Afterschool Special
Vancouver, BC · Aug 24, 2023
An easygoing loop that strings together Stanley Park, the Kitsilano seafront, Jericho Beach, and the old-growth trails of Pacific Spirit Park. It finishes on the Arbutus Greenway, a gently downhill ribbon of car-free path back toward downtown. With around 43 percent unpaved and very little climbing, it is the perfect recovery ride or a first taste of Vancouver gravel.
The Afterschool Special is the antidote to a big day in the mountains. It is an inner city loop that proves a park ride does not have to be boring, and it makes the most of the car-free paths that make Vancouver one of the best cycling cities in North America. If you arrived expecting nothing but pavement and traffic, this route will change your mind.
The loop opens with a quick spin through Stanley Park, then crosses the busy streets of downtown before settling onto the seafront in Kitsilano. From there a gravel path runs the length of Jericho Beach, a fun little stretch where the main hazard is the rabbits that have taken over the area. Keep an eye across the water for the North Shore mountains, which are a fine backdrop on a clear day.
Past the beach the route climbs gently into Pacific Spirit Park, a vast 874 hectare forest where you can genuinely feel lost in the middle of one of North America's largest cities. Wander off the main line and you can stumble into rolling trails that open onto a grove of old-growth hemlock, fir, and spruce, the kind of spot that makes you want to stop and stay a while.
From the north end of the park to the south is a gift for any cyclist. The elevation drops gently almost the whole way, so you barely have to pedal, and at the bottom the loop picks up the Arbutus Greenway, a smooth car-free ribbon that carries you from South Vancouver back toward the Granville Street Bridge. This route is one of the picks from Barry Lachapelle's Vancouver gravel guide, and the line was mapped by the crew at Love Machine Cycling, who have documented many of the region's best mixed terrain loops.
With around 43 percent of the riding off pavement and very little climbing, almost any bike with a bit of tire clearance will be happy here, and it stays rideable year-round. It is a true loop that starts and finishes downtown beside Stanley Park, with cafes in Kitsilano for a mid-ride coffee and plenty of food waiting when you roll back into the city. Year-round access is rare for proper gravel near a major city, which is part of what makes this loop such a reliable go-to when your legs need a recovery day but you still want dirt under your tires.
