Road Biking Routes in Cochrane

horse creek loop

There is one ride in particular that cyclists come from far and wide to experience. Without a doubt, the most popular ride around here is the Horse Creek/Grand Valley Loop. It’s about a two-hour ride, approximately 50 kilometers, that takes you through some of the prettiest pastoral scenes in Alberta. The grades are gentle and the S-turns make it super fun. It’s mainly uphill going out of town to the west and then mainly downhill coming home. Beginners can do it and advanced riders also love it. You couldn’t ask for a better road ride. (Starting in downtown Cochrane, cycle west on Highway 1A and turn north on Horse Creek Road. Travel north for 20 km until you hit the connector, TWP 280, and head west to Grand Valley Road. Travel south on Grand Valley Road until you hit 1A. Return eight kilometers east to Cochrane.) Of course, this legendary loop is just the tip of the iceberg. Numerous routes northeast of town in Bearspaw, south to Bragg Creek, and straight west to Ghost Lake, all have merit.

glenbow ranch

If fighting vehicles on a highway isn’t your idea of a fun time, but you really enjoy riding skinny tires, the paved pathway at Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park is a great outing. The main pathway runs from Haskayne Park in Calgary to the Cochrane town boundary. Park at the main Glenbow Ranch parking lot (gravel from highway 1A), or ride here on your gravel bike and enjoy the quiet.

A caution that the parking lot can be very busy on weekends, but sees little traffic during the week.

The main Glenbow Ranch pathway will eventually be the core of the Cochrane to Calgary bike trail (official name coming soon), but you can enjoy this amazing pathway courtesy of the Glenbow Ranch Foundation.

road biking in cochrane

Pretty video showing the area from a road bike, courtesy of Cochrane Tourism and Wouter Roosenboom.