This article is part of a series celebrating communities, culture, traditions, and adventure throughout Canada. We’re spotlighting exciting people and places across the country’s provinces, from British Columbia in the west to Newfoundland and Labrador in the east. Read more stories on our Canada guide page.
I do one last gear check as I make final preparations for my January fat-biking expedition in Banff National Park: thermal long johns, ski pants, merino wool base layer, down parka, foot warmers, insulated boots, heated gloves, balaclava, helmet, goggles and, of course, my pedal-assist fat bike. Just the usual gear for a mid-winter Canadian adventure—in this case, a Bikescape tour group of six people riding from the Brewster Creek Trailhead, about 10 miles from the town of Banff, to Sundance Lodge for an overnight stay in the Rocky Mountain backcountry.
Once a niche winter activity, fat biking—cycling on bikes with wide, snow-friendly tires—has exploded in popularity across the Great White North. Groomed trails are available in every province and territory, making it far easier to explore the snow-covered wilderness, and a few years ago Parks Canada introduced designated fat-biking trails in Banff National Park. My group is tackling one of these trails, and it’s a spectacular route, taking us through snow-dusted evergreens, past sparkling creeks, and into valleys framed by the majestic Rocky Mountains.
Clare McCann, the founder of Bikescape and our guide today, urges us on with hoots and hollers throughout the ride. The trail is eight- to 10-feet wide and beautifully groomed, and while the pedal-assist bikes make the ride manageable for most of us, McCann also makes sure everyone in the group is comfortable with the pace. Regular pit stops allow us to take a breather, snap photos, and marvel at the spectacular surroundings.
The path is particularly pretty when it winds alongside the half-frozen Healy Creek, which makes a soothing, trickling sound and boasts icy waterfalls. We cross a couple of whimsical little wooden bridges. Getting up and over these narrow, snow-covered platforms is daunting at first glance, but McCann has us tackle them one rider at a time, cheering each of us on as we make it to the other side.
The Brewster Creek Trail, one of Bikescape’s signature tour routes, leads to some of Banff’s most scenic backcountry.
Photo by Robert Massey
After covering nearly eight miles and climbing more than 1,000 feet, we emerge from the forest into a breathtaking clearing to behold the rustic Sundance Lodge. Owned and operated by Banff Trail Riders, the 10-room, solar-powered log cabin was built in 1991 near the historic Ten-Mile Cabin, a 1923 rest shelter for horses and riders heading to 11,870-foot Mount Assiniboine, best known for its resemblance to the Matterhorn in the Alps. The lodge hosts trail riders and cross-country skiers, but tonight the guests are our group of fat-biking cyclists. After a well-earned supper, our group spends a lovely evening basking in the warmth of the lodge’s fireplace, telling tales of past travels and reminiscing about the day’s events before retiring to our cozy rooms, with simple yet pleasing log walls.
McCann tells me over breakfast the following morning, before we head back to civilization, that she loves how cycling can unlock the park for visitors. “It’s an accessible backcountry experience,” she says, “perfect for those who dream of adventure but might lack the experience or confidence for a more rugged trek.”
Bikescape offers a range of fat-biking tours, from a beginner-friendly two-hour ride to intermediate ones lasting three to four hours. (Custom overnight itineraries for a variety of lengths, distances, and destinations are also available.) Every tour includes a fat-tire e-bike, a helmet, a professional guide, and refreshments. Riders should, of course, be comfortable on a bike and should dress appropriately: The average winter temperature in Banff ranges from 5 to 23 degrees Fahrenheit.
This legendary national park isn’t the only place in Canada that’s worth exploring on a fat bike. Here are a few other exciting experiences available across the country.
Pedal away from a mythical creature in Saskatchewan
Every February, hardy folks flock to northern Saskatchewan for the Escape the Hooved Man event, a roughly 18-mile fat-biking race run by the off-the-grid Big Eddy Lodge and tour operator Aski Holistic Adventures. The nighttime race, with a US$175 entrance fee, is named for Métis trapper and World War II veteran Joe McGillivary, who, according to legend, was visited one night in his cabin by a man with the legs of an animal and hooves for feet. Lodge owners Solomon and Renée Carrière created the event, in which participants are told to imagine they must outpace McGillivary’s creature as it pursues them through the wilderness. The race is a way to introduce visitors to the Saskatchewan River Delta and to share stories of people who have lived in the area. One of the Carrière’s daughters, Michela Carrière, who owns and operates Aski Holistic, says, “The people who come really enjoy the race. They love the connection to one another, the community they create.”
The lodge is nearly 300 miles northeast of Saskatoon, outside the historic community of Cumberland House, and visitors can look forward to winter activities such as plant foraging, aurora borealis viewing, and fat-biking excursions. Bonus: The complete lack of internet and cell service enables travelers to slow down and connect with the land and traditions of the area.
Get there: There is no road access to Big Eddy Lodge. Arrival from the rendezvous point near Cumberland House, about 35 miles down the Saskatchewan River, is by bike or guided canoe and arranged in advance depending on the experience you’ve booked. Cumberland House is a roughly 4.5-hour drive from the province’s largest city, Saskatoon.
