carved by eons of erosion. Huge mysterious dolomites stand like sentinels atop crag upon crag of rock. In fact, all this plus tumbling glaciers in the Glacier National Park puncture the skyline along the Icefields Parkway. A remarkably unique landscape has made this 229-km (142.3-mile) stretch of blacktop one of North America's finest road trips, for all types of cyclists.

Classic Road Trips for Those on Skinnies

Numerous bike touring companies like Freewheeling Adventures and Fresh Tracks guide people through the Canadian Rockies on classic three to five day trips, often combining the rigours of cycling with charming lodge stays v but you can also do it independently, camping in the Rocky Mountains as you go, or you can ride light and stay in strategically placed hostels along the route. When it comes to lodging, there's no shortage of Banff National Park accommodations, and Jasper National Park has many options as well. Other popular, well-shouldered road trips include the mellow Bow Valley Parkway, between Banff and Lake Louise, and Highwood Pass in Kananaskis Country.

The 60-km-long Bow Valley Parkway (closed to transport trucks) in the Canadian Rockies meanders though a montane landscape of trembling aspen and lodgepole pine. Pack a long a picnic as there are plenty of meadows to lunch at where moose and elk can frequently be spotted v or grab your plastic and dine at an outdoor patio at Baker Creek Chalets or at Johnston Canyon Resort.

Less developed but a road rider's dream is Highwood Pass on Highway 40 in Kananaskis Country which is closed to cars until June 15th. As soon as the snow melts on the pass (usually between late April and June) riders can gear up to the lofty viewpoint in the Rocky Mountains (2,205-metre high) without battling any vehicles. For two of the toughest multi-day adventure travel tours, try the Golden Triangle that loops in and out of Banff National Park or the Going-To-The-Sun Road in Waterton/Glacier National Park.

Go Big (and Fat)

Seeing that Alberta was the pioneer host of one of the world's most gruelling mountain bike races on this planet v the seven-day TransRockies Challenge v it seems only fitting that we're now part of the longest off-pavement bike route in the world, the Great Divide Route. Yes, new for 2006 is the Canadian extension that starts in Banff and links up with the 4361-km-long (2,711-mile-long) GDR that covers remote jeep roads, mountain passes, and postcard-worthy campsites all the way to the Mexican border.

If you don't have 75 days to ride the whole route, pick a stretch of the Canadian Rockies in Alberta, or check out other sky-scratching fat-tire trails in the Bryant Creek area in K Country, Little Ghost Town in Blairmore, Wolf Willow near Edmonton, Canada Olympic Park in Calgary.

Rather join a group and opt for van-assisted travel? The University of Calgary offers mountain biking courses as well as weekend bike getaways. Or join a bike operator such as Canadian Rockies Trail Tours for a one-day customized tour for an individual or a group. Others such as Blue Moose specialize in an area v in this case multi-day mountain bike trips in Kananaskis Country. Tread Softly offers similar programs but in the Crowsnest area.

However, if it's a hub you're looking for v where you can choose a different trail every day v the most developed is the Canmore Nordic Centre, laced by 80 km of Rocky Mountain trails that double as cross-country ski trails in the winter. Lessons, rentals and a well-maintained graded trail system are what you'll find here as well as umpteen soft-touch attractions (read: superb restaurants and a plethora of excellent hotels) sans glitz, in the alpine town of Canmore. This is a popular stop on race circuits, having hosted the TransRockies and 24 Hours of Adrenaline numerous times.

Gear Up for More

Other fat-tire adventure spots in the Canadian Rockies and throughout Alberta include:

• The rugged land between Yoho, Kootenay, Banff and Jasper National Parks where you'll find about 600 kms of designated Alberta mountain bike trails with the longest being Brewster Creek, a 48-km stretch that follows Bryant Creek in Banff National Park.
• In nearby Kananaskis Country are 300 km of bike trails with some long-distance crowd pleasers such as the Big Elbow-Little Elbow Trail as well as the Elbow Sheep Trail and others in the McLean Creek area, just west of Bragg Creek.
• Crowsnest Pass also has a huge web of cross-country mountain biking trail trails and Waterton Lakes National Park brags of about 150 km of Alberta mountain bike trails.
• A prime cross-country mountain biking trail mecca near Edmonton is the Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Recreation Area with 100 km of track.
• Right on the fringes of Calgary are 25 km of track at Canada Olympic Park. Here you'll find a dirt park, stunt area, hidden obstacle courses and tight single tracks that wind through aspen forests v good for all skill abilities.

Regardless of your skill level, the time you have to play or the dollars in your pocket, the Canadian Rockies offer cycling trails that are sure to satisfy your yen for adventure.

--------------------
Travel Alberta (http://www.travelalberta.com) is the destination marketing organization for the Province of Alberta. Guided by the Strategic Tourism Marketing Council, Travel Alberta is the steward for the effective delivery of tourism marketing programs. For information about our organization, please visit our Travel Alberta industry web site at http://industry.travelalberta.com