T
he roads surrounding Rossland serve up miles and miles of two-wheeled bliss for roadies who are ready to test their legs in the mountains and river valleys of this spectacular region. Sparse traffic, good roads, and brilliant scenery are always par for the course. This guide gives you a taste of our classic routes to get you started, but you can create your own version of Kootenay Paradise by mixing and matching. So tune up your bike and your legs, and get ready for some great road riding – Kootenay style. Have fun, and keep the round side down.
British Columbia
HWY 3
Y3
Y3 HW
B
HWY 3
A
Y 3B
TRAIL - 10km
640km
Kettle Falls
Hundreds of kilometres of quiet mountain roads Excellent climbs
Y 25
ROSSLAND
To Calgary
HW
Canada USA
Nancy Greene Provincial Park
HW
To Vancouver
GRAND FORKS - 96km
620km
3A
3 HWY 3
2
WANETA / COLUMBIA GARDENS / 7 MILE
Moderate The Waneta highway hugs the Columbia River and showcases our flattest local ride. Add the Seven Mile Dam option — with its stiff but short (3 km) climb — to add another 20+ km of backroad bliss through the Pend Oreille River valley. Or add the Columbia Gardens Road which delivers you up, up and into a beautiful stretch of rolling farmland. No wonder this corner of the Kootenay is where all the local bike clubs meet for their weekly group ride options.
HWY
Y3 HW
CASTLEGAR 35km CHRISTINA LAKE - 76km
ROAD BIKING MAP
Moderate – Difficult: 60 km Head north out of Rossland and start climbing up Highway 3B, up and over Strawberry Pass (1,600 m) and then down to the refreshing waters of Nancy’s namesake. The inclines aren’t that steep, but this ride offers a long steady climb (with a couple of flat reprieves), good shoulders, light traffic and great views. This high-altitude out-and-back is especially welcome on hot summer days when the valleys can really heat up.
NELSON 76km
ROSSLAND
HW
KELOWNA - 306km
ROSSLAND
1
NANCY GREENE LAKE
HW
Y3
95
SPOKANE - 206km
Look for our other brochures on hiking and biking, golfing, and nordic and backcountry skiing.
Intermediate to advanced riding Charming alpine city Bike friendly accommodations Waneta
Columbia Gardens
tourismrossland.com /rosslander
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Seven Mile
Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Design by Shelley Ackerman, GIS by Barry McLane, text by Terry Miller, photos by Shelley Peachell
ROSSLAND British Columbia, Canada
3
NORTHPORT / DEEP LAKE LOOPS
Difficult: 69 km Don’t forget your passport! Start off by rocketing down the 7 to 10 per cent grade into Trail and then roll downstream along the Columbia River, crossing the border into the U.S. and down a sleepy backroad to the town of Northport. If you’re feeling fit, tack on the Deep Lake Road to make this a challenging metric century. At Northport, start the rewarding grind back up to Rossland — 23 kms of steady climbing.
4
FLAT CREEK ROAD LOOP
Moderate – Difficult: 110 km One for your road riding bucket list. Flat Creek Road chases the Columbia River from Northport, Washington down its much-less-travelled side. Make sure you have enough water and food because there’s nothing along this road except the great outdoors until you reach Kettle Falls. Double back towards Northport on Hwy 25. This smooth road has slightly more traffic, more great views and even a few stretches of flat roads as you bring this long sweet ride back to Northport. Either direction rides just as well, but consider starting early and riding counter-clockwise in the summer heat.
5
PASS CREEK / BLEWETT / NELSON
Moderate – Difficult: 98 km This magic meander takes you up the quiet backroads of Pass Creek, with its flashback, draft-dodger funk factor riding. Turn right on Highway 6 for a few km down the Slocan River, then hang a left towards Nelson on 3A, but don’t miss the right turn at the Dam Inn. West Kootenay Road will lead you past dams, canals, over bridges and onto the pastoral vibe of Blewett Road. More rolling terrain, with one stiff, but short climb. Once in Nelson, get your caffeine fix, do some people watching and then double back to Castlegar to complete this wonderful ride.
Northport
Northport/Deep Lake
Enjoy a post-ride cappuccino in downtown Rossland.
6
SILVERY SLOCAN ROUTE
Moderate – Difficult: 214 km This flagship ride can be handily broken into two centuries over a couple of days, or the hammerheads can do it in one big day. Park at the Slocan Junction (Highways 6 & 3A) and ride counter-clockwise (as per the graph) which is perhaps a bit easier as you climb out of Kaslo. But expect some challenging climbs along the way. This is the West Kootenay at its best and a classic road ride — funky towns, good roads and brilliant views along the entire route.