7 Scenic Bike Rides that Show off Alberta at its Best

Few places reward slower travel like Alberta. On a bike, the province opens up in ways that are easy to miss from behind a vehicle windshield: glacier-fed rivers roar beside the road, wildflowers sway in alpine meadows and wildlife graze in valleys below towering mountain peaks.

With bike and e-bike rentals available across the province, cycling is an accessible way to explore Alberta, whatever your experience level.

Modern electric bikes still require pedalling, but their gentle pedal assist helps you climb hills and explore further with less effort. At bike rental shops (especially those near the trails you’re wanting to check out), enthusiastic staff can help first-time e-bikers get started, and share tips for where else to ride nearby.

Good to know: Pedal-assist e-bikes (those that require pedalling to move and don’t exceed 32 km/h or 19.8 mph) are permitted on trails in Banff, but throttle e-bikes are not. Planning to bring your own e-bike to Banff? Check Parks Canada e-bike regulations first.

Spring and fall are especially good times to bike in Alberta, with quieter roads, fewer crowds and cooler mountain air. From bucket-list mountain journeys to quiet foothills trails, these are seven of the best bike rides Alberta has to offer.

1. Bow Valley Parkway in Banff: Bike through a car-free wildlife corridor

Between Banff and Lake Louise, biking the Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A) trades highway noise for birdsong, thanks to a seasonal closure that makes the road car-free. Bike through an important wildlife corridor with consistent mountain views, on one of Alberta’s most classic scenic rides.

In May through June, and again in September through early October, Parks Canada closes a 17 km (10 mi) stretch of the Bow Valley Parkway to vehicles as part of an ongoing seasonal pilot program. During your ride, you may spot elk, coyotes or bighorn sheep, and bear sightings are common, so carrying bear spray is essential.

The Ultimate Guide to Biking the Bow Valley Parkway in Banff National Park

A rewarding side trip leads to Johnston Canyon. Here, you can lock up your bike before walking to the Lower and Upper Falls or continuing to the Ink Pots, colourful mineral springs tucked into a mountain meadow.

Bring your own bike or take advantage of e-bike rentals in Banff. Local operators also offer guided e-bike tours on the parkway, including White Mountain Adventures and Banff Cycle + Sport.

2. Cross Kananaskis (and a suspension bridge) on the High Rockies Trail

Stretching roughly 80 km (50 mi) and passing through Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Spray Valley Provincial Park and Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park, the High Rockies Trail is one of the best ways to see Kananaskis Country by bike.

The multi-use route, part of the Trans Canada Trail, links forests, alpine meadows, rivers and mountain viewpoints. Depending on where you start, the trailhead is about a 1.5-hour drive from Calgary.

A standout section of the High Rockies Trail crosses the striking Blackshale Suspension Bridge. Suspended 73 metres (239 feet) across Blackshale Creek, the bridge provides sweeping views over the valley below and the rugged peaks beyond. Guests staying at nearby Mount Engadine Lodge can rent e-bikes from the lodge, and Kananaskis Outfitters also rents bikes, e-bikes and mountain bikes. 

Ride a short section or make a full day of it—the route delivers a backcountry feel without requiring technical mountain biking skills. Check Alberta Parks and 511 Alberta for current access and conditions before you go.

3. Pedal to the turquoise-blue waters of Moraine Lake

As you steadily gain elevation biking Moraine Lake Road, glimpses of rugged summits appear through the trees. The Valley of the Ten Peaks suddenly opens ahead, and Moraine Lake’s impossibly turquoise-blue water comes into view.

Personal vehicles haven't been allowed on Moraine Lake Road since 2023. Biking is a rewarding way to reach one of the most photographed views in Canada, no shuttle reservation required. From Lake Louise village, the ride to Moraine Lake is roughly 14 km (9 mi) one way. Shuttle buses and commercial vehicles still use the road from June through to mid-October.

Casual cyclists should plan on taking an e-bike on this steep ride, while speedy regular cyclists may be comfortable with a regular bike.

Once you reach the lake, you can lock up your bike and explore the lakeshore, nearby hiking trails, or rent a canoe for a different perspective. Experienced mountain bikers can create a loop by combining with the challenging Moraine Lake Highline Trail.

Banff Cycle + Sport offers bike and e-bike pickup and drop off near the start of Moraine Lake Road, while Rocky Mountain Cycle Tours includes the ride on select multi-day trips.

4. Ride beneath glaciers on the Icefields Parkway with a guided tour

The 232 km (144 mi) Icefields Parkway, connecting Jasper and Lake Louise, might be the best introduction there is to road cycling in the Canadian Rockies. You’ll see glacier-fed lakes, waterfalls, sweeping valleys and some of Canada's highest peaks, one after another.

“There's no bad section of road,” says Etienne Labelle, owner of Rocky Mountain Cycle Tours. “It's stunning from start to finish.”

The parkway—home to the Columbia Icefield and Columbia Icefield Skywalk—sees heavy summer vehicle traffic and has some narrow shoulders, so a guided cycle tour is the best way to experience it on two wheels. Rocky Mountain Cycle Tours and Freewheeling Adventures both offer guided multi-day Icefields Parkway rides with e-bike options.

