TCAT Prairies - Province of British Columbia

Crossing into British Columbia, you’ll turn south on the Corbin Road 8.5 km (5.3 mi) after crossing the border.  Turn right 8.2 km (5.1 mi) south of highway 3 and go through the gates, which should be open.  Stay to the right after crossing the bridge, and after the road curves to the south stay left at the next fork.  You’ll come to yet another fork about 5.5 km (3.2 mi) from where you turned off of the Corbin Road.  Stay left at this one.

The road curves gently to the west, and turns into Cold Creek Pass Road.  This dirt/gravel road winds its way through the mountains to Fernie, where you can find any services you will need. (Only a Honda/Yamaha dealer though).

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http://www.ghostridermotorsports.ca/

Leaving Fernie you’ll head up Dicken Road on the north side of highway 3.  Then turn and head up Hartley Lake Road.  This narrow road winds up and takes you through the mountains to the Bull River Forest Service Road.  From here, you’ll head north and turn off at the Quinn Creek Road, which some maps call the Queen Creek Road

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The Quinn Creek road deteriorates into a two-track trail, but should be easily passable on a big bike.  You’ll cross through some rough, logged areas, but toward the far side of the Quinn Creek road the road becomes gravel again and the views get better and better.

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Turning west, you’ll ride past Whiteswan Lake
 and Alces Lake, two smaller mountain lakes with crisp clear water.  There is a small campground at Alces Lake if you feel like stopping for the night here. 

About 3.7 km (2.3 mi) west of the west end of Alces Lake are the Lussier Hot Springs.  There are toilets here along the road, and if you’ve got your trunks you can hike down the steps to the hot springs.  The hot water comes out of the mountain and flows through several small pools before exiting into the stream below, cooling along the way, so you can find a pool that’s at the perfect temperature for you.

From here you head west toward highway 95, and stay right at the fork 6.6 km (4.1 mi) west of the Lussier Hot Springs.  This road takes you north to the Kootenay Forest Government Road, which parallels the Kootenay River.  Turning right, you will follow this road to the northeast, but if you need food or fuel you can turn left and take a short ride into Canal Flats.  When you do get back onto the route keep an eye out for the hoodoos on top of a sandstone cliff right up against the west side of the road about 16 km (10 mi) from the turnoff.

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There are several spots where you’ll cross the
Kootenay River along this road.  At one point the road does a loop and crosses the Albert River, and as you near the north end the road becomes Settler’s Road and crosses the Kootenay River which has the bright blue colour of fresh glacial runoff here.

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Riding the last several km of Settler’s road, you’ll finally come to highway 93 just north of Radium.  Turn left and ride the last 20 km of twisty pavement into Radium, which has food, fuel, and lodging for you, as well as the Radium Hot Springs, which you will ride past just northeast of town.  Here you will pick up the Mountains chapter of the TCAT.

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