Smith Creek is fast becoming one of the most popular areas to ride in the Central Okanagan. It may be known for its flowy single track but don’t be mistaken… Smith Creek has a full Jump line and lots of fantastic technical trails as well. The relatively easy going climb makes for a great spot for all skill levels, families with kids included! This is one you won’t want to overlook!
Click trail names for Trailforks routes!
This is the iconic trail at Smith Creek with lots of berms, flow, small jumps and a really fun roller coaster type gully to finish things off.
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To get to MotoBomba you have to pedal up about another 20 minutes beyond the start of Feel The Love. It’s a fast single track trail that is built for speed. With most of the corners having been naturally burnt in through riding it over and over again, there are some good ruts and exciting corners to keep you on your toes!
This is a similar run to the #1 pick mentioned above, but splitting off to Santa’s Revenge instead of diving down into the Gully. This trail adds a bit more length to the run and includes a few stunts along the way for some added fun. (All stunts have alternate routes).
Even though it is across the lake from Knox Mountain, it shares a lot of the same characteristics. Rose Valley is full of Single Track and shale rock. Whether you want to do a one and done climb with a nice long descent, or explore around Rose Valley lake riding one of the more cross country oriented loops, it has it all! Fast, technical, smooth single track, you name it and Rose Valley has it! (no stunts or jumps). There are multiple parking areas, with each one giving you a slightly different starting point to help create a different ride every time you go.
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This isn’t the longest loop out there, but it’s a great option if you are strapped for time but want to pack in a super fun ride on a time crunch. This loop is a fun single track trail that tends to be very dry and very loose. This combination makes for a fast trail that will put a smile on your face every time!
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Jabbarocky is on the West side of the lake, and is one of the most well known and most ridden trails at Rose Valley. With one long climb to the top, you get one long constant descent back to the bottom! This trail is more of a rocky single track, being a bit more technical in nature than some of the rest of Rose Valley’s trails.
The nice thing with this loop is you can decide how long you want it to be around the half way point. Once you get to the top of Red Rock, if you don’t feel like climbing anymore, you can turn and head straight to Bear Bones (there are some climbs within Bear Bones however). If you feel like a longer ride, head down Caddywumpus which takes you right down to the lake, then back up to Red Rock to head over to Bear Bones. Choose your own adventure!
Crawford (also known as Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park) is Kelowna’s largest single trail network. Having a good route pre-planned off some local knowledge can make or break your ride. With so many trails, it can be easy to get sucked down the wrong trail without realising it. Crawford is a more technical single track type of riding, with the only stunts being any natural drops or jumps. Some of the best views to be had, and hands down the best sunset view point from any of the Okanagan riding areas.
This is personally one of my go-to after work rides. Not the longest ride, but the climb is fairly punchy. Vapour is a trail chalk full of many different types of trail… from Roots to rocks, to fast smooth single track… it has it all! If you want to see the full trail, check out the longer (16km) loop that takes you all the way up to the KVR. This is a Black trail that will definitely keep you on your toes.
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Pipers is a fun climb to the top, with a couple good punch sprints for good measure. Once you turn downhill you will be treated to a fast, fun single track trail that is perfect for someone looking for a fun relaxing ride or if you just want to go out and hone your skills.
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Race classic is another… well… classic! Turn right once you get to Flamingo Flats and you will be on the right track heading towards what I would call a more entry level technical trail, perfect for someone looking to hone their skills in some more rocky terrain.
Gillard is the long standing DH shuttle trail network. With it’s roots dating back to the late 90’s, it is our local legend! Thankfully these trails will be around for a long time to come as MTBco (local mountain bike club) has succeeded in having it protected as a BC Parks Recreational Site. With new and old trails being built, revived and repaired constantly, there is new life being breathed into an amazing network of trails. Lots of stunts and technical riding to be had at Gillard.
This is probably one of my favourite runs in town. Cats ass and Fist First are both the perfect mixture of technical roots and good flow. Wobbly Pops takes you from the roots of Cats ass and Fists first, and drops you straight in to some good rocky, technical features with some incredible views.
Moose Knuckle is one of the newer trails in the area, starting off the KVR with the classic mixture of rocks, roots and some good flow. This is a longer trail that will have you feeling the burn by the end of it! Boss Hogg is one of the oldest trails at Gillard, and one of the most ridden as well as it takes you right in to the bottom parking lot. This trail has the infamous “Rock Wall” that you see as you are shuttle up the road.
This is a fun, flowy set of trails full of stunts, jumps and turns. All stunts have ride arounds, so it’s a great set of trails for all levels of riding.
Knox Mountain is our local downtown riding area. You can ride it almost year around and makes for a great after work ride if you only have a short window. We share Knox Mountain with a large network of people and outdoor enthusiasts, which means we only have a couple trails dedicated to Mountain Biking. The main trail from the top lookout is more of a fast, loose, dry single track trail, and the second trail is the flow/berm trail more similar to a pumptrack in sections.
Angel springs is it’s own little hidden gem. It’s a single trail that I would have to say is one of my top favourites. Be warned though, there are 4 mandatory creek crossings at the bottom of the trail that can sometimes get a little deep!
If you haven’t been to Big White in the summer to check out their mountain bike park since it opened, you are missing out! They are doing some incredible work up there and providing a wide range of trails for all levels of riders. With only a few seasons under their belt so far… they are doing an amazing job!
Silverstar Bike Park is one of the oldest bike parks around, having opened in the early 90’s… they have a lot of history and some of the best trails to back it up. Known for their berms and flow trails, Silverstar is great fun for everyone.
Kal Park is Vernon’s largest trail network. They have a large mixture of trails ranging from entry level green trails to some hectic double black trails and everything in between. With a large number of Blue trails in the area, this network is great for progression! Finish off the ride on the beach and jump in the lake!
This is a long, exhausting lap… but it is one of the best. There is also a shuttle road to get you to the top if you didn’t want to pedal which you can find HERE. This is a true Double Black trail that is very technical and is full of roots, rocks and steep sections of both!
This is a shorter loop which is great fun to hit twice in a row. To get to this parking lot you drive past the first (main) parking lot for quite a ways. You will end up at the Cougar Canyon parking area which allows you to start where the trails are instead of pedaling to them. This is a fun technical climb and Twisted Sisters is a super fun flowy technical trail.
Ellison has been around for quite some time, and is a more Cross Country oriented trail network. Lots of shorter XC routes with it being mostly single track. The Predator Ridge trail network is new within the last few years, tangled in the hills around the Predator Ridge Golf course. I haven’t personally ridden Ellison enough to give good trail beta unfortunately.
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Granite Top to bottom
Granite starts off with some really cool rock slabs that create a bit of a “Choose your own adventure” as far as line choices go. The lower 2/3 of the trail is a fun single track trail weaving down through the tree’s with some good flow.
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The Mantle in to Granite:
The Mantle is a short alternate route instead of upper Granite. It is a double black and has some steeper rock faces and rock slabs, and well as ending in a steep chute back to Granite. Good fun but definitely a more advanced trail.
