Two Lake Toodle

STATS

Distance: 145 km | Elevation: 2130 m | Recommended Days: 2-3

ROUTE

Photos courtesy of Megan Dunn @evilmoosemegan

This 145 km route starts and ends in Invermere, BC and follows gravel roads, with a small amount of pavement into and out of Invermere and Spillimacheen. The route could easily be tackled as an overnighter, but with numerous scenic recreation sites along the way, two nights allows for a more mellow pace to explore and relax lakeside.

After departing Invermere and passing Wilmer, the route soon turns to gravel. Riding along a bench above the valley, the views are impressive as the road winds along. A turn off of Westside Road heads down to the Radium Wetlands Recreation Site (day-use), a scenic spot for a break.

Red Rock Road feels somewhat forgotten, with its narrow right-of-way, occasional fallen tree, and (for us) no passing vehicles, but it makes for great riding. Save some energy for the big climb ahead. At approximately 50 km, the route begins a 6 km ascent to Cleland Lake Recreation Site. At the top, there is a pretty lake with a small dock and several campsites on both sides of the water. If feeling ambitious, there are camping options past Cleland Lake at Topaz Lake and Jade Lake Recreation Sites.

On Day 2, the ride begins with an optional out-of-the-way jaunt to Spillimacheen, descending a fun ~350m to the Spilli Station Cafe where delicious food, drinks, and baked goods can be enjoyed. This makes for a great first or second breakfast stop. Take some time to relax before climbing all that way back (and then some) into the mountains… the majority of the climbing for Day 2 takes place in the ~15 km from the cafe.

Reminiscent of the day prior, Day 2 ends with an effort. The turn-off to the campsite at Dogleg Lake leads to a long (but less severe) climb, eventually topping out at a scenic mountain lake with numerous campsites.

The final stretch back to Invermere rolls fast, trending mostly downhill. Eventually the route meets up with the turnoff on Day 1, making the final ~16 km familiar territory. End in downtown Invermere and grab a bite at one of the many local establishments.

HIGHLIGHTS

Wilmer - just outside of Invermere, pass through this tiny historic community. Though no longer operational, the Delphine Lodge, built in 1899, still stands today.

Quiet gravel roads - we completed this route on a September weekend and found the roads to be very quiet. Some roads are used for logging however we didn’t have any issues and only encountered a couple of trucks. Roads were generally in great condition, with only one notable section of washboard before/after the Dogleg Lake turn-off. We had intermittent rain on our trip which likely helped keep dust on the road at bay. In the hot, dry summer months, expect it to be dusty.

Recreation Sites - there are numerous sites along the route, many lakeside, that allow for free camping on a first-come-first-served basis. The route can easily be adapted to utilize different campsites than the ones mentioned here (Cleland Lake and Dogleg Lake).