Why Rossland?

The team discover that this tiny town of barely 4,000 inhabitants has the power, and the trails, to ensnare you deeply in its grasp.

Sitting high in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, I will hold up my hands and say that I had never even heard of the place, nor the Monashee Mountains where it nestles. Being about as close to Washington State as you can get without being in the US, I would probably have confused it with Roswell in New Mexico, such was my ignorance. I suspect I am not alone in that. However, let me be the first to say that Rossland is an absolute gem of a small town. 

Sanny - Singletrack Road Trip 2025 - Issue 164

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+12 Reasons to visit Rossland with a bike

• A True Hidden Gem
  Nestled high in the Monashee Mountains, Rossland is a small town with a big heart and even bigger adventures—most haven’t heard of it, but everyone who visits falls in love.
• Epic Mountain Biking Trails
  With over 170km of meticulously maintained trails (and nearly 200km in total), Rossland is a paradise for mountain bikers of all levels. Flow, tech, and pure fun await right from the town’s edge.
• The Legendary Seven Summits
  One of only three IMBA “Epic” trails in Canada, the 30km Seven Summits offers a world-class backcountry ride with jaw-dropping scenery, alpine adventure, and a true sense of achievement.
• Local Trail Building Heroes
  Meet passionate locals like Mark and Sam from the Kootenay Columbia Trails Society, whose dedication means every ride is better than the last. Their friendly spirit makes you feel instantly at home.
• The Flying Steamshovel
  Stay (and eat!) at the historic Flying Steamshovel inn—a gastropub with a quirky backstory involving a steam-powered flying machine that may or may not have beaten the Wright brothers to flight.
• Legendary Food Stops
  Refuel at Seven Summits Coffee (nitrogen-charged coffee, anyone?), Ferraro Foods’ deli counter, and the town’s Mexican restaurant—each meal is a highlight in itself.
• Welcoming Community Vibe
  Rossland’s locals are famously friendly and generous—whether it’s lending you bike lights or sharing trail tips, you’re welcomed like a regular from day one.
• All-Season Adventure
  Come for the riding, stay for the skiing—RED Mountain Resort offers lift-assisted trails in summer and legendary powder in winter, making Rossland a year-round destination.
• Stunning Scenery
  Every ride, stroll, or meal comes with a side of breathtaking mountain views, golden autumn forests, and clear bluebird skies. It’s a feast for the eyes at every turn.
• Family-Friendly Fun
  Rossland’s safe, charming main street and welcoming vibe make it perfect for families—there’s something for everyone, from gentle trails to hearty food and local history.
• Rich Local History
  From gold rush legends to flying steamshovels, Rossland’s story is as colourful as its scenery. Dive into its quirky past at the local museum or just chat with a local over coffee.
• That “Gilmore Girls” Feeling
  With its picture-postcard main street, small-town charm, and welcoming community, Rossland feels like the perfect set for your next adventure—or the next great TV show.

Getting there

We flew Air Canada from Heathrow to Calgary direct.

Prices here are indicative only and based on September 2026.

• Return flights from £850 economy, including one checked bag.
• Bike carriage CAD$50 one way.
• Don't forget to apply for your travel visa before you go.

Getting to the resorts once you land

A shuttle from Calgary was an expensive option. The cheapest we could source was through blacklane.com which was looking for the best part of $1300 US for the outward journey. Unless you have very deep pockets, this feels like an unrealistic option.

Car hire

Canada is very much a car culture and for our ten-day trip, we were able to hire a frankly enormous Ford F150 six-seater flatbed truck for just over £330 through Enterprise, before adding on the cost of additional drivers. Fuel costs were half the price of the UK, meaning that we only spent about £150 on fuel for the entire trip, which involved four reasonably lengthy drives between the resorts we stayed at. 

Bike Shops and Bike Hire

Rossland Recommendations

For such a small town, Rossland has two terrific bike shops; Rossland Outdoor and Revolution Cycles, with the former having a sister shop further down the valley in Trail. As with Fernie, the folk we met in each shop could not have been more friendly and helpful. Both offer rental options as well as sales and repair. Revolution Cycles get two thumbs up for pointing us in the direction of the Seven Summits trail and lending us with a set of lights despite having never met us before. It speaks to the Canadian psyche that they did this for three Brits they did not know from Adam.

