BC Roads - What to ride, what to skip?

[PrivatePilot]

For those who have ridden in BC, if you had to map a route starting in Edmonton and ending in Calgary, aside from the obvious route through Jasper on the way west and the obvious route through Banff on the way back east (to make a loop out of it, pictured below), what other roads in BC would you not want to miss?

Yes, we know Jasper is burned. We still want to experience the roads however.

Timeline from Edmonton and back to Calgary: 7-9 days. Vancouver terminus, we have friends there as well.



I just keep looking at the map and wondering what other roads are good out there, aside from the obvious stuff above through the Rockies of course. I know there's a lot I'm surely missing. We've been to BC quite a few times, but never on 2 wheels, and not on a trip where we dedicated most of it specifically to BC either.

Things are increasingly shaping up for a trip out west this summer - my wife will fly to Edmonton where we have family and I'll Iron Butt out there in 2 days and meet here there. Then we can head off for the 8-9 days into BC, and then I'll drop her off in Calgary for her to fly home and I'll Iron Butt back home again.

I'm leaning towards just flying by the seat of our pants for accomodations (aiming to stay outside the big tourist centres, so leaning towards motels or whatnot, hopefully less likely to have issues finding rooms), but for a few areas I know we'll probably have to make reservations. But we need to nail down a more firm plan first.

Suggestions welcome.

 

[MacDoc]

You gotta do Sea to Sky along the coast
99 going north one of the best riding roads ever then head across to the Rockies or go further north to Dease Lake and Muncho Lake then go east to Jasper.
The ride directly between Jasper and Banff is wonderful tho Jasper is pretty desolate with the fire ....still I'm sure they would like your patronage.

The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93 North) joins the Community of Lake Louise in Banff National Park with the Town of Jasper in Jasper National Park. Give yourself a full day to travel one-way. It is one of the most scenic highways in the world. A national park pass is required for all travel on this scenic parkway.16 Jan 2025

Bow Valley for sure.

The Bow Valley Parkway

Information on visiting the Bow Valley Parkway in Banff National Park.

parks.canada.ca

Lake Moraine is gorgeous. We took a short boat tour on it. Worthwhile

Sooooo much wildlife.
Muncho Lake Park tho that may be further north than you want to go - you are very near Meziadian Junction and the 37a is a must do if you go that far. A big glacier to view but gravel to get to the ice field.



The mountain goats you can see - the mountain sheep are the exact colour of the highway and like to lick the salt. These guys made us a laugh. They will stand in the middle of the road and in dim light just disappear.
One rider had to cancel his trip when he hit one and somersaulted off the bike ...afaik he wrote the bike off. Nasty early end to a road trip.

Wildfires will be a challenge - nothing worse to ruin a trip. Take some masks.

 

[Evoex]

Icefields Parkway for sure!

 

[gsxr guy]

Get off the main hwys. Example hwy1a from lake Louise to Banff is WAY better than hwy1.

 

[timtune]

Can't offer any advice but kudos on the accomodations plan. That's how the Squeeze and I travel on the bike. (and we never had a GPS to find them)
Sometimes you end up moving on to the next town for the night but I find that a worthy trade off for not having a fixed schedule.

 

[Megomaniac]

New Denver to Kaslo on the 31A.

 

[nakkers]

Can’t go wrong anywhere in BC really. Heading south from Jasper towards Banff on 93 is nice. If you don’t mind a little detour from Banff, take the 93 towards Radium Hot Springs and keep going to past Fairmont Springs to Lussier Hot Springs. It’s a gravel road off 93 but, it’s a natural hot spring along a creek. Unlike those man made pools you have to pay to enter etc.

https://imgur.com/a/1xjGY6L

On a separate note, you can rent a tube and float the penticton channel/river. Or just find an access point and go for a soak/float on your own. We travelled from Kelowna to Osoyoos for a day trip and it was fun with the stop in Penticton. We enjoy wine so there was plenty of stops for us to enjoy. But, the drive/ride is enjoyable as well.


In the Vancouver area, White Rock is a great stop to enjoy the pier and patios and there is beach area to relax. Parking for motorcycles is available.


We just pick a road and go and don’t really map it out.

 

[danp]

Hwy 20 Sedro-Woolley to Winthrop
Hwy 31A New Denver to Kaslo
Hwy 12 Lytton to Lillooet
Green Lake Rd
Westside Rd

 

[GreyGhost]

What is @Lightcycle up to? He should be the authority on this as odds are he has the most recent experience (although he seems to be focusing on getting dirty lately and I don't think you want to take the couch off-road).

 

[Evoex]

What is @Lightcycle up to? He should be the authority on this as odds are he has the most recent experience (although he seems to be focusing on getting dirty lately and I don't think you want to take the couch off-road).

that sounds a lot like a challenge.

Darkside offroading....there's a tv show in there somewhere....

 

[sburns]

How are you going to be in Alberta in 2 days? It's 2 days to get out of Ontario.

 

[GreyGhost]

How are you going to be in Alberta in 2 days? It's 2 days to get out of Ontario.

That depends on your "day". It's about 33 hours riding from his house to Edmonton or Calgary (something like 3400-3500 km). That's a long two days but certainly doable especially if you've got a big tank and can do long legs between stops. I could get there in a cage in two days with the ankle biters so he should be able to do it pretty easily solo.

