Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Bonnington Scrambler
Distance
78 Mi.
(125 KM)Days
3
% Unpaved
85%
% Singletrack
10%
% Rideable (time)
92%
Total Ascent
9,979'
(3,042 M)High Point
6,210'
(1,893 M)Difficulty (1-10)
7?
- 8Climbing Scale Strenuous129 FT/MI (24 M/KM)
- 4Technical Difficulty Fair
- 8Physical Demand Difficult
- 5Resupply & Logistics Moderate
Contributed By
Moe Nadeau
Guest Contributor
Moe (she/her) has taken her bike to various corners of North America, using it as a tool for deep reflection and to explore the connection between people, place, and nature. She’s a big fan of the many ways to ride—whether mountain biking, commuting, or bikepacking—and loves the vibrant community she’s found through cycling. Moe lives in Nelson, BC, with her partner, where she works to promote equity in land-based conservation.
Photos and additional insight by Miles Arbour
The Bonnington Scrambler offers an incredible bikepacking experience through one of British Columbia’s lesser-known mountain ranges. With its challenging terrain, rich history, and stunning natural beauty, this route is perfect for those seeking adventure and a deeper connection with the land.
The Bonnington Range, located between the Salmo River and the Columbia River south of Nelson, is a subrange of the Selkirk Mountains of the Columbia Mountains in southeastern British Columbia. Forming a horseshoe around Erie Creek headwaters, the Bonnington Range offers incredible recreational opportunities. It is best known locally through the Bonnington Traverse, a four- or five-day day hut-to-hut ski traverse. However, the Bonnington Range is just as glorious for summer pursuits, although seeing others on bicycles here is unusual. The 125-kilometer loop heads south from Nelson, following an exciting mix of trails that skirt along the Kootenay River. You’ll ride the Ward’s Ferry Trail and Skattebo Reach Trail (part of the Trans Canada Trail) before linking up an eclectic mix of doubletrack and gravel roads that traverse across the Bonnington Range before dropping into the Salmo River Valley before joining the Great Northern Rail Trail back to Nelson.
The area’s Indigenous Peoples have lived along these rivers since time immemorial, relying on the land’s abundance for hunting and gathering. The discovery of gold near 49 Creek in the late 1800s brought a significant influx of European settlers, leading to the establishment of numerous mining claims throughout the region. Today, while many of these old mining sites remain, the area has largely returned to its natural state, providing a habitat for diverse wildlife and a beautiful backdrop for adventurers experiencing its trails.
Difficulty
The Bonnington Scrambler is a 7/10. It’s logistically straightforward but includes a solid amount of climbing for a short route, with guaranteed hike-a-bike, some singletrack, and bushwacking. You will need to plan for a few challenging climbs, as they can be tiring during the summer heat. Food resupply options are limited, and although there are plenty of streams, they may be dry in the later summer/fall, especially on the climb from Castlegar to Bombi. It’s certainly a type two fun route, but it is well worth the effort.
Route Development: The Bonnington Scrambler was made possible thanks to the support of the Qube Charitable Foundation and fellow bikepacker Ian Quigley. Ian reached out to us in hopes of developing more bikepacking routes in the interior of British Columbia. Bonnington Scrambler was a collaborative project developed by Moe Nadeau and Harry Tudor, partners living in Nelson. The route was developed initially as a dream Harry had to explore the Bonnington Range on bikes instead of skis. After poring over endless satellite imagery, his hopes were rewarded with a track that made it through. The route aims to highlight areas less traveled by bikepackers and encourage others to partake in the sufferfests that most Kootenay folks so happily embrace. We scouted the route as a group and were joined by Emily Heron, Raphael Cyr, Miles Arbour, and Aubrey Demchuk.
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Highlights
Must Know
Camping
Food/H2O
Trail Notes
- The town of Nelson has it all: restaurants, art, culture, and more. Boasting the highest number of restaurants per capita in Canada, your suffer fest will feel well-deserved when you make it back to town. Nelson is home to 350 restored heritage buildings. You will find them on tree-lined streets in the downtown core and throughout town. The Electric Tramway, a 100-year-old streetcar offering a scenic view of the lakeside, can take you to various neighborhoods in search of heritage buildings as well. Nelson hosts many events, such as the ArtWalk and International Mural Festival, throughout the year. Be sure to research if you will be in town during these times.
