Alberta
To gain access to the detailed route file, go here.
The journey through the province of Alberta offers bikepackers a bit of everything – rugged Rocky Mountain riding, the foothills transition zone, and the first taste of the Canadian prairies, and the surprise of the verdant (and hilly) island in the sky at the end. Although not as dramatic as the Canadian Rockies to the west, the southern Alberta prairie offers up its own rewards, including hospitable locals and big sky views. The vast stretch of land between British Columbia and Ontario comprises an area known as the Canadian Prairies, a 2,000 km valley of plains, forests, and farmland. Here, thousands of acres grow some of the most relied-upon crops in the world.
Note: There is an alternative routing option from Canmore into the prairies. This is an easier ride as it avoids the challenging Skogan Pass and Elbow Valley. Though it's a bit less scenic. Here is the route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/53273670
Highlights Include:
Need to Know:
There is no perfect time to ride this route. Depending on snow pack, it might not be possible to start the Rockies section of the route until June. Spring (May) and fall (Sept, Oct) can bring more pleasant temperatures to the prairies.
Some trail sections including the High Rockies Trail and Banff trails can be more demanding with respect to grades and riding surfaces. A proper bike set-up will make these sections more manageable and enjoyable.
When riding in the flatlands, there can be no shelter from the relentless winds, blazing sun, and heat. It’s not unheard of to see temperatures get into the high 30s or even low 40s in some areas during the high summer. Combine those environmental challenges with some soft gravel roads, especially if wet, and it can become a tough ride, both mentally and physically. As a rule of thumb, the canal roads are firmer than the agricultural gravel roads. If riding during the hot summer months, do not underestimate your fluid needs. Generally, going north in the prairies is a crosswind and going east is tailwind, but this is not always the case.
Agricultural range roads can become impassible when wet and muddy. In these cases, it is best to find a parallel paved road to ride. Many of these ride options are listed on the route file.
Certain sections of the route are very sparsely populated where cell signal availability is spotty at best.
The mountains are bear country with some grizzlies moving around. So take the necessary precautions, such as bringing bear spray and practicing safe camping, which means no food in your tent or ideally on your bike overnight. Proper food storage is a must.
A few prairie sections of the route, particularly Cypress Hills, have rattlesnakes and scorpions.
The Kananaskis region of Alberta, before and after Canmore, is an area where “wild” camping is not permitted.
The summer tourist season can be particularly busy in the Rockies section of the route. This can make it a bit more challenging to secure accommodation.
Bring bug spray. Depending on where you go, they can be thick.
The route file contains several Control points of interest symbols that offer up alternative routes to what is plotted.
If you have any questions about the Alberta segment of the GNBR please feel free to use the contact page.
To gain access to the detailed route file, go here.
The journey through the province of Alberta offers bikepackers a bit of everything – rugged Rocky Mountain riding, the foothills transition zone, and the first taste of the Canadian prairies, and the surprise of the verdant (and hilly) island in the sky at the end. Although not as dramatic as the Canadian Rockies to the west, the southern Alberta prairie offers up its own rewards, including hospitable locals and big sky views. The vast stretch of land between British Columbia and Ontario comprises an area known as the Canadian Prairies, a 2,000 km valley of plains, forests, and farmland. Here, thousands of acres grow some of the most relied-upon crops in the world.
Note: There is an alternative routing option from Canmore into the prairies. This is an easier ride as it avoids the challenging Skogan Pass and Elbow Valley. Though it's a bit less scenic. Here is the route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/53273670
Highlights Include:
- A journey on the High Rockies Trail, an 80km mountain singletrack trip through Kananaskis Country. The trail travels through three provincial parks with no shortage of blockbuster views of the diverse landscape.
- A visit to Banff National Park – Canada’s first established national park.
- A sampling of the vast trail network in the picturesque mountain town Canmore.
- A dramatic drop from the Rockies into the flatlands.
- Way too many picture stops along the trail through the Elbow River valley
- A sampling of Blackie, Stavely, Milo and other hamlets of the Alberta flatlands
- Long stretches of dirt riding along the irrigation canal roads - peaceful, car-free, and with wide open prairie views. These paths follow the "lay of the land" instead of requiring more cycling on what can be monotonous grid roads.
- A sampling of the vast trail system in Cypress Hills Provincial Park. This is the first interprovincial park in Canada. The Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, “Island in the sky”, offers towering hills, lush forest, fescue prairie, and breathtaking views. It is also one of the largest Dark Sky Preserves in the world. Consider it an oasis in the middle of the huge, dry prairie land.
Need to Know:
There is no perfect time to ride this route. Depending on snow pack, it might not be possible to start the Rockies section of the route until June. Spring (May) and fall (Sept, Oct) can bring more pleasant temperatures to the prairies.
Some trail sections including the High Rockies Trail and Banff trails can be more demanding with respect to grades and riding surfaces. A proper bike set-up will make these sections more manageable and enjoyable.
When riding in the flatlands, there can be no shelter from the relentless winds, blazing sun, and heat. It’s not unheard of to see temperatures get into the high 30s or even low 40s in some areas during the high summer. Combine those environmental challenges with some soft gravel roads, especially if wet, and it can become a tough ride, both mentally and physically. As a rule of thumb, the canal roads are firmer than the agricultural gravel roads. If riding during the hot summer months, do not underestimate your fluid needs. Generally, going north in the prairies is a crosswind and going east is tailwind, but this is not always the case.
Agricultural range roads can become impassible when wet and muddy. In these cases, it is best to find a parallel paved road to ride. Many of these ride options are listed on the route file.
Certain sections of the route are very sparsely populated where cell signal availability is spotty at best.
The mountains are bear country with some grizzlies moving around. So take the necessary precautions, such as bringing bear spray and practicing safe camping, which means no food in your tent or ideally on your bike overnight. Proper food storage is a must.
A few prairie sections of the route, particularly Cypress Hills, have rattlesnakes and scorpions.
The Kananaskis region of Alberta, before and after Canmore, is an area where “wild” camping is not permitted.
The summer tourist season can be particularly busy in the Rockies section of the route. This can make it a bit more challenging to secure accommodation.
Bring bug spray. Depending on where you go, they can be thick.
The route file contains several Control points of interest symbols that offer up alternative routes to what is plotted.
If you have any questions about the Alberta segment of the GNBR please feel free to use the contact page.
