The Comox Valley boasts some of the best and most plentiful biking trails in British Columbia with enough variety to suit any rider.
If you are a mountain biker in search of single track here's what writer Andrew Findlay has said about his introduction to mountain biking in the Comox Valley.
"All the features that make Valley mountain biking truly cool were found on my inaugural ride: a stiff climb with the promise of a downhill, rusty basalt outcrops set among stands of arbutus, lush second growth forests crowded with sword ferns and clear rushing streams. Add in the skill of trail builders who are able to interpret this landscape into an almost boundless mountain bike playground and you have the essence of local riding…the Valley is as close to mountain bike nirvana as you may ever get."
April 2000, New Voice.
Stop by one of our local bike shops listed below for recommendations on where you will find suitable trails for the type of riding you want to do, call one of our cycle tour specialists, or contact our Visitor Info Centre. As well, refer to Steve Dunn's comprehensive trail guide, Mountain Biking British Columbia, 2nd Edition, which lists several trails in the Comox/Courtenay area.
The range of terrain in the Comox Valley truly is from mountaintop to ocean-side and varies from steep and gnarly to smooth and easy. Here are just a few suggestions. Drive to Mount Washington Alpine Resort, about 20 minutes from the exit off the new Inland Island Highway 19, where you can take your bike on the chair lift to the top during the summer season and ride the Monster Mile Downhill. Mount Washington has expert to intermediate terrain.
In the Valley bottom, there are several places that accommodate bikes amid the nature trails in the Comox Valley's Regional and Provincial Park system. Find the riverside trail systems near Nymph Falls for a technical ride along the Puntledge River. In Comox, the Northeast Woods, accessed from Pritchard and Guthrie Roads, offers moderate terrain not far from pubs and restaurants. In Seal Bay Park, located to the north of Comox and Courtenay, bike riding is permitted on the landward side of Bates Road. When you've finished exploring there, park your bike and walk down the footpaths to the beach at Seal Bay where you can see across the Strait of Georgia to Powell River and the Sunshine Coast.
A cycle tour of Denman and Hornby Islands is a unique way to experience our Northern Gulf Islands. Take the ferry from Buckley Bay to Denman Island and catch a connecting ferry to Hornby Island where there are options for cycle touring and mountain biking. Schedule a stop at one of the tempting bakeries on these islands or plan to tour during the various special events that occur throughout the summer season.
Do you have a group of friends that like to cycle? Get everyone together and plan a cycling getaway to the Comox Valley. You will find great restaurants, comfortable accommodation from hostels to luxury resorts, and plenty of superb riding.
BMX fans, be sure to visit the new state of the art BMX race track located in the Village of Cumberland on Dunsmuir Avenue next to the Village Park. This year's season starts April 1, 2002 when the track is open daily to the public except during official races.
If cycle touring is more your style you will find many roads suitable for cycling that connect regional parks and small communities throughout the Comox Valley. The Comox Valley Visitor Info Centre at 2040 Cliffe Avenue in Courtenay (1-888-357-4471) can recommend some scenic routes and provide maps for a great cycle tour through the Valley communities and outlying areas.
C.V. Mountain Biking and Cycling and Services |
Phone |
Adventures Vancouver Island Box 3421, Courtenay, BC, V9M 2S7 www.adventuresvi.com adventuresvi@telus.net |
250-703-0022 |
Blacks Cycle 247A Anderton Rd. Comox lblack@island.net |
250-339-7011 |
Coal Hills BMX Assn. Box 406, Cumberland, BC, V0R 1S0 rickgrinham@shaw.ca |
250-336-2835 |
Dodge City Cycle 2687 Penrith Ave. Cumberland dodgecitycycles@hotmail.com |
250-336-2200 |
Hornby Island Off Road Bike Shop 5875 Central Hornby Island (Seasonal opening in summer) |
250-335-0444 |
Mike’s Bikes 1999 Lake Trail Rd. Courtenay p-s@island.net |
250-334-2456 |
Mount Washington Alpine Resort Box 3069, Courtenay, BC, V9N 5N3 www.mountwashington.ca |
250-338-1386 1-888-231-1499 |
Mountain City Cycle 273 6th St. Courtenay mcc@skitakhut.com |
250-334-0084 |
Ocean Spoke Adventures
www.oceanspoke.com |
250-703-3338
1-877-897-0973 |
Simon’s Cycles Ltd. 3-1841 Comox Ave. Comox www.simonscycle.com simcycle@home.com |
250-339-6683 |
Trans Isle Tours P.O. Box 3103 Courtenay, BC, V9N 5N3 www.island.net/~sportfrm/ |
250-334-2106 |
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