Unforgettable MTB Adventures – IMBA Epic Trails in USA and Canada
Mountain Biking Collection by Diana Grodnick
11
Tours
42:17 h
288 mi
28,150 ft
‘Epic Trails’ are challenging, narrow and lead through breathtaking natural landscapes. These trails are the brainchild of the International Mountain Bike Association based in the USA, or IMBA for short. The IMBA has been championing the interests of mountain bikers for over 30 years, ensuring that as many people as possible have access to mountain bike trails of all kinds. It gives the particularly great single trails the title of ‘Epic’. These routes are:
✅ at least 32 kilometres (20 mi) long
✅ have at least 80 percent trail content
✅ are both technically and physically challenging
✅ are located in incredible landscapes
In this Collection, I show you 11 trails in the ‘Epic’ category in the USA and Canada that I have ridden myself on several road trips in recent years. I can tell you one thing for sure: all of the Tours are really great and I thoroughly recommend them. To this day, they are among the most unforgettable MTB adventures I have ever experienced.
There are currently 53 trails on the IMBA Epic list, 42 of which are in the USA and four in Canada. The remaining seven are in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. These Tours are often the flagships of an entire biking region. That's why it's always worth staying a little longer in the individual areas and exploring even more trails.
So if you're looking for sensational, rough adventures, you should definitely browse through this Collection. And don't be surprised if your to-do list gets longer and longer.
On The Map
Tours & Highlights
- Intermediate03:0028.7 mi9.5 mph1,400 ft4,075 ftIntermediate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.
Your MTB adventure in British Columbia's South Chilcotins begins with an extraordinary shuttle. A Tyax Adventures seaplane will pick you up at Tyaughton Lake. In addition to the pilot and guide, three other passengers and their bikes fit on an airplane. By the way, the bike transport is very convenient…
- Expert03:3621.5 mi6.0 mph3,225 ft6,025 ftExpert mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.
Hidden away near Rossland in British Columbia - not far from the US border - is an ingenious singletrack called Seven Summits, which was completed in 2004 and only three years later was officially classified as epic by the IMBA. You park your car at the end of the trail. The shuttle will collect you…
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- Expert03:5321.9 mi5.6 mph3,300 ft3,200 ftExpert mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.
The Bangtail Divide Trail is one of the most popular mountain bike trails in the entire state of Montana. The starting point at Stone Creek is just 30 kilometers from Bozeman.
The IMBA Epic Trail begins with an intense ascent that requires staying power. Because a real firework of switchbacks awaits you…
- Intermediate03:5024.5 mi6.4 mph2,800 ft2,800 ftIntermediate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.
With the “Galena Grinder”, a trail from Idaho made it onto the IMBA Epic List for the first time in 2017. The circuit is based on the annual race of the same name and has a bit of everything to offer: fast, flowing passages, steep climbs and rapid trail descents.
You start at Galena Lodge about 40 kilometers…
- Expert03:5325.9 mi6.7 mph2,950 ft2,950 ftExpert mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.
Park City in the US state of Utah not only scores with skiers in winter due to its special snow quality, but also with mountain bikers in summer. For many years there has been an incredibly large network of trails for mountain bikers of all skill levels. Mid Mountain is one of the many trails in this…
- Intermediate03:3424.1 mi6.8 mph1,800 ft1,800 ftIntermediate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.
The area around Hurricane in the US state of Utah is a real paradise for mountain bikers. An unbelievable variety of trails of all levels of difficulty await you here. The Hurricane Rim circuit is a great showcase for this MTB-crazy region at the gates of Zion National Park.
The 36-kilometer tour is extremely…
- Intermediate03:3325.5 mi7.2 mph1,800 ft4,125 ftIntermediate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.
The Tahoe Rim & Flume Trail is one of four IMBA Epic Trails in California. It's not surprising that there are so many here, since California is considered the birthplace of mountain biking.
On this tour, you'll explore two of Tahoe's most famous trails: the Tahoe Rim and the Flume Trail. But beware, the…
- Expert05:4636.4 mi6.3 mph4,525 ft6,500 ftExpert mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary. Some portions of the Tour may require you to push your bike.
Much of this route was unfortunately destroyed by the Caldor Fire and is still under reconstruction until at least August 2022. So before you embark on this tour, be sure to check the current conditions on the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association website (tamba.org/trails/trail-conditions/).
The IMBA…
- Intermediate03:4223.6 mi6.4 mph2,325 ft2,325 ftIntermediate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.
The trails at Buffalo Creek Recreation Area are a mountain biker's dream, whether expert or novice. Mountain bike fans in the Denver metropolitan area agree. That's why the parking lots at the trailheads fill up quickly on weekends. If you want to tackle this great tour without a lot of hustle and bustle…
- Expert04:3235.2 mi7.8 mph2,250 ft6,125 ftExpert mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary. Some portions of the Tour may require you to push your bike.
If you take this trail under your cleats, an excellent full day trip awaits you at dizzying heights. Because the tour starts at Monarch Pass at over 3,400 meters and combines three outstanding paths:
1️⃣ Monarch Crest Trail
2️⃣ Silver Creek Trail
3️⃣ Rainbow Trail
Look forward to a real trail firework and…
- Intermediate02:5520.3 mi6.9 mph1,775 ft4,500 ftIntermediate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.
If you're in northern New Mexico, you can't miss this classic. South Boundary is currently the only trail in New Mexico on the IMBA Epic list. Book your shuttle at shuttletaos.com and nothing stands in the way of your mountain bike experience.
After entering the trail, it's a good climb uphill. After…
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Collection Stats
- Tours11
- Distance288 mi
- Duration42:17 h
- Elevation28,150 ft
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