British Columbia Resource Road Access Survey

Many of the gravel roads we know and love in British Columbia were originally built for forestry and other resource industries. Once resource extraction is complete, many of these roads are decommissioned or, at the very least, fall into disrepair. At present, no government agency is specifically responsible for keeping roads open for recreation.

Nearly every established bikepacking route in British Columbia travels on roads like these, and it sometimes feels like a waiting game to see whether the province will continue to allow access. Two routes I created on Vancouver Island, the Tree to Sea Loop and the Alberni Bam Bam, are perfect examples of popular bikepacking getaways that depend on accessible resource roads. Just last week, there were reports that a road on the Alberni Bam Bam had been deactivated since our scouting trip last summer.

To help identify which roads are most important for recreation access, the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC (ORCBC), together with provincial recreation partners, has launched the BC Resource Road Access Survey. The survey will gather feedback on roads that are heavily used, at risk of closure or deactivation, or already closed or difficult to access, helping inform future access planning across the province.

The survey will remain open until July 2027, so ORCBC can collect reports across the full spectrum of outdoor recreation users and seasons. This is a good opportunity for the bikepacking community to step up and voice their appreciation for these roads. Access the survey here.

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...

286

ROUTE

Tree to Sea Loop, Vancouver Island

127

ROUTE

Alberni Bam Bam

27

ROUTE

Jeune Landing Loop

56

ROUTE

BC Grasslands Circuit

54

ROUTE

Lac Du Bois Tranquility

342

ROUTE

The BC Trail

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.