The Five Best Bikepacking Routes in Alberta

Alberta is home to a wildly diverse landscape that spans from the Canadian Rockies, across the prairies, to the Canadian Badlands. Although major highways make it easy to travel to every corner of the province, there are thousands of kilometres of range and township roads, forestry trunk roads and gravel paths just begging to be explored by bicycle.

For anyone unfamiliar with bikepacking, the sport essentially combines mountain biking and backcountry camping. It borrows elements from traditional bicycle touring and multi-day backpacking, landing somewhere between the two. While many traditional bicycle-touring routes followed established paved roads between two locations, bikepacking most often focuses on exploring wilderness areas on either remote gravel roads or multi-use trails. Like backpacking, bikepacking ventures into wilderness areas, so cyclists must be self-sufficient throughout their trip.

Bikepacking races are a big thing

The sport's biggest race, the Tour Divide, begins at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel on the second Friday in June. Although only a portion of the 4,418-km (2,745-mi) route is in Alberta, it's long been associated with the Rockies.

The Adventure Cycling Association's Great Divide Mountain Bike Route covers more of the province, too, as it now officially begins in Jasper and includes vast portions of the Forestry Trunk Road before crossing both Banff National Park and Kananaskis Country.

In recent years, races like the discontinued Alberta Rockies 700 and Hurt'n Albert'n have helped inspire the growing Alberta bikepacking community. Although there are still limited published routes in the province, it seems new routes appear every summer and a guidebook, titled Bikepacking in the Canadian Rockies, was published in 2020.

This list of the five best bikepacking routes in Alberta aims to help new bikepackers get started and inspire riders to get outside and explore new areas.

1. Original AR700 Coleman to Hinton, Alberta

Route details: Six days | Five nights | 720 km (447 mi) | +9,148 m (30,013 ft) | Start: Coleman | End: Hinton

Ride description: Originally designed for the Alberta Rockies 700 Bikepacking Race, the original AR700 Route follows predominately gravel roads across the foothills between Coleman and Hinton. One of two paved sections climbs Highwood Pass, the highest paved road in Canada. It's a physically challenging route, but it's technically easy. Navigation is simple and resupply is possible in Canmoreor Nordegg, and meals are available at a few rural outposts.

2. Icefields Parkway Banff to Jasper, Alberta

Route details: Four days | Three nights | 290 km (180 mi) | +2,805 m (9,202 ft) | Start: Banff | End: Jasper

Route description: The Icefields Parkway, which runs between Banff and Jasper National Parks, is easily one of the most scenic roads in Canada and has been a bike-touring route for decades. More recently, bikepackers are attracted to the route in the winter. While it may be cold, the road is virtually deserted in the winter and gives cyclists willing to brave the elements a truly unique Canadian winter experience. A series of wilderness hostels provide warm overnight shelter along the entire route.

3. Hurt'n Albert'n, Beiseker, Alberta

Route details: Four days | Three nights | 550 km (342 mi) | +3,874 m (12,709 ft) | Start/Finish: Beiseker 

Ride highlight: Linking the foothills and the rugged badlands, this 550-km route loops through Alberta's most diverse landscape. Using a mix of range and township roads, the route is predominantly gravel. While it feels remote, the route rarely ventures far from paved roads and it's never a long detour to essential services.

4. Old Porcupine's Choice Route

Route details: Three days | Two nights | 265.5 km (165 mi) | +3,264 m (10,708 ft) | Start/Finish: Willow Creek Provincial Park

Ride highlight: Designed by the owner of BikeBike in Inglewood, Calgary's oldest neighbourhood, this route is destined to become an Alberta classic. From ranchlands to the Rockies, the Old Porcupine's Choice Route explores some of Kananaskis Country's most remote gravel roads, beginning roughly halfway between Crowsnest Pass and Bragg Creek in southern Alberta.

5. Wizard Battle 165, Pigeon Lake

Route details: Two days | One night | 166.4 km (103 mi) | +930 m (3,051 ft) | Start/Finish: Yeoford

Ride highlight: This figure-eight loop circles Wizard, Battle and Pigeon Lakes along quiet country roads. While gravel cyclists might tackle the entire route in a single day, cyclists new to bikepacking will find it an ideal location to gain experience and test out their equipment on an overnight ride that is located 118 km (73 mi) from Edmonton, Alberta's capital city.

What to know if you're new to the sport

There are a few important things to keep in mind for an upcoming adventure in Alberta, for both experienced bikepackers and those new to the sport.

• Helmets are recommended for all cyclists; however, they're legally required for anyone aged 17 or younger.
• Transportation to and from routes can be a challenge, especially when not riding a loop. For point-to-point rides, make sure to plan transportation in advance.
• Bikepacking gear rentals are rare; however, a few shops in Jasper, Canmore, Calgary and Edmonton rent suitable bicycles and basic bags.
• Bikepacking routes in Alberta can be extremely remote, so cyclists should be self-sufficient with more than enough food, water and equipment to safely travel between towns.
• Most bikepacking routes are published via RideWithGPS and can be downloaded onto a GPS device or smartphone.
• Wildlife is abundant in Alberta, including both black and grizzly bears. Bikepackers are always encouraged to make noise while riding and carry bear spray.