Complete Guide to Mountain Biking in Squamish, BC

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Squamish is hands-down one of my favorite places I’ve ever ridden. Not only are the views that surround this little British Columbia fjord town absolutely stunning, but the riding is irrevocably world-class. I spent almost two weeks here exploring with my dad and we had a blast! Squamish mountain biking is perhaps most well-known for its steep rock rollers (and there are a lot of them), but there are also amazing flow trails, super well-built climbs, technical old-school singletrack through beautiful forests, and mellow dirt tracks for those just starting out (although I would definitely not categorize Squamish as a beginner-friendly mountain bike destination).

Squamish is also just a short drive away from one of the best mountain bike parks in the world – Whistler. So if you’re looking for an epic road trip to western British Columbia, it’s time to put Squamish on your calendar!

Learn everything you need to know about mountain biking in Squamish including the best trails, how to link them up, and more

Important Things to Know Before mountain biking in Squamish

The blues are really blacks and blacks are really double blacks

British Columbia – particularly the North Shore of Vancouver and Whistler Bike Park – is known for being very lenient in its trail ratings. Guaranteed that the blue trails in Squamish are going to be harder than your hometown blues and so on.

Know your skill levels and don’t be afraid to walk scary features.

Rock slabs are fun, but… they can be slippery

It rains a lot in Squamish during the fall, winter, and spring months, so if you’re visiting any time other than mid-summer keep in mind that wet rocks are not as grippy as dry rocks. There is a lot of rock slab riding in Squamish!

E-bikes are allowed on most trails

Class 1 e-bikes are allowed on most trails in Squamish. This includes pedal-assist (no throttle) e-bikes with a max assisted speed of 20 MPH. Please be kind and courteous to each other, we’re all out there to have fun.

2 Mountain Bike Networks in Squamish to check out

Squamish has two main mountain bike networks, both of which are quite extensive. I did a 10-day trip to Squamish and we pretty much exclusively rode these two networks without re-riding many of the same trails.

There is also the Valleycliff Area, which I haven’t ridden. I’ve heard that the trails there are more suited for trials riders and people who want to hit bigger features.

1. Diamond Head

Diamond Head is located northeast of Squamish near Quest University. This mountain bike network has a good mix of flowy machine-built trails as well as old-school rocks and roots.

The main Legacy Climb Trail – Stl’lhalem Sintl’ – is well-built and if you take it allllll the way to the top, it’s about 8 miles and 3,000ft of climbing. But the views and dowhill are worth it!

Diamond Head is a great place to start your Squamish mountain biking adventures. There are trails for all levels and it has some of the best singletrack in the area. Half Nelson and the Psuedo-Tsuga’s are probably Squamish’s most popular flow trails while Angry Midget and Ditch Pig provide raw DH action.

2. Alice Lake & Highlands

Alice Lake is a bit farther north of town above Garibaldi Highlands. There is a bit of everything here except for machine-built flow – you’ll find that at Diamond Head. But if you came to Squamish looking for rock slab riding, this is where you want to be.

In general, Alice Lake has more advanced trails than Diamond Head and there’s also less continuous climbing. Don’t think for a minute, though, that it’s going to be easy!

Like Diamond Head, you really can’t go wrong at Alice Lake. A few of my favorites here include Mad Hatter, Man Boobs, Leave of Absence, and Rupert. If you want to step things up a notch (or two) try your skills on Entrails, Bony Elbows, and In-and-Out Burger.

Remember to ride within your skill level! There’s some big stuff here.

The Best of Squamish Mountain Biking

Keep in mind that ‘best’ is subjective and I haven’t ridden every single trail in Squamish. With that being said, here are my favorite trails and route link-ups in Squamish.

8 best mountain bike trails in Squamish

1. Half Nelson (Diamond Head, Beginner)
2. Pseudo-Tsuga 1, 2, & 3 (Diamond Head, Beginner)
3. Fred (Diamond Head, Intermediate)
4. Mad Hatter (Alice Lake, Intermediate)
5. Somewhere Over There (Diamond Head, Intermediate+)
6. Rupert (Alice Lake, Advanced)
7. Ditch Pig (Diamond Head, Advanced)
8. Entrails (Alice Lake, Advanced)

5 Route Recommendations

I love this loop! Climbing all the way to the top of the Legacy Climb Trail is a haul, but not too bad if you take it slow and steady. You should definitely do it once if you’re visiting Squamish.