Travel Insurance

Cover for our trip was provide by Yellow Jersey and included cover for guided rides above 5000ft and competition cover. See yellowjersey.co.uk for full details.

Guiding Services

Pete of Kootenay Mountain Biking was our ex-pat guide who introduced us to the delights of Rossland. They offer a whole host of options such as bike-and-stay packages, skills lessons for individuals or groups, guided tours and shuttle uplift. We found the shuttle service to be an excellent way of accessing some brilliant trails if your time is limited, and with the IMBA Epic Seven Summits trail one of the options available, you have a very good reason to make use of their services when you visit.

More about Kootenay MTB →

Rossland Red Mountain Bike Park

Opened in 2025 with trail design legends Gravity Logic, the new RED Mountain Bike Park claims to be the newest bike park in Canada. Over the next few years, expect a growing network of singletrack, jump lines, and gravity trails—built to keep every rider smiling from first drop-in to last lap.

With a host of events and bike schools from kids and adults the Red Mountain resort has a ton of options. Full rentals available from the base. For latest lift ticket prices check their prices here.

From first-timers to seasoned shredders, every trail here is about progression and pure fun.

Where to stay

The Flying Steamshovel looked after us in Rossland and was definitely the fanciest place we stayed on our adventure. The recently renovated rooms had a scandi chic charm to them with supremely comfortable beds. Three men sharing can make for an unpleasant experience but this was anything but as there was more than enough space for us. The gastropub downstairs was excellent with a great range of beers on draught while we also had on site parking, secure bike storage and wifi. It felt a bit odd checking in with no check in staff to greet us but we had zero complaints during our stay.

Price guide: From around £160/night

Eating Out

Breakfast - The most important meal of the day

Alpine Grind

Occupying a prime spot in the Main Street, Alpine Grind Coffeehouse offers much more than just coffee and cakes, with an extensive lunch menu and Neapolitan pizzas on Thursday to Saturday evenings. The breakfast options we tried were both filling and tasty and it was good to see that they source locally.

Dinner – Essential post ride refuelling stops

The Flying Steamshovel

A definite step up from your typical gastropub. Although the menu was heavy on the burger and Tex Mex front, the yellow coconut curry, burger and mac and cheese we had were all excellent. A fine selection of BC ales are on tap for those who like a proper pint.

Idgies

Located directly opposite The Flying Steamshovel, this was home to probably our favourite meal in BC. Specializing in Mexican food, all the dishes we tried were supremely flavoursome without being overwhelmed with heat. The service was friendly and welcoming while despite all being full, we managed to finish off the meal with some perfectly cooked churros.

Adding it all up

Prices here are a guide only and based on typical costs in September

A DIY trip for seven nights in Rossland for two, including economy flights, accommodation, car hire and fuel, plus bike hire, in September would cost approximately £3,900. (Approx. £400 less p/p if taking a bike rather than hiring.)

Our ten-day road trip through Fernie, Rossland and Revelstoke would need a budget of approximately £3,800 for two with your own bikes or £4,600 with rentals in each resort, including Yellow Jersey insurance cover.

Not included: Food, tips, airport parking and UK transfers. If taking your own bikes, you’d also need Yellow Jersey insurance cover.

Covered by the crew

Insurance handled by people who ride, wrench and understand mountain bikes.

When something goes wrong, your claim is handled by people who genuinely understand how mountain bikes are ridden, repaired and put back together after a bad day on the trails.
From blown suspension to cracked frames, decisions are made by cycling specialists - not general insurers.
We also keep key bike parts in-house and work directly with trusted bike workshops, helping reduce delays and get riders back on the trails sooner.

What this means for you

• Cyclist-first decisions focused on getting you back on the trails
• Claims handled by people who ride and work with bikes
• Experience with real mountain bike damage, including off-road riding
• Repair-first approach using specialist cycle workshops

Save 15% on Home & Bike Insurance with code SINGLETRACK15*

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Fresh Goods Friday is sponsored by Pedal Cover – The better route for cyclists

*Discount available subject to our business terms and conditions: pedalcover.co.uk/business-terms