Discover the best Squamish mountain biking trails and routes in this complete guide. Also learn where to eat, sleep, and more!
We first discovered Squamish back in 2016 on our way to Whistler. Ever since then it’s one of our favorite places to ride. The views, the vibe, the loam, and the the crazy amount of trails in Squamish definitely makes it a great MTB town. Squamish mountain biking is known for steep rock rolls but there are also fun flow trails, technical old-school features, and great uphill climbing routes. The only thing Squamish might be missing are really easy trails. But ‘eh’ it’s Canada, nothing is easy here.
The other great thing about Squamish is that it’s only 30 mins to Whistler so you can explore some of the best mountain biking in Canada in one trip!
What to Know Before you Go
My main advice for riding in Squamish (and anywhere in Canada) is that blues are black and blacks are double blacks. Seriously, don’t go in deep to start out or you might find yourself in trouble. That said the trails are built well and there are go arounds on most blue/black features.
Also know that it rains a lot here. Might be a good idea to get out and practice your wet root and rock riding before a trip here.
Squamish Mountain Biking Areas
Squamish has two main mountain bike areas that both have a lot of trails. You could ride for weeks and never hit the same trails.
Diamond Head
Diamond Head is located northeast of Squamish near (the now closed) Quest University. This mountain bike network has a mix of flow, rocks and roots. Also lots of big features. The main climbing trail is Stl’lhalem Sintl’ and goes 8 miles to the top. The other option (especially if you have a kid to tow) is the Ring Creek Access road. There are trails for all levels and some of the best singletrack in the area. There are trails popping up everywhere here. If you have kids Half Nelson and /or Psuedo-Tsuga’s flow trails are a good place to start.
Alice Lakes
Alice Lake is a north of Squamish beyond Garibaldi Highlands. Don’t go here looking for flow (although there are a few new jump lines). This area has the rock slabs and tech riding. Compared to Diamondhead, Alice Lake is more advanced and the climbs aren’t as steep. Like Diamond Head, Alice Lake is filled with amazing trails all around you. I always start with Man Boobs, Leave of Absence, and/or Rupert. For blacks Credit Line, Entrails, In-and-Out Burger. Miki’s Magic is a fun jump trail.
Best Squamish Trails
- Half Nelson (Kid Friendly)
- Pseudo-Tsuga 1, 2, & 3 (Kid Friendly)
- Miki’s Magic (Kid-Friendly)
- Mad Hatter (Intermediate)
- Fred (Intermediate)
- Leave of Absence (Intermediate)
- Pamplemouse (Intermediate to Advanced)
- Rupert (Advanced)
- Hueso (Advanced)
- Entrails (Advanced)
Squamish Mountain Biking Routes
Route 1
Half Nelson Loop – If you want to start out chill and/or have kids this is a great route. Half Nelson is a classic that you don’t want to miss. Pseudo-Tsuga is also a blast and great for any level of rider.
Kid Friendly: For a shorter ride start at the Ring Creek Access road and ride Half Nelson.
Go Big: Check out the Best of Diamond Head Loop.
Route 2
The Tour De Squamish is a bigger ride that will give you a taste of Squamish starting with easier trails and ending on slabs. Get ready for some fun!
Kid Friendly: Skip the blacks to make this more of an intermediate skills ride and shorter.
Route 3
This route in Alice Lake offers a lot of tech on Squamish classics. Man Boobs is mild but will prepare you for Rupert and Credit Line.
Kid Friendly: Skip Credit Line and swap Leave of Absense for Rupert to make this more kid friendly/intermediate.
Go Big: Add on Alice Lakes Loop South
Best Gear for Squamish
Here’s some of the gear we use and recommend when mountain biking in Squamish.
Where to Stay in Squamish
Mountain Bike Hotels
Here are two options in town that welcome MTBers and are also great for the family.
Sandman Hotel – Close to the trails, free breakfast, and a big waterslide for the kiddos (or you!)
Squamish Adventure Inn – Budget Hostel style accommidations where you can meet other mountain bikers and save some cash.
Camping
Luckily there are a few camping options in town. We’ve stayed at Alice Lake, MTN Fun Basecamp and the town park (which is now closed). Of those, Alice Lake is the best option so book early!
Alice Lake Provincial Park – This is a great campground on the Alice Lake mountain bike trails. The lake is also wonderful in the summer as it’s not cold. There’s also a concrete pump track and playground near the lake. About the only bad thing here is your Starlink won’t work.
MTN Fun Basecamp – We haven’t stayed here lately and have heard mixed reviews. They seemed to have more fulltime campers and it looks a little rundown. Still it’s a great location.
Mamquam River Campsite: A great option for vans or tents. Great location by the river.
Paradise Valley Campground –This is a family-oriented campground located north of Squamish. We might stay here next time so check back for beta. They do have a no music rule which could be good or bad for you.
Where to Eat in Squamish
In our experience Squamish doesn’t have a lot of great places to eat but there are a few gems:
Backcountry Brewery – Great beer, cool location tucked away in an industrial area, yummy pizza and occasionally food trucks.
Locavore Bar and Grill – Nice outdoor restaurant and bar with lots of mountain bikers. The Bahn Mi was good.
Fox & Oak – Our friend was working here and brought us a box of donuts one day. They were all so fresh and flavorful. On the fancier side but still so tasty.
Alice + Brohm – I don’t know what it is about this natural fresh made ice cream from New Zealand but we love it. One of the best ice cream spots anywhere!
Squamish Bike Shops
Need gear or a bike fix while in Squamish? Or just want to check out some cool shops. Here are a few of our favorite stops.
Corsa Cycles, Squamish +1 604-892-3331 – Very large selection of bikes and bike gear. Located downtown. Good choice if you need a part or repair.
Tantalus Bike Shop, Garabaldi Highlands +1 604-898-2588 – Smaller shop but well stocked and helpful service
RideHub describes themselves as “the premiere provider of cycling adventures and coaching in Squamish, British Columbia.” They have Trek bikes for rent, a cafe, tons of skills clinics, ad a bike shop.
Squamish Bike Rentals
There are a few places in Squamish for a bike rental (see RideHub above). If you want a high end bike delivered to you check out Biking in Squamish. They provide free drop off and pickups of All-mountain, Enduro, E-Bikes and cruiser E-bike rentals anywhere in Squamish.
Squamish Bike Shuttles and Clinics
Driving and finding parking around the trailheads is not ideal. We love that there’s now a shuttle in town called Shred Shuttle. They leave from Corsa or Tantalus and take you to the Diamondhead area.
Have you mountain biked in Squamish? What are your favorite trails? We’d love to hear from you, drop a comment below!
Is it recommended to ride in December(1st week)? I’ll be visiting Canada and wanted to check if it’s suitable for biking during that time. I plan to bring my bike.
You can ride Squamish most of year depending on weather events.