Vancouver Mountain Bike Parks & Trails

In the midst of suburbia, a moment of pure joy. This park became know to mountain bikers after the Burnaby Summer Games, when the City of Burnaby wouldn't allow the mountain biking events to be held within city limits. Located on the Vancouver side of the Burnaby/Vancouver border, this was once the city landfill. You can still see refuse poking out of the ground in places. And much of the park is overgrown with blackberry brambles. But the south edge of the park offers great views over the Fraser Delta/Strait of Georgia, and there are some really interesting little trails that wend their way through the brambles. Just, uh, don't fall off.

Popular, yes, almost too popular. But there's a good reason. These trails are a lot of fun for beginners and slightly more seasoned riders alike. Oh sure, there are no cliffs to ride down, no psycho descents, but a lot of trail to rip up or relax on, depending. Pick up a trail map, as some of the trails are designated hiking only.
Access: Pacific Spirit Park is located on the UBC endowment lands, in the Point Grey section of Vancouver. Access points include along 16th Ave. West (between Crown and UBC proper), or from Imperial Rd and Camosun Street.

Take the old logging road up from Mike Lake to near the top of Alouette Mountain. Descents along this road are fast, and the Eric Dunning trail breaks off about two thirds of the way down for a slightly more challenging alternative. There are a couple other trails open to mountain bikes in the park, including the East Canyon Trail. rom Highway 7 in Maple Ridge, head north on 232, then east on Fern Cres. Watch for gravel road to Mike Lake on your left, 4.5 km past the park gate.

For those looking for smooth, easy riding, the Old Buck trail starts at the lowest parking lot and climbs to the upper. In between is 5.5 km easy riding up 670 vertical metres. For people looking for something a bit more difficult, things get problematic. At last word, many of the mountain biking trails inside the provincial park (which were cut illegally) are closed, with stiff fines awaiting people who break the rules. The lower Seymour trails (including the infamous, or at least infamously named, Severed Dick) are outside the park and remain open. Most of the trails in this area are intermediate.
Access: From Mt. Seymour Parkway, North Vancouver. Park in the Lower Parking lot.