Welcome to Fernie! You’ll find a thriving cultural scene, the enthusiasm of a vibrant youthful population and a scenic, tranquil location in the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Located in south-eastern British Columbia, Canada (maps), Fernie is a 3-hour drive west from Calgary, Alberta, 11-hour drive east from Vancouver and a 2-hour drive north from Kalispell, Montana USA.
Ride Respectfully
The Kootenays are populated by mostly smaller communities that offer a relaxed pace. We all love this area and want to keep it our little, peaceful piece of heaven. If you’re going to ride, please Ride the the Road to Respect.
Riders Paradise
With winding roads boasting impressive scenery, Fernie is a must-ride destination for motorcycle touring, with some of the best motorcycling roads in BC. And the backcountry is incredible! There is a staggering amount of FSR’s that go through beautiful terrain.
Lots to see and do! Aside from the spectacular riding, the Kootenay region is just full of amazing things to experience. Not to mention the top-notch restaurants and cools shops. And when you need to rest up for the next day, there’s plenty of places to sleep.
All the Routes and waypoints
So, here’s how the maps works. Everything is based on the type of riding surface. Colour-coded for your convenience! Green is paved, Blue is unpaved, and Red is spicy! It’s unpaved but either more technical or has something on it that may be trickier for some rider/bike combinations. I’m never going to make assumptions about your skill level or enthusiasm, you know you. Always ride to what you’re comfortable with.
There are waypoints for Camping, fuel, beer, motels, motorcycle shops, food, and cool places to see.
You can add everything in Gaia to you own (free) account, or download it straight away and add it to any app or Garmin unit.
Ride the Routes
Granby / Whatshan / Shelter Bay Route
Want a way to get from Grand Forks to the Shelter Bay ferry avoiding all that pavement through Nakusp? Have we got the answer for you! Stellar gravel riding through the Granby, Edgewood, Whatshan Lake and along the West shore
Lemon Creek Route
Heading up Six Mile Lake and down Lemon Creek is a classic dual-sport ride. The typical loop is just up, down and back on the highway through the Slocan Valley. But…..there’s options!! Get the .gpx or .kml file via Gaia
Glacier Route
Riding the loop around the Kokanee Park is a must do! Travelling through Nelson, Balfour, Kaslo, New Denver and through the Slocan Valley. It has some of the most flowy twisties anywhere. Get the .gpx or .kml file via Gaia
BC Fuel Stations
It’s sorta one of those things. If you travel around, you need gas. And when you need it, you really need it! Here’s a map of places to get fuel. Is this EVERY station? Of course not. If you’re headed
Campsites
One awesome part of travelling in British Columbia is the abundance of Recreational Sites to camp at! Download the .KML for Google Maps Download the .GPX for GAIA View in Google Earth Fortunately, along with all the forestry roads that
Kootenay Pass Loop Route
Ok folks, this one is a classic! A paved, smooth, flowy cruise, it takes the rider through some spectacular scenery. Along the North Shore of Kootenay lake, across the longest free ferry in the world, through the twisties on the
Castlegar-Christina Lake Route
Do you like beautiful Lake views? Do you like groomed railbed gravel? Do you like getting around a mountain pass on the pavement? Do you like old railway trestles? But….are you afraid of the dark? Bulldog tunnel is almost a
Trout Lake Loop
Discover the Kootenays on a breathtakingly picturesque circle motorcycle tour through the heart of the Selkirks, a 390-kilometre loop that starts and ends in Nelson, B.C., with stops in New Denver, Nakusp and Kaslo. Get the .gpx or .kml file
Buchanan Lookout
The Buchanan Lookout stands tall at 1,912 m (6,272 Ft) and offers stunning views of the Kootenay Lake, Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park, Goat Range Provincial Park and the Purcell Mountains. Get the .gpx or .kml file via Gaia Gaia Tutorial
Gray Creek Pass
The climb to Gray Creek Pass is 5,000 ft of elevation gain in 16.5 km making it the highest dirt pass in Canada! The 6,850 foot high Gray Creek Pass runs between Kootenay Lake on the west and Kimberly to
Local Businesses
Fernie Brewing Co.
When Fernie Brewing opened in 2003 it was based in a barn on the Pask family farm. At first, thanks to all the ski hills
Bonus Linkage
Glacier Route
Riding the loop around the Kokanee Park is a must do! Travelling through Nelson, Balfour, Kaslo, New Denver and through the Slocan Valley. It has
Ride Report – West Kootenays Bottom to Top
Miss Velocity joined in on this most recent scouting mission. Sooooo nice to have my partner to help stay warm at night instead of shivering
Yahk to Kikomun Rd
So you say you need a route to connect between Yack and Jaffery? Well, here it is! If you’re going between Creston and Fernie, or
Bulldogish
What’s Bulldogish? Well, for lack of a better name, it’s the network of roads and trails that wander around the Bulldog Tunnel. Encompassing a loose
Koch Creek Pass
The trip up over Koch Creek Pass is a local classic. Can be used as as a fun shortcut between Fauquier Ferry and Highway 6
Canadian Border Patrol
Welcome to the Canadian Border Patrol! Almost 800km stretching from the Nighthawk Border crossing to the Roosville Crossing, travelling on as much dirt and backroads