Revelstoke Trails Strategy

Revelstoke is quickly gaining a reputation as a biking Mecca. It has one of the highest bike-ridership rates in BC. While biking, hiking, trail running, and equestrian riding are common activities in Revelstoke, little was known about existing trails and there was no long-term plan for building a comprehensive, well-connected trail network.

Selkirk Planning & Design was tasked with developing Revelstoke’s first Trails Strategy. A comprehensive inventory of existing trails was gathered by compiling existing trail information, completing interviews with local trail experts, and through consultation with the community. The inventory added 422.7 km of trails to the existing inventory of 150 km. Using Strava Metro data and a complex GIS system, the trails and trail usage was analyzed to better understand trail types, which trails and roads were being used the most, and to identify key nodes for signage locations. Local knowledge was incorporated into the plan through a community survey, and a successful open house with over 90 attendants sharing their insights on what Revelstoke’s trail system needed.

The Strategy included prioritized recommendations for future trails and improvements, trail head signage conceptual designs, and a liability and reporting strategy.

Working with the stakeholder group and city staff, the team developed a signage hierarchy, trail classification and standards, and a liability strategy.

The Revelstoke Trails Strategy was presented to Council in the spring of 2017.