Discover the excitement of Whistler mountain biking
When the snow and ice melt and the sun begins to shine, many Canadians surrender their skis and snowboards for mountain bikes to explore the landscape. Known for some of the best mountain biking in the world over dramatic mountains, tranquil coastlines, and dense forests, Canada’s wilderness is the ideal training ground for mountain biking enthusiasts. Spanning millions of kilometres across diverse terrain, there’s no limit to the mountain biking experiences you can have in the wild landscape. From the thrills of Whistler mountain biking to Canada’s other top mountain biking destinations, discover the best mountain biking in the country to plan your adventure.
About Whistler mountain biking
Home to its own mountain biking park, Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort is renowned across the world for its mountain biking opportunities. In addition to themed zones for interesting rides in the varied terrain, Whistler Mountain Bike Park also has bike lessons, bike rentals, orientation, men’s and women’s nights, a kid’s club, and other amenities. There’s also an indoor Air Dome for practising jumps and half pipes with a safe foam landing area. Check out the other features of Whistler mountain biking.
Garbanzo Zone
Boasting 659 metres of single downhill track that’s accessible by a rapid ski lift, the Garbanzo Zone is one of the main highlights of a mountain biking trip to Whistler. Designed as a complement to the Fitz Zone, the original mountain bike park with obstacles for all skill levels, the Garbanzo Zone traverses rough tracks in Deep or Goat’s Gully and the jumps and berms of Freight Train. The park is best suited for confident intermediate to expert bikers.
Peak Zone
The Peak Zone is an adrenaline-rush experience that takes you on the tracks of Whistler Mountain. During your ride, you’ll cover the Top of the World trail and the granite spires of the Coast Range for the ultimate in alpine biking. On the way down, you’ll travel through dense forests along the track with switchbacks, berms, and jumps. Because the zone is suited to advanced and expert bikers, the number of bikers in the area is limited for an uncrowded and safe riding experience.
Creek Zone
The newest of the Whistler mountain bike zones, Creek Zone is an area for advanced and expert bikers that travels through the Fitz and Garbanzo zones along the Expressway, No Joke, and Lower Freight Train trails. The zone is accessible via the Creekside Gondola. You’ll find plenty of other trails in the zone, such as berm-filled Southpark, Earth Circus, and Insomnia trails and the advanced Delayed Fuse trail.
Mountain biking in Canada
Canada’s vast wilderness is a paradise for mountain biking. Along with Whistler, you could find excellent mountain biking all over the mountains and woodlands. Find out the best mountain biking destinations in Canada.
Ottawa mountain biking for rugged terrain
The wilderness surrounding Ottawa boasts over 800 kilometres of recreational trails and off-road biking areas for incredible mountain biking experiences. You can explore the terrain in places like Gatineau Park, a vast parkland with open trails and 361 square kilometres of landscape for a challenging ride, and Camp Fortune, a winter ski resort that transforms the slopes into a mountain biking haven in warm weather. Ottawa has many conservation areas nearby as well, which offer off-road mountain biking in places like the Stony Swamp and South March Highlands Conservation Forest.
Bromont mountain biking for incredible trails
Located outside of Montreal, Bromont offers the incredible Ski Bromont resort, a ski resort with premier mountain biking trails and terrain for the warm seasons. In total, the resort has 20 marked trails for mountain biking that range from beginner to expert, many of which can be accessed from ski lifts. The resort also has a bike park and numerous obstacles for a more challenging ride, including A-frames, drops, berms, and bridges.
Squamish mountain biking for biking with the kids
Home to hundreds of kilometres of single-track trails for all biker skill levels, Squamish mountain biking is a great way to learn the ropes or hone your skills. You’ll find a bit of everything on the trails, from estuary cruising to challenging downhill descents. Some of the best places for a ride in Squamish include Diamond Head, Valleycliffe, and the granite and woodland landscape of the West Coast Forest. If it’s your first time, head to Lake Alice for the cross-country bike trails.