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Photo Credit: Joe Roberts/Jump into Frame
Explore the Okanagan Rail Trail with a leisurely ride along the water, ride amongst the Ponderosa Pine on XC mountain bike trails, or master the berms in the SilverStar Bike Park.
Bike in and around Vernon or ride the Single Track in our Provincial Parks. There are many opportunities to ride bikes, from steep technical descents to family friendly trail riding.
Choose your bike of choice, mountain bike, road, or cruiser, rentals are available at:
Explore Vernon by Bike
Shop and dine by bike. Downtown Vernon has bike parking at the corner of 30 ST and 30 AVE as well as on-sidewalk racks scattered throughout downtown. Bike friendly businesses offer bike parking inside or visible corrals from their outdoor patios.
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Marten Brewing Co. Bike corral located right in front of their outdoor patio.
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Olive Us Oil & Vinegar Tasting Room Bike corral located nearby; shop and pick up later or special wrapping.
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Ratio Coffee & Pastry Offers bike parking visible from their outdoor patio.
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Teassential Bike corral located nearby and outdoor seating.
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Triumph Coffee Allows cyclists to bring bikes inside the shop.
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Vernon E-Ride Offers rental e-bikes for all ages and abilities.
Follow the Ribbons of Green trail map to ride to Polson Park using the muti-use trails in town or venture out on the Grey Canal trail surrounding Vernon.
Leisure Rides and Family Fun
Take the family on a relaxing cycle tour of the Vernon area. There are several easy to moderate multi-use trails, both paved and gravel where you will encounter other cyclists and hikers along the way, alongside the natural beauty of our dryland ecosystems and Kalamalka Lake - the lake known for its many colours.
One of the most popular and scenic rides is along the Okanagan Rail Trail. Perfect for families, the trail’s low-grade makes it accessible for cyclists of all abilities.
Discover the Extensive Mountain Bike Trail Network
Vernon’s mountain bike scene covers 750 km of trails including the SilverStar Bike Park.
Vernon and North Okanagan trails provide plenty of challenge for novice or expert riders with everything from steep, technical descents to grassy meadow rides, with many of the trails boasting a view of Okanagan or Kalamalka lake. Experience the dry, fast and fun Okanagan Single Track featuring granite rock with trails connecting from Predator Ridge through to Ellison Provincial Park.
Looking for ideas on where to ride. Read on for more info on the cross country mountain bike areas and look at the Advanced Trails, Intermediate Bike trails and Family Friendly suggested routes.
Check out the Vintage Okanagan Singletrack video showcasing some of the great mountain bike trails in the valley.
Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park
Kal Park has the largest concentration of the NOCS supported bike trails in the Vernon area. From the classic Honest Ed loop to great views from the Lookout trail, the park has trails that suit all riders. Try out the new Blue flow trail Flovid, but you first have to climb up Stonefree (named with a tongue in cheek as there are many stones to cross!)
Ellison Provincial Park
Camp and Ride! Starting directly from the parking lot, the Ellison trails are perfect for beginners and kids. Nestled amongst the trees, the soft forest floor provides flowy trails, perfect for mastering corners. Ellison Provincial Park offers camping in the summer.
Predator Ridge
Head up to the Predator Ridge trails for a decent climb to view Okanagan Lake from the yoga platform before riding the rocky granite trails and techy descents. The Granite Trail is a great place to catch the sun before it goes down.
Silver Star Sovereign Network
The Sovereign trails provide a much needed respite from the hot summer heat. Mostly blue and black, these trails are not for the light of heart. For those that like ‘old school’ trails, these are the ones for you.
SilverStar Bike Park
Known for awesome DH trails as the second largest bike park in Canada, SilverStar has 100kms of trail to ride dirt, and 3 ways to experience the Bike Park – Downhill, Enduro and Cross-country. With a brand new pump track and competition level slopestyle course, SilverStar is the place to have fun on two wheels!
For non-bikers, we have over 16km of scenic mountain hiking trails, 2x gnome roam adventure trails for the kids, as well as scenic gondola rides, shopping, restaurants, patios and great high-altitude trails for running and endurance training.
Becker Bike Park
In the Heart of Vernon, you will find a mini trail oasis, with two pump tracks and a short but fun Flow Trail, great for learning burms. This is a great spot to bring the young ones to practice their skills in the pump tracks and fun fast laps for ‘kids at heart.’
Noble Canyon
If you are looking for big advanced mountain bike trails visit Noble Canyon for shuttle runs.
For more great mountain biking ideas in our diverse area, check out Mountain Biking BC for trails throughout the Thompson Okanagan.
Remember your Trail Etiquette
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Ride Open Trails: Respect trail and road closures — ask a land manager for clarification if you are uncertain about the status of a trail. Do not trespass on private land. Obtain permits or other authorization as required.
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Leave No Trace: Be sensitive to the dirt beneath you and the environment around you. Wet and muddy trails are more vulnerable to damage than dry ones. When the trail is soft, consider other riding options. This also means staying on existing trails and not creating new ones. Don’t cut switchbacks. Don’t ride around standing water which results in widening the trail. Be sure to pack out at least as much as you pack in. Consider improving the trail experience for those that follow by picking up and removing any litter.
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Control Your Bicycle: Inattention for even a moment could put yourself and others at risk. Obey all bicycle speed regulations and recommendations, and ride within your limits.
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Bicyclists traveling downhill yield to all users headed uphill.
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In general, strive to make each pass a safe, controlled and courteous one.
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Hikers, and animals have right of way.
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Plan Ahead - take water, tools, know your route.
Trails are colour coded like ski trails with green trails being the easiest, and double black being the hardest. While there are trail standards set up by IMBA that determine the trail colour, some areas are slightly different.
Ride the Valley Roads by Bike
Head north or East out of Vernon towards Armstrong or Lumby for some well travelled cycling routes off the highway and amongst the farms. Otter Lake Cross Road is a favourite. Start out in the BX and follow L & A towards Swan Lake, or head out to WhiteVale via Aberdeen.
In the Heart of Vernon is BMX
Vernon has a BMX track in the heart of Vernon. Check out the website for more information.
Gravel Biking is on the Rise
Gravel is the latest trend in biking. Explore outer Vernon areas by gravel road, viewing the lakes from the top of the mountains. Chat with the bike shops about gravel bike technology and places to ride.
Ride in the Snow on a Fat Bike
Want to ride in the winter? Try Fat biking. SilverStar has 15km of trails to explore with bike rentals available, and the bike shops have fat bikes for purchase. Trails at Ellison Provincial Park are groomed during the snowy months.
More Info and Maps
Incorporate Vernon into an Okanagan Biking Road Trip
Explore the trail networks of the Thompson-Okanagan. This video features Okanagan singletrack through sub-desert and ponderosa pine forests, in Penticton, Kelowna, Vernon and Kamloops.
Visiting Vernon and have questions? We're happy to help, feel free to email us.