New Denver

New Denver, British Columbia, Canada

In the late 1800s New Denver was at the centre of one of British Columbia's mining booms. Men came from around the country hoping to get rich mining the silver ore that had been discovered in the Slocan Valley. The towns of Sandon and Three Forks were home to hundreds and supplied the miners who worked up on Idaho Peak, Payne Mountain and other peaks in the area. Both are now ghost towns with only a handful of residents and some slowly decaying buildings. One of the highlights of riding in this area is discovering remnants of this boom that were left behind. Because a lot of the trails follow the old roads and rail lines that transported the supplies and the ore in and out of the mines, you don't have to look far to find the rusting remains of old concentrators and the wooden shells of old buildings. Idaho Peak is itself a swiss cheese of shafts and adits with tailings spread like a rocky waterfall below the old mine sites. The trails that follow the old transportation network are all low-angle and pretty mellow with only the occasional technical section, typically where the trail has eroded over the years. It's easy to climb or descend this network of trails and they can be ridden by people of all skill levels. There are a few options built on a steeper grades, generally running between the more mellow trails. These options have been purpose-built for mountain biking and are more challenging and technical.

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Trail Stats

Distance: Over 50 km
Time: 1 hr - 4 days
Elevation Gain: N/A
Elevation Loss: N/A
Min Elevation: N/A
Max Elevation: N/A
Technical Rating: Beginner - Expert
Physical Rating: Easy - Hard
Season: May - October
Permit Required: No

New Denver Trails

Alamo Wagon Road Trail
Galena Trail
H-Road Trail
K&S Trail
Old Sandon Road Trail
Sundowner Trail
Wakefield Trail

Downloads

GPS Map (GPX): click here
Google Earth: click here
North Slocan Trails Society (no website)
Trail Report: click here

Google Earth trail view only works if you have the program; download it here (free)

Trail information

New Denver is a small town with a small population. Because the trail network is pretty big in comparison with the number of people that work to maintain the trails it’s a good idea to stop in at Wilds of Canada Cycles and talk to Rob about what’s good to ride. Rob’s in the know and is able to help with your trip planning, providing info on blow-downs and trail closures. Also a great shop to pick up a local trail map and get your bike some love.

The North Slocan Trails Society (NSTS), led by Mike Koolen, is one of the active trail groups in the area. If you’ve enjoyed riding the local trails, it never hurts to donate some money to the NSTS; they’re doing a lot of work out there. To get in touch with Mike, reach him via phone at 604-358-2680.

 

 


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