Southern Alberta's Seasonal Car Free Parkways

** Be sure to check with local authorities before venturing out to these locations **

** Plan ahead: Do not visit small communities unless absolutely necessary **

** Leave no trace. Practice safe hygiene and distancing. Take precautions against Covid **

Check out "Physical Distancing Road Loops In Calgary" 

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Is there anything more dreamy than cycling on a highway closed to vehicle traffic?

Here in Southern Alberta, we are lucky to have a handful of highways that are seasonally closed during the winter that are available to cycle on in the weeks leading up to their opening. For some cyclists, taking advantage of these closures to cars is a seasonal treat - with Highwood Pass being the "classic" that most everyone knows about.

There are other options too for people looking for something different, perhaps a little more accessible than Highwood, and even a few gravel options for all you folks that have hopped on the gravel bike bandwagon.

Below are 5 rides we'd recommend you check out before the gates open to cars.

Benno Ebikes - True Sport Utility Bicycles

Benno's range of electric bikes are truly unique in their design. Blending elements from large, heavy cargo bikes as well as positioning and styling cues from traditional bicycle design, Benno's electric assist bicycles flatten hills, shortens distances, blunts headwinds and lightens cargo weight, leaving only the joy of two wheels.

Is Electric Bikepacking Is The New Black? - The Final Chapter

Ebike designs are getting crazy and we decided that we'd see how crazy we could get with by heading deep into the forest service roads of eastern British Columbia.

For more perspective on the potential fun and potential limitations that ebikes can offer bike touring and bikepacking adventurers - have a look at these other trips we've done.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Scroll past the video for images and trip details.

Bikepacking Old Porcupine's Choice Loop Alberta Canada

Flashback to the middle of winter 2017-18 when, on a winter's day off I asked Nadia if she'd join me for a day in the car exploring some country roads I saw in the Backroads map book. On this day we ended up finding one of the most lovely country roads I have ever had the pleasure of driving and so it began: Trying to loop together a new gravel/bikepacking route on roads (I was sure) that most local cyclists - even the adventurous ones hadn't ridden.

Further map studying showed me there was, what looked like, a road that ran north-south, west of the Forestry Trunk Road in the Livingstone PLUZ and after some more car-based exploring I was convinced it was there.

The last piece of the puzzle was some more car-based exploring of the Skyline Road in the Porcupine Hills PLUZ  and BOOM! - a loop was possible.

So here is the ride report. Connor from AccessCourier.ca agreed to ride it with me and we set off on a Friday night after work so we could start early the next day.

Is Electric Bikepacking Is The New Black? - Chapter 2

Check out THIS link for Chapter 1.

Bikepacking The Devil's Gap Alberta Canada

Last year, a few of us rode from the Waiprous area out to the Ghost River Valley to spend the night and I was blown away with how beautiful, rugged, and remote the place seemed. Fast forward about a year and here we are.

For the last 3 years, my brother and I (and sometimes a few others) plan a bike trip of some kind. Getting away for a week like we did for the Castlegar -> Pentiction trip is a little harder now as he has 2 little tykes at home so it was decided to go for a shorter trip together to keep the streak alive.

So, with these things in mind we decided to do something a few days shorter, a little closer to home, and something neither of us had done before.

Is Electric Bikepacking Is The New Black? - Chapter 1

Ebikes have finally started to catch on with North Americans in the last couple of years and people are starting to use them for all manner of reasons. Electric mountain bikes are a thing. Electric city commuter bikes are a thing. Electric cargo bikes are definitely a thing. But electric touring bikes? Are they a thing?

They are indeed a thing, and we believe they are poised to propel more people into bigger/longer adventures as more and more companies design bikes with bigger batteries and faster chargers.