Labelle’s tours, designed for cyclists of all abilities, begin in Jasper and finish in Banff, so riders spend the journey alongside lakes and rivers, rather than crossing the highway to reach viewpoints. “You’re seeing all the dramatic [mountain] north faces coming at you, versus having to look over your shoulder,” he says.

For Labelle, who estimates he’s biked the Icefields Parkway 70 times, his favourite stretch begins after Bow Pass, located about 100 km (62 mi) northwest of Banff. Descending toward Bow Lake, he loves the combination of mountains, glaciers, the blue waters of Bow Lake and, in midsummer, tall purple fireweed lining the roadside. “It's a magical piece of road,” Labelle says.

The pace is intentionally relaxed, with time to linger at waterfalls, viewpoints and short hiking trails along the way. “People should stop, take photos, take it in, because that's the point of the ride,” he says.

5. Follow the Rail Trail to a trestle bridge near Nordegg

As Kurt Walbeck of Canada Outdoor Adventures tells it, first-time visitors often call Nordegg “the quiet corner of the Canadian Rockies.” Once you're here, it's easy to understand why. Roughly three hours from both Calgary and Edmonton, this small community in David Thompson Country offers easy access to forests, rivers and rugged mountain landscapes, with far fewer crowds than in the Rocky Mountain national parks.

The top things to do in David Thompson Country

Cycling the rail trail in Nordegg

One of the area’s signature rides follows a historic railway corridor that connects Nordegg to the East Chambers Creek Staging Area, about 30 km (19 mi) west of Rocky Mountain House, On this 65 km (40 mi) route, called the Rail Trail, cyclists can ride from Nordegg to the restored Taunton Trestle Bridge (a 44 km, 27 mi round trip), where picnic tables overlook sweeping views. A short detour along the way leads to the Alexo ghost town, a reminder of the region’s coal-mining history.

Good to know: The Rail Trail is shared with hikers and off-highway vehicles, so be on alert for fellow path users.

More bike rides in Nordegg

Many visitors to Nordegg plan for a single day of riding, says Walbeck, but quickly discover there are multiple days of riding available. That’s because Nordegg has quietly grown into what he calls “a mountain bike capital.” The newly built Black Mountain Trail Network is the main draw—a professionally built, colour-coded network of flow and technical trails with more than 19 km (11 mi) open to ride.

Locals’ other favourite routes include the FireSmart Ecology Trail between Fish Lake Provincial Recreation Area and Goldeye Lake, and the Glacier Trail through the Kootenay Plains Ecological Reserve.

Explore the David Thompson region with Canada Outdoor Adventures, offering e-bike rentals and guided e-bike tours, or HeLa Ventures and its guided trail biking trips.

6. Take a family ride on the Kootenai Brown Trail in Waterton

Waterton Lakes National Park is where the mountains meet the prairies. The paved Kootenai Brown Trail runs through that landscape, connecting the Waterton townsite to the park gate on a 14 km (9 mi) round trip.

Separated from vehicle traffic, the multi-use Kootenai Brown Trail is ideal for families, casual cyclists and anyone looking for a relaxed ride through the park. In spring and early summer, colourful wildflowers bloom beside the trail. Deer, bighorn sheep, beavers and a variety of birds are frequent sights along the route.

Visitors can rent bikes from Pat’s Waterton or Blakiston & Co. E-bikes are welcome on all cycling trails in the park, making this gentle ride accessible to even more people.

7. Try mountain biking in Alberta’s world-class terrain

Across the province, purpose-built mountain biking trail networks weave through forests that smell of spruce and sun-warmed dirt, offering routes that build confidence one run at a time.

Mountain biking at Canmore Nordic Centre

The Canmore Nordic Centre is one of the best places to try mountain biking for those new to it.

Built for the 1988 Winter Olympics, Canmore Nordic Centre now has more than 100 km (62 mi) of trails, from wide, forgiving gravel doubletrack to tight, technical singletrack. Trail Sports offers rentals and lessons, while Rocky Mountain Adaptive provides adaptive bike rentals, including Bowhead Reach e-mountain bikes (made by Calgary-based Bowhead Corp).

Mountain biking in Bragg Creek

Near Calgary, Bragg Creek offers some one of the best biking trails in Alberta: hundreds of kilometres across two networks, West Bragg Creek and Moose Mountain. Guided rides, coaching and rentals are available through operators including Outbound Elements, Alberta 66 Mountain Biking and Flow Mountain Bike Adventures.

Bonus: Explore Alberta's towns and cities on guided bike tours

Some of Alberta's best bike and e-bike tours come with a local guide.

In Banff, guides with Bikescape pair spectacular mountain scenery with stories about the landscape, wildlife and history that many visitors would otherwise miss.

Food Bike Tours runs food-focused tours in Calgary, Canmore and Edmonton, combining stops at local restaurants with neighbourhood and river valley rides.

In Jasper, guided post-wildfire e-bike tours with E-Bikes Safari Eco-Tour provide an opportunity to learn how both the forest and community are recovering following the 2024 wildfire.

Across the province, Toonie Tours offers guided cycling experiences in Calgary, Edmonton, Medicine Hat and Red Deer, revealing places many visitors would otherwise miss.