British Columbia - Best areas to visit

[FJR_ski]

I hope I'm posting this in the right section of the forum.
I'm basically looking for some information on what are the best roads and area's to see in British Columbia.

Thanks,

[Kootenanny]

Take a look at this site:  http://www.destinationhighways.com/default.htm

Quite a few of their top picks are in the Kootenays (see: http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,59954.0.html), in the south-central interior of the province, but there are good roads all through the southern part of the province.  

Vancouver, the major city, can be a pain...busy and congested (although some major routes have HOV lanes, which allow motorcycles)...but on the other hand, it has an excellent restaurant scene, if you're into that.  The 99 north to Whistler and on to Pemberton is good--amazing scenery, mountains and ocean--but it's been "improved" within an inch of its life and is no longer the narrow, twisty coastal road it used to be.  Still, it leads to Pemberton, which is the starting point for the Duffy Lake Road, which is part of a loop very popular with Vancouver area riders.

If you're in Vancouver, it's worth it to make a run up to Mount Seymour in North Vancouver for a great view over the city (and it's a fun ride up, too!).

However, it's once you're out of Vancouver that the riding gets better.  There are good roads around Merritt and Kamloops, and in the Okanagan too (here, you really want to avoid the main highway, #97, if you can...it can get busy!).  East from the Okanagan you find the West and East Kootenays...the West Kootenay is mountainous, with twisty rural highways , while the East Kootenay offers spectacular views of the Rockies.

There is some very good riding just south of us in northern Washington state, as well.

[birdrunner]

Check out any of the Borscht Burn threads in the meets section.

[Baz]

Check out any of the Borscht Burn threads in the meets section.

 

[Kootenanny]

Check out any of the Borscht Burn threads in the meets section.

Easy to find...I linked to the 2011 Borscht Burn thread in my post above.

[GetFuzzy]

Check out this http://destinationhighways.com/

[veefer800canuck]

Check out this http://destinationhighways.com/

This ^^^^^

[Kootenanny]

Check out this http://destinationhighways.com/

Oops...that was the first site I linked, but I see now my link was bad

Fixed.

[bubba zanetti]

Tell us a bit more about your trip. What you hope to get out of it, camping or motel etc ?  Sights or just roads?  When are you planning this trip? Maybe you could attend the Borscht Burn in July ?   The motorcycle lexicons of British Columbia gots to know before they inundate you with an overwhelming amount of information and invitations !  

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Tell us a bit more about your trip. What you hope to get out of it, camping or motel etc ?  Sights or just roads?  When are you planning this trip? Maybe you could attend the Borscht Burn in July ?   The motorcycle lexicons of British Columbia gots to know before they inundate you with an overwhelming amount of information and invitations !  

This is what I was thinking, too.  

Also, dirt/paved? Options abound when you can squeak in some dirt roads in there  

[David Morrow]

 The 99 north to Whistler and on to Pemberton is good--amazing scenery, mountains and ocean--but it's been "improved" within an inch of its life and is no longer the narrow, twisty coastal road it used to be.  Still, it leads to Pemberton, which is the starting point for the Duffy Lake Road, which is part of a loop very popular with Vancouver area riders.

Hwy 99 to Whistler is indeed improved but not to "within an inch of its life." Prior to the upgrades, you could get stuck behind a slow vehicle for 20 miles before getting a good chance to pass. Now, it if far better - great sweepers, great scenery, and great road surface. But, it also means a lot of traffic. The route from Vancouver through to Cache Creek via Hwy 99 is a great route but best once you're north of Whistler. From Lillooet to Cache Ck is the best of that route IMHO.

[Kootenanny]

Hwy 99 to Whistler is indeed improved but not to "within an inch of its life." Prior to the upgrades, you could get stuck behind a slow vehicle for 20 miles before getting a good chance to pass. Now, it if far better - great sweepers, great scenery, and great road surface. But, it also means a lot of traffic.

I admit to having rose-tinted glasses when it comes to Hwy 99...I used to ride that "back in the day," and I loved the narrow twisty road it was then.  I've only ridden it once since it was "improved," and I sure didn't recogize the road at all...a LOT has changed since then!  Seems like a multi-lane commuter corridor now, in comparison...

[David Morrow]

I admit to having rose-tinted glasses when it comes to Hwy 99...I used to ride that "back in the day," and I loved the narrow twisty road it was then.  I've only ridden it once since it was "improved," and I sure didn't recogize the road at all...a LOT has changed since then!  Seems like a multi-lane commuter corridor now, in comparison...

Quite true. I tend to time my transit for late in the day and never on a Sunday evening and I usually am Vancouver-bound.

