Family MTB Trip to Nakusp & Mt Abriel
Our immediate take: Mt. Abriel is worth the trip. The trail network outside Nakusp offers a mix of green and blue trails that work for kids and adults looking for flow, berms, rollers and good times. We came in with high expectations after everyone we talked to raved about it—and it delivered.
Here's what we learned about the trails, where to stay, and how to structure a trip that keeps everyone—from 5-year-olds to parents chasing flow—happy and riding.
Quick Notes
- Best ages: 5 and up, depending on trail selection and skill level
- Riding time per day: 1.5–3 hours with breaks, more if you're shuttling
- Drive from Revelstoke: ~1.5 hours including the Shelter Bay ferry
- Drive from Nelson: ~2 hours via Highway 6 through New Denver
- Mt. Abriel rec site: First-come, first-served—arrive by Thursday for summer weekends
- Nakusp Municipal Campground: Full hookups, close to town amenities and beach
- Pack: Water shoes, bathing suit + towel if you're heading to Halfway Hot Springs or for a post-ride dip in the lake
- Shuttle option: Drive the Lower Road (north past main parking) to drop into Dusty Panther at the ACME junction
Getting to Nakusp
From Revelstoke, the drive takes about 1.5 hours heading south on Highway 23. You'll cross Upper Arrow Lake on the Shelter Bay ferry, which adds around 30 minutes. **Ferries run every hour, so checking the schedule before leaving saves sitting in the lineup longer than necessary. If it’s a busy long weekend, expect to wait at least one sailing wait.
Coming from Nelson, expect closer to 2 hours via Highway 6 through New Denver. The road winds along Slocan Lake and through some of the prettiest scenery in the Kootenays—not fast, but the views make the pace feel intentional rather than frustrating.
Why Staying in Nakusp Worked for Us
We opted for the Nakusp Municipal Campground over the Mt. Abriel rec site, mostly for the convenience factor. Our kids could ride their bikes independently to the Adventure Playground at Centennial Park, and our RockyTalkies had enough range to call them back for dinner. After rides, we'd pedal over to grab ice cream—the kind of low-key evening that makes a camping trip feel easy rather than logistically exhausting.
Full hookups helped too. The 10-minute drive to Mt. Abriel for the riding days felt like a fair trade for having a guaranteed spot with services.
Mt. Abriel Recreation Site: The Other Option
Camping at the rec site puts you steps from the trails and right on the lake. Kids can walk to the pump track in the morning and swim in the afternoon without anyone loading bikes into a vehicle. The sites are well-spaced and shaded, which matters on a hot August afternoon.
No reservations here—it's all first-come, first-served. On summer weekends, arriving by Thursday afternoon improves your odds considerably. If you're pulling a larger trailer (ours is 26ft), it's worth knowing which spots accommodate bigger rigs before committing. The access roads can feel tight if you're going in blind.
Other Options in the Area
- MacDonald Creek Provincial Park: About 10 minutes south of Nakusp on Highway 6 toward Fauquier, with reservable sites—useful for families who want a guaranteed spot during peak season
- Camp Valhalla at Summit Lake: 10 minutes toward New Denver, quieter setting with excellent swimming, though farther from the main riding. Our kids love staying here. They have an excellent playground, pump track, hot showers and free boat rentals.
Trails Worth Knowing at Mt. Abriel
The network splits naturally into two zones: trails below the highway that stay closer to the lake and tend to be more mellow, and trails above that offer longer descents with more technical features. For a first visit with younger kids, starting below the highway and working up makes sense.
The Family-Friendly Loop (Below the Highway)
Lake Trail runs close to the water and stays cool on hot days. It's flat enough in sections for younger riders and connects to the rest of the network without demanding any real climbing upfront. A good warm-up for kids who are still waking up.
Roll Ups climbs gradually and links to Pounce Cap and Dusty Panther. Kids 5 and up on 20" bikes can handle most of it, though a few steeper pitches might mean walking—or pulling out a TowWhee if you've got one along.
Sky Captain is a green-rated descent back to the campground gazebo. Flowy, predictable, and exactly the kind of trail that builds confidence in newer riders. Our 5-year-old wanted to do it twice.
Rollie Pollie is also a green-rated descent that connects with Sky Captain. It’s wide and flowy with a few rollers to make it super fun for our oldest. Our youngest, however, did not enjoy this trail with a few steep corners he had a hard time navigating without dragging his feet to slow down or getting off to walk. He was happy to make it back to Sky Captian. Our oldest could have lapped this a few times.
On our first day, we strung together Lake Trail, Roll Ups to Pounce Cap, Dusty Panther, and then Sky Captain back to the gazebo. The whole lap took about 1.5 hours with breaks, and both kids—ages 5 and 7—finished smiling. That's the benchmark we use.
Intermediate and Advanced Options
Dusty Panther is the signature blue trail here: berms, flow features, and enough length to feel like a proper mountain bike ride. You can shuttle the lower section by driving up the Lower Road (continue north past the main parking) to where ACME and Dusty Panther meet. Both our kids enjoyed that approach, and the older one could have easily handled the upper portion too. On day two, we shuttled and did three laps before anyone asked to stop.
Red Shed Redemption is rated black and gave our 7-year-old intermediate rider a solid challenge on the second lap. It's short enough to add without committing to a big climb, and the features are readable—nothing that catches you off guard if you're paying attention.
A Sample Four-Day Itinerary
This is roughly what we did, and it held together well for a mixed-ability group.
Day 1 — Get the lay of the land. Ride the lower trails to understand how the network connects. Lake Trail to warm up, Roll Ups to Pounce Cap, Dusty Panther, then Sky Captain back to the gazebo. Total ride time around 1.5–2 hours with breaks. Spend the afternoon at the lake.
Day 2 — Shuttle day. Drive the Lower Road and drop in at the ACME junction for the lower portion of Dusty Panther. Repeat as many times as legs allow. Our kids wanted three laps before calling it.
Day 3 — Rest day. We drove to Halfway Hot Springs, about 20 minutes away, and soaked in the natural pools beside the creek. Bring water shoes—the approach involves some creek scrambling. We got lucky with a quiet morning, which made it feel like a proper find.
Day 4 — Let the kids lead. By this point, they know which trails they love and which features they want to try again. We went back to Dusty Panther and added Red Shed Redemption. Nobody needed convincing.
The rest of our week alternated between paddleboarding on the lake and a visit to Half Way Hot Springs. Nobody got burned out on biking, and everyone stayed excited to ride when we did—which is probably the best outcome you can hope for.
Beyond the Bikes
Nakusp and the surrounding area offer plenty when legs need a break or the afternoon heat makes riding less appealing.
- Halfway Hot Springs: Rustic natural pools beside a creek, free to access, and worth the short hike in. The natural setting is a big part of the appeal—it doesn't feel like a resort.
- Upper Arrow Lake: Paddleboarding, swimming, and beach time right at the rec site or at the big sandy beach in town.
- Nakusp town: Grocery stores, ice cream, and the Adventure Playground at Centennial Park for when kids want to climb something that isn't on a trail
Mt. Abriel is the kind of place that rewards a longer stay. Two days feels like a solid introduction; three or four days lets you actually settle into it and ride without rushing. We'll definitely be back to explore more of what this area has to offer.