These routes are generally shorter with less climbing and often smoother roads.

Upper Willow Loop

Starting at the Willow River Store this heads towards Eaglet Lake but turns into the gravel just after the school, before the second train track crossing. Stay to the right on the roads and start climbing. Turn right on the main logging road around 16km in and shortly you’ll get a fast descent to the Willow River. After that you have a stepper climb for about 1km then it moves to a gradual climb out to the road where you turn right and descend back into Willow River.

Don’t park in the store parking lot. Park across the road and please stop by the store for a snack or coffee so they know cyclists enjoy the store.

Short Beaver and Shelley Loop

This route starts at the one way bridge behind the pulp mill. You can access this from town driving or riding by entering the pulp mill parking lot and turning left immediately to find a train crossing where you turn right and proceed to the bridge.

Combine it with the route above and go from town to make a 100km loop. I recommend doing the Upper Willow Loop in reverse so that you have a refuel at the Willow River store if needed.

Bottom of West Lake and Baldy Hughes

This route starts at West Lake goes around the bottom then has a short steep climb up to the viewpoints on Baldy Hughes. Make sure you take the time to ride around the top a bit and find all the lookout options available. This is mostly road so while it’s on the longer side I still class it as a beginner route.

Takla Climb

This is a short gravel route with a longer climb on it before you get back on Ness Lake/Chief Lake road and head back to town. Combine it with the Eskers route (advanced) or Isle Pierre (intermediate) for a longer day.

Around Pilot Mountain

I haven’t done this loop yet so count it as “looks like it works”.