[WhiteyJr]

I'll agree with what everyone else has said so far, and also throw in my endorsement for the Kootenay's. Specifically the 3A from Creston up to the ferry at Kootenay Bay. Just a bit further north and on the other side of the lake is the 31A that runs from Kaslo to New Denver. Both breath-taking roads, but can get a bit choked with tourist traffic at certain times. We found an early morning run down the 31A was best. Also in this area is the Legendary Toad Rock Motorcycle Campground. A must-see if you're camping.

http://www.toadrockcampground.com/

If you are in the mood for something a little off the beaten path, I suggest the Grey Creek Pass. A small utility road that runs up over the range from Kimberly to Grey Creek (eastern side of Kootenay Lake). It's usually only open for a few weeks a year, but an amazing off-highway ride if you can manage it. It's all rock/gravel and can be washed out in some places. Another nice scenic gravel road is the Tout Lake Road. Just follow the 31 north of Kaslo, and when the pavement stops....keep going. It's a great easy-going gravel road that winds past Trout Lake, then joins up with the highway near the Galena Bay ferry. My$0.02.

Whitey Jr

[Oxblood]

Wow, asking where to ride is, well like asking where to swim in an ocean. BC is a pretty big place. That said, my fav BC riding is the Southern Interior. There are some sublime roads that offer beautiful vistas, and challenging riding all while seeing hardly another soul on the road.

One could traverse the Province from the BC/Alberta border to Hope (not too distant from vancouver) on Highway 3, and see some beautiful sites, and ride some fun twisties. The ride up to places like Nakusp was also mentioned (great road). The Fraser Canyon to Cache Creek is a lot of fun (or you can duck down to Merritt via Spences Bridge on Highway 8, then run down 5A to Princeton).

Highway 6 from Vernon down into the Kootenays has long been a favourite of mine.

Roads to avoid? Well, the Coquillhalla and the 97C are both freeway, and some mighty nutty drivers on them. Good if you have to get to X fast, but not so much fun to ride. I hate them on the bike, and in the car, and rarely ride them.

Make sure you check out the Destinations Highways BC book (the website has previously been mentioned). If you are camping, this site has a good Google Maps based app for finding campgrounds throughout BC http://www.campingrvbc.com/.

Wherever you wind up riding, I hope you have a grand time.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

If I had a couple of days in BC, these are the roads I'd probably hit:


View Larger Map

This, of course, assumes pavement :-)

It also leaves out  the Mable Canyon between Lillooet and Cache Creek, Fraser River (#1) between Hope and Lytton and 5A from Merrit to Kamloops. And if you need to get back to Vancouver in a hurry, I've always enjoyed the #3

[Scratch33]

Watch out for moose (meese?) and horses on the Cassiar.  Avoid New Hazleton - stay in Smithers instead.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Watch out for moose (meese?) and horses on the Cassiar.  Avoid New Hazleton - stay in Smithers instead.

You really think that he'll go that far north?    Although I will say that the road to Bella Coola is a nice side-trip  

[bubba zanetti]

Quite a few new webcams on Drive BC these days.  A notable one is on Monashee Pass ( just east of the old cinnamon bun place)  on 6 and also a cam in Nakusp.

http://images.drivebc.ca/bchighwaycam/pub/html/www/250.html

[Kootenanny]

Quite a few new webcams on Drive BC these days.  A notable one is on Monashee Pass ( just east of the old cinnamon bun place)  on 6 and also a cam in Nakusp.

http://images.drivebc.ca/bchighwaycam/pub/html/www/250.html

Yeah...of course, when I recently had to take a trip to Salmon Arm, those were the two cameras that were conveniently not working...

[Oxblood]

If I had a couple of days in BC, these are the roads I'd probably hit:


View Larger Map

This, of course, assumes pavement :-)

It also leaves out  the Mable Canyon between Lillooet and Cache Creek, Fraser River (#1) between Hope and Lytton and 5A from Merrit to Kamloops. And if you need to get back to Vancouver in a hurry, I've always enjoyed the #3

That is a sweet route. I did a similar one a while back. Osoyoos to Princeton, 5A to Merritt, 97A through to Ashcroft, then up to the 99 and down to Vancouver via Lilooett. Was a great ride.

[birdrunner]

That is a sweet route. I did a similar one a while back. Osoyoos to Princeton, 5A to Merritt, 97A through to Ashcroft, then up to the 99 and down to Vancouver via Lilooett. Was a great ride.

So Dante,  how are you enjoying those majestic roads out east?

 

[Mrs. DantesDame]

So Dante,  how are you enjoying those majestic roads out east?

 

 



Ride report here

[David Morrow]

Vancouver just received the World's Most Liveable City award again - 5th straight year. I was sort of hoping they'd keep it quiet ... please don't tell anyone.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/02/22/vancouver-is-the-worlds-most-livable-city-for-a-fifth-straight-year-survey/

[Kootenanny]

Vancouver just received the World's Most Liveable City award again - 5th straight year. I was sort of hoping they'd keep it quiet ... please don't tell anyone.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/02/22/vancouver-is-the-worlds-most-livable-city-for-a-fifth-straight-year-survey/

OK, I'm gonna post this in the "Best Place to Live is NOT Venice Beach!" thread in OT..