Stay: The lodge offers shared cabins with single-bunk and double beds, wood-burning stoves, and kitchenettes. Meals are home-cooked, using garden-grown vegetables and wild meats. There’s a cedar sauna with a gravity shower and a tipi lodge tent for communal gatherings. Prices vary based on your itinerary, starting at $140 per night, all inclusive.
Rent: Fat-bike rentals are included in the nightly fee.
Northgate’s five micro cabins are just outside Riding Mountain National Park, at the entrance point to nearly 16 miles of well-maintained trails.
Photo courtesy of Dauphin Tourism
Take a ride at Manitoba’s Riding Mountain
Located adjacent to Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba, Northgate Trail System is a personal favorite. The roughly 16-mile trail system is a riding destination all year round, with steep climbs and jumps, but it’s unbeatable for fat biking, thanks to the efforts of the volunteer Dauphin Derailleurs Cycle Club. The trails are some of the best-maintained in Canada, offering packed snow, rolling terrain, and routes for all skill levels.
“It’s our topography that sets us apart,” says Dauphin Derailleurs Cycle Club president Clayton Swanton. “Being right next to the national park and alongside the Manitoba escarpment, we have nice slopes and gradients that make for great riding. And we always have plenty of snow.”
Get there: The trail system is on Highway 10, just outside the northern edge of Riding Mountain National Park, roughly a 3.5-hour drive from Winnipeg.
Stay: Five cozy micro cabins are at the Northgate trailhead, each sleeping up to three adults or a family of four ($86 per night). Riding Mountain National Park also offers heated yurts, known as oTENTiks, for camping ($93 per night). Those looking for a more luxurious stay will want to spring for Elkhorn Resort and its world-class Nordic spa, just outside the park’s townsite, Wasagaming. (Rates range from $122 to $662 per night.)
Rent: Northgate itself doesn’t offer rentals, but you can rent bikes at Friends of Riding Mountain National Park in Wasagaming. Trail Tutors also offers a beginner-friendly itinerary that includes a one-night stay in a micro cabin, a fat bike rental, gear, an introductory lesson, and an optional guided tour ($150 per person, two-person minimum).
The paths on either side of the Rideau Canal offer trails where riders on fat bikes can take in views of snowy parks, Ottawa’s urban scenery, and the world’s largest skating rink.
Photo courtesy of Rideau Canal
Cycle around the world’s largest skating rink in Ottawa
Those who want to go fat biking without venturing into the wilderness can do so alongside the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ottawa. During winter, the National Capital Commission converts the frozen canal into a 4.8-mile-long ice-skating rink—the largest in the world—and there are also well-maintained bike paths along the canal’s edge. The Queen Elizabeth Driveway runs alongside the west side of the canal, providing excellent views of Parliament Hill, while the Rideau Canal Eastern Pathway on the opposite side offers great views of the Gothic Revival–style Fairmont Château Laurier. The combination of frozen winter scenery and iconic urban sights makes this a one-of-a-kind biking destination in the heart of the nation’s capital.
Get there: Ottawa International Airport is served by Air Canada and United, among other airlines. The Rideau Canal Skateway runs through the city’s downtown, from the Ottawa River to Dow’s Lake.
Stay: Built in 1912, Fairmont Château Laurier in downtown Ottawa overlooks the Rideau Canal and Parliament Hill. A national landmark, the hotel boasts opulent interiors with marble floors, grand staircases, and elegant ballrooms. Winter rates range from $157 to $262 per night.
Rent: Fat bikes are available for rent at a variety of local shops, including Escape Tours & Rentals ($35 for four hours), which also offers winter rides with guides who are knowledgeable about the city’s history and landmarks.
Go into the woods in New Brunswick
The Maritime provinces of New Brunswick are 85 percent forest, and there’s no better way to explore the abundant woods than by riding the seven and a half miles of groomed winter trails in Kouchibouguac National Park. The park has incredibly diverse terrain—coastal sand dunes, dense forests, meandering rivers, barrier islands—and fauna such as moose, beavers, and river otters. (Sadly, sightings of the animals are rare, but you’ll often see evidence such as moose tracks and beaver dams.) More than 500 species of lichen also thrive here.
Looking for a more unique adventure? Kouchibouguac is one of New Brunswick’s three official Dark-Sky Preserves, as designated by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada; stargazing cyclists can go for a self-guided nighttime ride to take in the constellations. Be sure to dress warmly, and notify park officials if you’ll be at La Source, the best stargazing spot, past 11 p.m.
Get there: The park is a one-hour drive up the scenic Acadian Coastal Drive from Moncton, New Brunswick’s most populous city.
Stay: L’ Ancrage B&B and Cottages, about a five-minute drive from the park, has cozy rooms that overlook the Kouchibouguac River. Rates range from $94 to $115 per night, including breakfast.
Rent: Fat-bike rentals are available at the Pijeboogwek shelter ($10 per hour, $55 for a full day), which is located across from the Visitor Reception Centre and is the starting point for many of the park’s cycling paths.