 

[sburns]

That depends on your "day". It's about 33 hours riding from his house to Edmonton or Calgary (something like 3400-3500 km). That's a long two days but certainly doable especially if you've got a big tank and can do long legs between stops. I could get there in a cage in two days with the ankle biters so he should be able to do it pretty easily solo.

Sure of course, seems kinda like pushing it. That's 1700 k a day, lets go with 120 average speed. Works out to be 14 hours. Plus fill ups, piss breaks and some food. Cutting it close to available daylight which is about 15 hrs in July.

 

[GreyGhost]

Sure of course, seems kinda like pushing it. That's 1700 k a day, lets go with 120 average speed. Works out to be 14 hours. Plus fill ups, piss breaks and some food. Cutting it close to available daylight which is about 15 hrs in July.

I couldn't make it during light hours. It would definitely involve riding in the dark.

 

[danp]

Haha nobody is making it to edmonton from the GTA in 2 days on a motorcycle, and you're definitely not maintaining an average speed of 120, there's cops all over those roads. I got a ticket for going 98 in a 90 on hwy 11 somewhere near geraldton.

 

[MacDoc]

Don't think you know PrivatePilot.

 

[GreyGhost]

Haha nobody is making it to edmonton from the GTA in 2 days on a motorcycle, and you're definitely not maintaining an average speed of 120, there's cops all over those roads. I got a ticket for going 98 in a 90 on hwy 11 somewhere near geraldton.

The best I've done in Canada on a bike was 2300 km in 24 hours. That was east not west though so not exactly the same thing. I am sure PP can run close to those numbers if he really wanted to. That bike needed to stop every 400 km. I think PP's can go further between stops which really helps average speed stay up.

 

[danp]

Remember, on these roads the limit is 80 or 90, and the roads often go through small towns where you have to slow down to 50. You are not maintaining highway speeds all day. I rode from my house to thunder bay in one day, that was like 1300kms or something. Tough but doable if you start riding early, but Tbay is not even close to the halfway point to Edmonton, which is somehwere around Dryden. So on the first day you are going from Toronto to Dryden which is about 18 hours (not counting stops), so let's say 20 hours including stops. Then the next day you are going from Dryden to Edmonton which is about 17 hours riding, or let's say 19 with stops. Are you gonna do a 20 hour day, sleep only a few hours, then do a 19 hour day? I doubt it.

 

[MacDoc]

Wait and see.
I still think he should fly the bike to Vancouver but....
It would also be more feasible in mid June and doing the northern TC.

The average day in Jasper during June has 16.8 hours of daylight, with sunrise at 5:28 AM and sunset at 10:16 PM.

 

[PrivatePilot]

You gotta do Sea to Sky along the coast
99 going north one of the best riding roads ever then head across to the Rockies or go further north to Dease Lake and Muncho Lake then go east to Jasper.

Thanks, it's on the list as a definite revisit. We drove part of it on a few past trips but never had time to go much past Whistler.

Muncho Lake Park tho that may be further north than you want to go - you are very near Meziadian Junction and the 37a is a must do if you go that far. A big glacier to view but gravel to get to the ice field.

Far too north unfortunately for the timeline we have to work with. Going way up into the interior is on my "some day" list, but it won't be this time.

Can't offer any advice but kudos on the accomodations plan. That's how the Squeeze and I travel on the bike. (and we never had a GPS to them)
Sometimes you end up moving on to the next town for the night but I find that a worthy trade off for not having a fixed schedule.

On this specific trip it's a bit terrifying to me honestly. Normally, when I'm travelling solo or traveling with my motocamping friends it would be something I'd absolutely look forward to as it allows so much freedom, and at the end of the day I throw my tent down somewhere and I'm good, but on this trip, but on this trip given the need for non-tent accommodations every night (my wife is absolutely not into tents lol), it changes a lot of realities.

New Denver to Kaslo on the 31A.

Noted, thanks!

that sounds a lot like a challenge.

Darkside offroading....there's a tv show in there somewhere....

When we went to James Bay we ran somewhere in the vicinity of100km of gravel, it's not a big deal if it means getting somewhere good. We even did a few KM of the Trans Taiga just to say we did it on a Goldwing, an ST1100, and my Transcontinental lol.

That said, will I do a bunch of it in BC with my wife on the back 2up just to get somewhere? Probably not in this time around.

How are you going to be in Alberta in 2 days? It's 2 days to get out of Ontario.

You underestimate me and my enjoyment of stupid miles on 2 wheels lol.

But 2 days is totally doable. It's only 34 hours moving time, 3500km. I only need to stop for fuel a 4 times a day and I can keep those to 10 minutes or less. I throw some nuts and snacks in the tankbag, sometimes a sandwich even, and eat on the fly usually. Two 17ish hour 1750km days, 5am to 10pm, sleep, repeat. The speed limit is 110 in lots of places, 120-130 consistently. I've done this sort of thing before on 2 wheels, and used to do these sorts of days for many years in my trade as well. It's in my blood.

Anyhow, even if it takes 2.5 in the end (which would be absolutely easy), it's no big deal, like I said, we have family in Edmonton (so my wife will be there already) and it'll be a launching point where we will probably stay for a day or 2 before heading west again anyways.