It might be tempting to simply head down Upper Powersmart, but this trail is super eroded and filled with baby head rocks. Instead, take Meadow Of The Grizzly, which is machine-built and flowy – to Short Circuit and then link into IMBA Smart.

The highlight of this ride is Fred. Flowy, steep, some techy features, and all-around awesome.

Make it shorter

Skip the final mile of climbing to the top of the Climb Trail and skip right over to Short Circuit.

Shuttle it

It is possible to shuttle to the top of Diamond Head. See more about shuttles below.

This is a big ride with a lot of elevation gain (unless you shuttle to the top), but the descents are totally worth it. Meadow of the Grizzly is long with lots of big bermed turns and great views out over the fjord.

Half Nelson and the Pseduo-Tsuga’s are simply the best if you’re looking for flow! The map above is a bit confusing but basically, the two descents are:

1. Meadow of the Grizzy to Half Nelson (climb up Operation Panda and Ring Creek Access Road)
2. Pseudo-Tsuga Part 1, 2, and 3

Make it shorter

If you want to cut off some miles and climbing, you can not do Meadow of the Grizzly and only climb up to the start of Half Nelson. Then finish the route by climbing Operation Panda to Ring Creek Access Road to the Pseudo-Tsugas.

If you really want to do Meadow of the Grizzly, you can skip the second climb back up to the Pseudo-Tsugas.

This is another big day, but you’re in Squamish to ride, right? Angry Midget and Ditch Pig are both fast, rooty, and old-school descents and much different than the machine-built trails in Diamond Head (I personally prefer Ditch Pig if you only want to do one climb).

Somewhere Over There is more off the beaten path and I loved it. It’s a great trail with some rock slabs that are a good intro to Alice Lake if you haven’t been over there yet. The finish on Poop Alley is a fun, fast, flowy easy trail to end the day.

Make it shorter

You can choose to do only one of the descents down Angry Midget or Ditch Pig. I slightly preferred Ditch Pig, but they’re both great and challenging.

Make it harder

Take the Unrelated Dead Guys offshoot from Somewhere Over There. This trail has a series of steep rock faces.

This is a lap kind of day. Leave of Absence is a fun warm-up – definitely a hard blue – and Rupert is freaking awesome. I love that trail! There are some really cool wooden features and entry-level rock slabs.

Entrails is next on the list and it steps things up a notch. There are lots of steep rock slabs and techy bits which may need to be walked. Ride within your skill level. Bony Elbows is just as technical with steep rock rollers. Finally, Rollercoaster is a super fun and flowy way to finish the day.

Make it easier

Entrails and Bony Elbows are the hardest trails in the loop. You can skip them by taking Mashiter after your run down Rupert. This will connect into Rollercoaster to finish the loop.

It’s a climb to get up to Mad Hatter, but the descent is worth it. Man Boobs is also fun – very rocky and rooty, but does have some flow. My favorite trail in this link-up is Rupert. SO MUCH FUN. Big rock slabs, fun wooden features, fast and flowy, and all over awesome.

Credit Line has a climb at the beginning but the down is fast with lots of rocks and roots.

Best Time To Ride in Squamish

Squamish can technically be ridden all year round because it rarely snows due to its temperate coastal climate however, it rains A LOT during the fall, winter, and spring months. Squamish gets an average rainfall of 113 inches per year and most of that occurs between October and April. The best time to enjoy Squamish mountain biking, then, is in the summer from June to September. I visited in late June and we had almost perfect weather!

If you’re looking for events, in the summer SORCA (Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association) puts on weekly rides and events.

What Gear to Pack

For a complete list of what mountain bike gear to pack for your trip to Squamish head over to my Complete Mountain Bike Trip Packing List and Mountain Bike Pack Essentials posts.

Here are a few items specific to mountain biking in Squamish, British Columbia.

