Castle Mountain is Fernie’s most satisfying half-day hike and it’s one of it’s best mountain bike rides too – if you have the legs! The trail is interesting and varied, the views are spectacular, and there’s a satisfying summit too.

This and the area below Castle Mountain is also an excellent place to bike early in the season and after rainy stretches since snows melt early here and trails dry out quicker than elsewhere in the valley.

Start: There are numerous options and combinations possible for this trail, the marked route is best for mountain biking (2hrs/hard/7.5km):

• Bikers can conveniently start at the Aquatic Centre parking lot (there’s a pump track and trials course here too for a warm up); head out of town on Cokato Road (beside the centre), then turn left on Castle Mountain Road to the trailhead on the map.