Checking out Hornby’s Great Mountain Bike Trails

by Keith and Heather Nicol

Hornby Island is one of our fav destinations since in its small 30 square kilometers ( that is an area just 5 km by 6 km ) it has several sand beaches for swimming and paddleboarding, it offers great off shore islands for exploring by kayak and it has a large network of trails for hiking and mountain biking. Of course not to mention an interesting convoluted coastline which is interesting to explore on foot or offshore by paddleboard or sea kayak and a 5 star attraction in Helliwell Park trail which features an amazing shoreline walk.  We recently spent 3 days with a friend from Kamloops on Hornby and one of my focuses this time was exploring their mountain biking trails.

                                      Some trails hug the cliff edge giving amazing views

I have biked on Hornby several times in the past but there were still several places on their Mt Geoffrey Trails that I hadn’t explored. I usually mountain bike at Cumberland and it is known for its legendary trail system but Hornby has a great trail system as well that is certainly worth checking out. It might not be marked quite as well as Cumberland’s trails (hence be sure to load up trailforks on your phone before you leave : https://www.trailforks.com/) but I really liked their more open forest which means that the Hornby trails are not as rooty as the those in Cumberland. Unlike Cumberland which has many trails in the open cutovers virtually the trails on Hornby are in the forest which is great when it is hot out. Another bonus is are the amazing vistas overlooking the ocean to Denman Island and the adjacent mainland of Vancouver Island. 

 The Middle Bench Trail is a easy cross country trail for those intimdated by the downhill trails

While I was there I did a route I have done before and love for its amazing views as you climb. The Outer Ridge trail ascends along a cliff face and is mostly rideable but I had to get off and push my bike some steep sections. I was dropped at the bottom of Outer Ridge by car -- at the end of Euston Rd. From the top I picked a route that would bring me down to Slade Road- Devil’s Kitchen, Purgatory, Tadpole, Northwind, Washing Machine, Coltsfoot and Slade Connector. These are a mix of black, blue and green trails but I loved their flow. I had to check Trailforks a couple of times to make sure I was on the right route but it is generally easy to navigate these trails. The next day I checked out a great easy trail for those people that want more of a cross country trail- The Middle Bench Trail is scenic and mostly flat and we accessed it by Mount Road. The last day I started at the top of Strachan Road and cycled up Washing Machine to Northwind and up to Cold Deck and Hot Rims where you get an fine view looking north. My down route included Mt Toads Wild Ride, Tadpole, Chris and Brads to No Horses – one of the signature rides on Hornby. No Horses  swoops in and out of a ravine all the way to Strachan Road. This route involves all blue trails which I usually seek out given my skill level.  I also recommend getting a Hornby Trail map for just $5 ..it supports the trails and is a great tool for planning your next day’s riding. Also worth noting is the advice I got from some riders from Comox that I ran into on the Hornby Trails—they said they usually ride at Cumberland but when it gets wet in the fall and winter they shift to Hornby since it is usually drier and the trail surface is better on Hornby Island—ie fewer slippery roots, puddles or slippery log bridges. See you on the trail. 

                                                         The view north from Hot Rims