Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating: Beginner and Intermediate
Distance: 36.5 km
Estimated time: 1.75 hours based on cycling speed of 20 km/hr
Elevation Gain: 546 m
Maximum Elevation: 1,323 m
Maximum Grade: uphill 9% at ~17 km, downhill 7.2% at ~22 km
Best Parking Option: Park at the strip mall located at the very south edge of Calgary at 194 Ave and Sheriff King Road SW in the neighbourhood of Silverado.
Points of Interest: Stunning foothills, acreage properties. Leighton Arts Center
Amenities: None on route but if you stop for an after ride refreshment, try out Kildares Ale House or the Holy Grill. There is a Starbucks as well!
Comments from our test riders:
Beginner Road Cyclist: Some very steep climbs and the chip seal is a bit rough in spots.
Intermediate Road Cyclist: Wow, this is a low traffic route and great training for hill climbing
Expert Road Cyclist: Fun and quick, a great weekday evening ride in the summer.
What to expect from this ride
This route is a shorter alternative to the Road to Nepal and can easily be done on a calm summer evening. The route takes the ‘road less travelled’ and therefore much of the route is on rougher chip seal roads, but nothing that should deter a road cyclist. Note: the chip seal roads show as unpaved on the Ride with GPS map. It is a great scenic route to do with a group of friends as there are spots where riding side by side and chatting would be safe (although I would recommend riding single file of course!)
Cycle Alberta 