Mount Seymour
49°19′ N 122°58′ WNorth Shore Mountain Bike Association (NSMBA)By bus
Mount Seymour's lower mountain suits confident riders who want BC Parks' designated mountain bike trails above the Old Buck lot, with one multi-use climb and a bus at the bottom of the road. Its descents carry no published difficulty rating from BC Parks or the District, so you choose lines without a grade to go on.
Photo andy_c · Flickr · CC BY 2.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Field card · Trail network · No. 004 · checked 16 Oct 2026
Climb Lower Old Buck and keep off Empress Bypass.
See who looks after which ground
- BC Parks
Runs Mount Seymour Park, where mountain biking is allowed only on designated lower-mountain trails such as Lower Old Buck and Empress Bypass, and the upper mountain is for hiking only. Sea to Sky Park Services operates the facilities and backcountry trails outside the ski area for BC Parks.
- District of North Vancouver
Manages the natural areas below the park boundary, and the NSMBA's fall 2026 report puts the final straight of Empress Bypass on District land.
- Metro Vancouver
Manages the Dog Mountain trail at the top of Mount Seymour Road as part of the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve, according to BC Parks' trail report.
Is it for you?
Seymour's lower mountain gives confident riders a designated BC Parks network with one main climb and descents that carry no published grade.
You’ll love Mount Seymour if
- You can judge technical descents on Vancouver's North Shore without a posted grade.
- You want a ride you can reach on TransLink's 215.
Think twice if
- You want trails with a published difficulty rating, which the District's layer gives you on Fromme.
- You're looking for lift-served riding.
Plan how you reach the trailhead
BC Parks' Old Buck trailhead on Mount Seymour Road holds the parking for the lower-mountain trails, with a pit toilet and a park map by the entrance on the west side of the road. A smaller lot 2.5 km up the road fits about seven cars for the Baden-Powell Trail. From November to April, BC Parks sends visitors heading into the backcountry outside the resort to lots P1 and Lower P5 near the top of the road, and those lots can need a free day-use pass in peak season.
Ride and walk the way locals expect
- On two-way trails the climbing rider has the right of way, and the rider behind on a climb waits for a pullout or a flat spot to pass.
- E-bikes yield to non-assisted bikes on every trail, whichever way they're heading.
- Hikers and horse riders have the right of way on multi-use trails, and you dismount and step aside when you meet a horse.
- Tell the people ahead when you want to pass and how many riders are in your group.
- Ride the trail itself and never a braid, and keep from skidding on wet or loose dirt.
Ride the trails on Mount Seymour
Three public bodies share Seymour's lower slopes. BC Parks runs Mount Seymour Park, where mountain biking is allowed only on designated trails and banned on the upper-mountain hiking trails such as Mount Seymour Main, Perimeter, Goldie Lake and Dinky Peak. The District of North Vancouver manages the natural areas below the park, and the NSMBA's fall 2026 report puts the final straight of Empress Bypass on District land. Up at the top of the road, Metro Vancouver looks after the Dog Mountain trail as part of the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve.
Most rides start at BC Parks' Old Buck trailhead on Mount Seymour Road, which has parking and a pit toilet. Lower Old Buck is the multi-use climb and the main way into the lower trail system, and BC Parks asks mountain bikers to use it for every trip uphill. Empress Bypass was built mainly for adaptive mountain bikes and carries no uphill traffic. In fall 2026 the NSMBA kept its tread wider than three feet so adaptive bikes fit, and hikers on the same slope use Fern Gully or Old Buck instead.
The descents carry names like Pangor, Corkscrew, John Deer and Pingu, and the District's trail layer tags them for mountain biking with no difficulty value. BC Parks publishes no grade for them either, so this guide prints none. Arc'teryx's TAP crew of 38 volunteers refreshed four jumps and landings on Pingu in September 2026, and the NSMBA's trail crew planned to follow up with compacting once the rain came.
Winter changes the top of the mountain more than the bottom. From November to April BC Parks sends backcountry visitors outside the resort to lots P1 and Lower P5, and Metro Vancouver says Mount Seymour Road closes from 10 pm to 7 am in those months. TransLink's 215 climbs the foot of Mount Seymour Road to Indian River Drive, a short walk below the Old Buck lot, and it runs on weekends too.
Worth knowing
- Climb Lower Old Buck and keep off Empress Bypass on the way up, as BC Parks asks.
- Read BC Parks' trail conditions report before you go, because its 29 September 2026 edition warns that bears are feeding actively in the area.
- Carry a light on short winter days, since North Shore Rescue says a missing light causes more of its overdue callouts than anything else.
Quick answers about Mount Seymour
Where do you park to ride Mount Seymour?
Park at BC Parks' Old Buck trailhead on Mount Seymour Road, which serves the lower-mountain trails. A smaller Baden-Powell lot 2.5 km up the road holds about seven cars.
Are e-bikes allowed on Mount Seymour's trails?
Yes, on BC Parks' signed or designated mountain bike trails inside Mount Seymour Park, as long as the e-bike meets BC Parks' definitions. Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes fit those rules, and the NSMBA asks e-bike riders to yield to everyone on a non-assisted bike.
Can you ride the upper trails on Mount Seymour?
No. BC Parks bans mountain biking on Upper Old Buck, Mount Seymour Main, Perimeter, Goldie Lake, Flower Lake, Mystery Lake, Old Cabin and Dinky Peak, and it keeps the upper mountain for hiking.
Are dogs allowed on Mount Seymour?
Yes, on a leash. BC Parks requires pets on leash throughout Mount Seymour Park and fines owners whose dogs run loose. It calls the backcountry unsuitable for dogs.
Who manages Mount Seymour?
BC Parks, District of North Vancouver, Metro Vancouver manage the ground on Mount Seymour. North Shore Mountain Bike Association (NSMBA) builds and maintains the trails with them.
Can you get to Mount Seymour by bus?
Yes. The 215 stops at Indian River Dr at Mount Seymour Rd.
Is there a shuttle up Mount Seymour?
No. Mount Seymour has no shuttle or lift, so you pedal or push up. Riders climb Lower Old Buck, which BC Parks names as the main access to the lower trail system and the route mountain bikers take uphill. Empress Bypass carries no uphill traffic.
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