- A worthwhile detour to the Ymir General Store will supply you with all the provisions needed to return to Nelson. Now home to about 230 people, Ymir was once a booming mining town in the late 1800s, with many hotels and a hospital. Take a peek in the Ymir Hotel on your way out. Interestingly enough, it contains the largest collection of original Canadian art found outside a major gallery.
- The Glade Creek Falls offers a stunning break roughly 30 kilometers into the route. You can follow a trail all the way to the top of the waterfall or take in the sights from the base. The frothy water and moss-covered rocks are not to be missed.
- The history of Glade is quite unique. Glade, or ‘Plodorodnoye’ in Russian, was purchased in 1909 by Peter Lordly Verigin as a Doukhobor settlement. 11 villages were constructed for roughly 1200 people as communal living. The community thrived with plenty of amenities, including an orchard, farms, and a flower mill. At present day, Glade is rich with a diverse combination of Doukhobor and non-Doukhobor people. The community has changed to residential acreages. Glade is a small community with few amenities but still a thriving agricultural area.
- The Skattebo Reach Trail provides an epic singletrack that follows the Kootenay River to Glade. Though challenging, this trail offers interesting bridges over rushing creeks and cool, shady forests.
Route Direction
- The Bonnington Scrambler can be ridden in either direction, although we chose to ride it counter-clockwise to avoid some awkward climbs that are easier to descend. It also ends with an easy rail trail instead of challenging singletrack, making for a more rewarding finish.
When to go
- Late spring and early summer will be better for lower daytime highs, but be sure to time it with snow melt and forest fire season.
- BC’s Interior is highly susceptible to forest fires starting as early as July. Make sure to check on the BC forest fire map for current conditions and be prepared to adjust your plans quickly. If you see a forest fire, you can report it by calling *5555.
- Summer is your best bet for warm nights and snow-free riding, but be prepared for hot daytime highs and sudden weather changes.
- The rail trail between Ymir and Cottonwood Lake is closed annually from May 1 to late June due to grizzly bear foraging. Please respect this closure to help keep the grizzly bears safe. If you ride the route during this time, take Highway 6 for roughly 20 kilometers before regrouping with the Rail Trail into Nelson.
Logistics
- Long-term parking is available on Lakeside Drive near the recycling depot and Wholesale Club. If your car is under 7 meters tall, park beside the airstrip. If your car is over 7 meters tall, you cannot park beside the airstrip as it impedes sight lines. Your best option is to park at the far end of the road, closest to the recycling depot.
- The closest regional airport is in Castlegar, which has flights to and from Vancouver. The airport has a shuttle to and from Nelson, and BC Transit route #99 also connects to Nelson seven times daily.
- Trail also has an airport, about an hour’s drive from Nelson, with flights from Vancouver via Pacific Coastal.
- Both airports offer paid long-term parking. The Trail Airport currently costs $3/day and $15/week CAD. Visa, Mastercard, and cash are accepted. The West Kootenay Regional Airport in Castlegar costs $10/day and $55/week CAD. Multiple payment methods are accepted.
- The Kootenays are home to many animals. Expect to see deer, elk, black bears, and grizzlies. To avoid unwanted encounters, bring a rope and a dry bag to store your food in a tree at night, cook away from your tent, and #LeaveNoTrace. You will spend most of your time in remote locations on the route, so be prepared to pack out what you bring in and dispose of it properly when you get to town.
- Cell phone coverage is limited on the route, so carrying a satellite communication device is recommended.
- There is a locked gate put in by Vaagan Fibre Canada roughly 85 kilometers in the route, and another gate just up the road. Our readers have permission to access this land and are not trespassing. Climb over/under the gate, respect the land, and give Vaagan a high-five for letting us pass through!
What Bike
- This is a technical route, with hike-a-bike sections and challenging singletrack. We recommend riding a bike with at least 56mm (2.2”) tires, but anything up to 2.6” wide will make some of the descents more enjoyable.
- A hardtail mountain bike is likely your best choice for the route. It offers the comfort needed for the singletrack sections while providing efficiency on the rail grade portion of the route.
- Low climbing gears are important for spending more time riding and less time pushing up some of the steep doubletrack and gravel grades.
- The Erie Creek Rec Site is the only established campground near the route. It is quite bare bones, with four campsites containing picnic tables and campfire pits. It is a 1-kilometer detour as well, so be prepared for the extra distance.
- Be prepared to wild camp. If you take three days to complete this route, it is guaranteed that you will spend at least one night wild camping. There are many options along most of the route, but we’ve added the spot we stayed along Craigtown Creek on the route map. When camping, be sure you are on public land.