Squamish Bike Shops, Rentals, & Tours

As would be expected for a mountain bike town, Squamish has a handful of bike shops that offer full-service tune-ups and repairs, rentals, and guided tours.

Full-Service Bike Shops & Rentals

• Corsa Cycles, Squamish | +1 604-892-3331
• Tantalus Bike Shop, Garabaldi Highlands | +1 604-898-2588
• Spoke Haven Bike Shop, Garabalidi Highlands | +1 604-898-1919

Guided Rides & Coaching

• Flying Spirit Rentals | +1 604-390-3822
• Dialed In Cycling | +1 604-390-3822

Mountain Bike Shuttles

• Squamish Shred Shuttle | +1 778-915-7473

Where To Eat & Drink In Squamish

There are a lot of great restaurants in Squamish. Below are a few of my favorites:

• Locavore Bar & Grill: Tasty food with an emphasis on healthy and local 
• The Watershed Grill: A bustling place with good food. Situated right on the banks of the Squamish River
• Saha Eatery: A down-to-earth restaurant serving amazing Middle Eastern food
• Backcountry Brewing: Good beer and fantastic pizza
• Caffe Garibaldi: Really good coffee and breakfast pastries. Located in the Squamish Adventure Center 
• Zephyr Cafe: A fun little cafe with great breakfast and lunch options. The smoothies are delish!

Where to stay in Squamish

Squamish Camping

Squamish has a handful of great camping opportunities close to town and trails:

• Alice Lake Provincial Park: This is a nice campground close to the Alice Lake mountain bike trails. There’s also a refreshing small lake to cool off in.
• Paradise Valley Campground: This is a beautiful family-oriented campground located about 11 miles north of Squamish.
• MTN Fun Basecamp: A stunning campground right in the midst of mountain biking trails with a variety of camping options. They also offer several kitchenette-equipped cabins.
• Mamquam River Campsite: A rustic campground situated on the Mamquam River close to town. There is no running water or RV services.

Mountain Biker-Friendly Hotels

Squamish is an adventure town, so there are lots of mountain biker-friendly hotels to choose from. The Squamish Adventure Inn is a hostel that caters to the outdoor adventurer with dorms and private rooms available. They have secure storage and a bike wash station, however bikes are not allowed in rooms.

Executive Suites Hotel and Resort is more of an upscale hotel with nice rooms, friendly staff, secure bike storage, and even a Bike & Stay Package that includes 15% off mountain bike rentals with Flying Spirit Rentals.

Other Things To do In Squamish

If you need a day off the bike, Squamish has a ton of great things to do:

Ride the Sea to Sky Gondola

For amazing views out over Squamish, the Howe Sound, the Stawamus Chief, and surrounding mountains take a ride on the Sea To Summit Gondola. This 10-minute scenic ride takes you up almost 3,000 ft above sea level and at the top, you can enjoy the views from three different viewing platforms. You can also enjoy a delicious meal at the Summit Lodge on their viewing deck while taking in the panorama.

Go Hiking

Just like there are tons of mountain biking trails around Squamish, so too are there plenty of hiking trails. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to explore Squamish on foot, but next time I visit I’d love to check off these two hikes:

• Stawamus Chief Trail that takes you up the two peaks on Squamish’s iconic monolith, the Stawamus Chief
• Elfin Lakes Trail up to a beautiful lakes basin area above Squamish. You can also ride your bike up to Elfin Lakes

Visit Whistler

If you’ve made your way to Squamish for mountain biking, you might as well hit up Whistler Bike Park as well. Whistler is only 40 miles north of Squamish and in addition to its world-class lift-served playground, it’s also home to dozens of miles of backcountry singletrack including the Lord of the Squirrels trails, which is supposed to be epic!

Go white water rafting

Squamish has two rivers that offer white water rafting fun, the Cheakamus River with class I and II rapids (mellower) and the Elaho-Squamish River with class III and IV rapids (more challenging). Both rivers offer epic views and are a good way to rest the legs while still getting an adrenaline rush. Book your day out on the river here!

Have you mountain biked in Squamish, BC? What are your favorite trails and rides? Let us know in the comments below!

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