Shuswap Trail: Larch Hills Traverse

Dogs Off-leash

E-Bikes Allowed

The Larch Hills Traverse is a big point-to-point that can be shuttled or ridden as a loop (if you don't mind a long pedal back on the highway). The route covers about 50% fireroad and about 50% singletrack. More info here.

Bring plenty of water as there are no water sources directly along the route in the summer and fall. Summer days can be very hot and humid; ideally, choose a day when the forecast for Salmon Arm is cooler than 27 degrees celsius, or start early. Cell reception is intermittent along the route. The entire area is black bear habitat, so be bear aware (make noise when riding and bring bear spray).

Most people drop a car at the north trailhead (Sicamous) and start at either Canoe Trailhead or Larch Hills ski area trailhead in order to ride south to north. About 50% of the route is currently along resource roads. The trail is generally well marked with orange diamonds and signposts but bring a GPS (or use the MTB Project mobile app) as there are a lot of roads and trails criss-crossing the area. The singletrack is usually well maintained by the Shuswap Trail Alliance, but you should expect some down trees etc.

The climb from Canoe is sustained, but once you're up on the plateau the trail is very well routed to take advantage of the terrain.

The best, most sustained singletrack sections are on the north end of the route. Soils are sandy loams, high coarse fragment... the stuff singletrack dreams are made of.

Despite seeing fewer riders, the quality of the singletrack and trail construction along this route rivals other nearby epics such as Frisby Ridge.

You can ride the highway back if you want to do a full loop.