- Pass Creek Campground in Castlegar has showers, wifi, picnic tables, snacks, and more. It’s only about 5km (one way) off route, with a 170m climb on the way back.
- The Ymir General Store is the only reliable resupply option without any major detours on this route. However, if you are keen to veer off the track, you will find plenty of options in Castlegar and a lovely detour to the Frog Peak Cafe in the Slocan Valley.
- Rural Treasures in Glade is open from 10 AM – 4 PM Friday- Sunday. Here, you can find coffee, artisan crafts, and other trinkets.
- There are several streams and small creeks on the route that flow for most of the year. We scouted the route in early July, and finding natural water sources wasn’t an issue, so we only carried about 2L per person. Those riding the route later in the summer may consider carrying more.
Sample Three-Day Itinerary
The following is a sample three-day itinerary and is exactly how we scouted the route. Day two is the toughest, with some big climbs and steep hike-a-bike, and there are options to spread the loop out over a long weekend or shorten it for those looking for even more of a challenge.
locationNelson-Glade
Day 1 (27 KM +447 M / 17 MI +1,466 FT)
Our three-day itinerary is based around a shorter first day, perfect for leaving after work on a Friday evening, a long second day, and a relaxing final day to return to Nelson. The route starts in downtown Nelson, with several delicious restaurants that could serve as an early dinner spot before riding or grab something to go to keep things simple. You’ll leave Nelson on quiet paved roads, climbing alongside the popular Morning Mountain trail system, before descending towards the Kootenay River. The route leaves pavement veering onto Rover Creek Road, dishing up stunning views of the valley below. The Wards Ferry Trail is part of the infamous Trans Canada Trail but is no walk in the park. It’s not well-travelled and there are a few tight switchbacks and steep descents that will require some walking. There were also several trees down when we scouted the route, so progress along this section was much slower than expected. There are a few dispersed camping options along the river; our favorite is marked on the route map, or adding an additional 5km will get you into the community of Glade and the Sunflower Cottage Airbnb.
locationGlade-Craigtown Creek
Day 1 (60 KM +1,796 M / 37 MI +5,892 FT)
After a morning coffee at Rural Treasures in Glade (if it’s open!) and a quick visit to the Glade Creek Falls, the route dips back into the forest along the Kootenay River. The wide doubletrack eventually transitions into a machine-built multi-use trail that Castlegar Parks and Trails are upgrading. As of spring 2024, the trail is about 85% complete but has a few punchy climbs that are challenging on a loaded bike. After about 8km of trail, the route links up with a gravel road that kicks off the ascent into the heart of the Bonnington Range. Of course, riders can detour into Castlegar for a bite to eat or resupply if needed. The Pass Creek Campground is also nearby for those looking to spread the route out even more.
For those continuing, this is where the Bonnington Scrambler earns its name. Deadend gravel roads lead into steep ATV trails and hike-a-bikes, linking into hydro line access roads, and eventually back onto a wide gravel road that climbs up to the high point of the route, the Grassy Mountain Trail, and the Bonnington Traverse ski touring route. Don’t forget to take photos of the epic descent. Follow Erie Creek Forest Service Road towards the confluence of Erie Creek and Craigtown Creek and find a dispersed camping spot or continue south slightly off route for the Erie Creek Rec Site campground.
Important: Vaagan Fibre Canada put a locked gate on the Craigtown Creek bridge, and another gate is just up the road. Our readers have permission to access this land and are not trespassing. Climb over/under the gate, respect the land, and give Vaagan a high-five for letting us pass through.
locationCraigtown Creek-Nelson
Day 1 (40 KM +784 M / 25 MI +2,572 FT)
The final day starts with a leisurely gravel climb towards the second high point on the route. The road eventually peeters away, leaving an overgrown ATV track as the only connection to continue the adventure. The descent on the other side is chunky and muddy in spots but rideable, transitioning from sub-alpine doubletrack to more manageable gravel roads right down to Highway 6. From here, you have the option to ride 5km south to Ymir, the historic Ymir Hotel, and the iconic Ymir General Store for a much-deserved resupply and lunch stop, or for those looking to get back to Nelson as quickly as possible, simply hop on the Great Northern Rail Trail, heading north through the Salmo River Valley. Keep an eye out for local wildlife, including bears and cougars, as you make your way back to civilization. The route ends in Nelson, where you can celebrate your adventure with a visit to one of the town’s many cafes or breweries.
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