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If you’re looking for an unforgettable family adventure, biking at Whistler Mountain Bike Park should be near the top of your list. After our recent trip, I can confidently say that this place isn’t just for adrenaline-fueled pros—families with kids can have a fantastic time here too. With the right preparation and trail selection, biking at Whistler can be an incredible experience for everyone, even those new to downhill riding.
Our family loves to bike at home in Utah, but we’d never really done much downhill riding. All of our kids were so excited to learn, so we decided a trip to Whistler would be fun. It exceeded our expectations in EVERY WAY! All of our kids agreed this was MUCH BETTER than Disneyland. Everyone had so much fun and learned a ton – I can’t wait to tell you all about it!
The Whistler Bike Park Experience
From the moment you arrive at Whistler Bike Park, it’s clear that this place is a mecca for mountain biking enthusiasts. The energy is infectious—riders of all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned experts, are gearing up, chatting about their upcoming runs, and sharing stories of past adventures. The atmosphere is electric and so welcoming and inclusive, making it a great destination for families.
The park itself is huge, offering over 80 kilometers of trails that weave through the breathtaking scenery of Whistler Mountain. Having lift-access to the park makes it easy to get in as many runs as your family can handle without being exhausted from the uphill slog. The Fitzsimmons lift is where you’ll likely spend most of your time if you’re sticking to the beginner and intermediate trails. As you ride up the lift, you’ll have a great view of some of the expert runs on the mountain, building anticipation for the ride down.
The Setup of the Mountain at Whistler
Whistler Bike Park is a smaller version of Whistler Ski Resort, but with a lot of similarities. When you visit Whistler for biking, the main base area is at Whistler Village and the secondary base is at Creekside.
In Whistler Village, you’ll have access to the Fitzsimmons Chairlift (most popular chairlift – holds 6 riders and bikes) and the Whistler Village Gondola (Goes all the way up the mountain, but slower and only carriers 4 riders and bikes). The Garbonzo Lift starts at mid-mountain and can only carry 2 bikes and 3 riders.
The Fitzsimmons lift is the easiest way to access beginner and intermediate terrain, so that’s where we recommend families with kids start.
Creekside Gondola only carries 2 riders and their bikes and accesses intermediate and advanced trails.
If you’re an expert rider, you may want to go all the way up the Village Gondola to the Peak Express Chairlift, which accesses The Top of the World bike run.
There are lodges at the top of both gondolas, but other than that, there are no on-mountain services. Come prepared to fix any possible repairs to get you down the mountain including tire plugs, a tube, a pump, and a small first-aid kit.
How Much Harder is Whistler Bike Park Than Other Areas?
Before our family bike trip to Whistler, I had so many people tell me that the trails in Whistler were SO MUCH harder than what we had back home in the US. I was getting pretty concerned, and even though we bike a good amount, I wasn’t sure if all of our kids would be able to ride in the bike park. Thankfully, everyone did great! We were not originally intending to bike in the bike park with our 7-year-old, but after checking things out, we had all the kids on the mountain.
The beginner trails are great for advanced beginners on an average cross country trail, and the real difficulty comes in with the harder intermediate and advanced trails.
What Ages is Biking at Whistler Best For
On our most recent bike trip to Whistler our kids were ages 7, 10, 12, 14, and 16. More important is their riding ability level. I’ll share what our kids were like coming into the trip, so you have a reference for their riding ability.
Our 7-year-old is what I would consider an advanced beginner rider – he’s comfortable on greens and most blues back home, but doesn’t want to push himself too hard. He has fun when he’s riding but doesn’t have tons of endurance.
Our 10 and 12-year-olds are solid intermediates, who also ride some blacks at home. They love to push their limits and go FAST.
Our 14-year-old is a solid cross country rider but didn’t have any experience with full downhill before.
Our 16-year-old is an expert cross country rider who can ride anything back in Utah.
Our 7-year-old was definitely on the lower end of riders at Whistler, and knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t take a rider who wasn’t at least his skill level. While Whistler has a handful of green beginner trails, all of them go off the main green EZ Does It, which means that if you just ride green trails, you’ll ride some variation of the same trail over and over again. It’s fine, but could easily get boring. Our youngest was able to ride some of the easier blue (intermediate) trails after his first day, and having some variety in the trails he rode made it so much more fun for everyone.
Our kids who really LOVED the bike park were our kids who were ages 10+, so that might be a good benchmark if you’re deciding. The older kids had more stamina, more interest in riding, and having a bit more strength was also really helpful for long days on the mountain.
Should Kids Take Mountain Bike Lessons at Whistler?
YES! YES! YES! I cannot say enough good things about the bike classes at Whistler. Our 4 older kids took lessons and I still cannot believe how much they learned and how much they improved because of their lessons. We have put our kids into lots of bike lessons and camps over the years, and none of them have even come close to comparing to what we found in the Whistler DFX Kids Bike School – read our full review of the lessons.
The lessons aren’t cheap, but I think they’re worth every penny! For more information, read my full review of the Whistler DFX Kids Bike School.
The lifts run for regular guests from 10am-8pm, but for lessons from 9:30am on. Our kids would ride with their class from 9:30-3:00 and then we would ride as a family until 8pm. This made for some really long days, but it was a good mix of lessons and family riding, so the kids did great with it.
The Vibe on the Mountain
Once you’re on the mountain, the vibe is both full of adrenaline and relaxed at the same time. Riders of all ages and abilities share the trails, so there’s a huge mix of riders. We were there for 2 weeks, and the first week was during Crankworx (one of the biggest mountain bike events in the world).
While there are so many fun events going on, it was a difficult time for riding with kids new to the park. There would often be really fast and large groups flying down the trails together, and it was kind of intimidating for our younger kids. The next week we were there, was not during Crankworx and it was a totally different and much more relaxed vibe. If you’re new to downhill, I would recommend avoiding riding the week of Crankworx.
Aside from that, you’ll often see parents coaching their kids through tricky sections, or families cheering each other on as they tackle a new trail. The park is well-marked, with clear signage that helps you navigate between trails and avoid getting in over your head. Make sure to follow the trail progression that’s on the trail maps so you don’t accidentally end up on something that’s too hard.
Exploring the Village
After a day of biking, the Whistler Village offers a great place to unwind and refuel. The village is pedestrian-friendly (walking bikes is required) and full of family-oriented restaurants and cafes where you can grab a bite to eat.
There are also shops selling souvenirs, bike gear, and even ice cream—a perfect treat after a day of adventure. My kids favorites were the massive ice cream cookie sandwiches at Lift Coffee (across from Garbanzo Kids). Many smaller shops close around 7 or 8, so if you’re going to be on the mountain later, keep that in mind.
What Gear Do Kids Need for Biking at Whistler Bike Park?
There are a few essentials that kids should have with them when they’re going to bike in Whistler. Here are the basics:
Downhill or Enduro Bike – Our kids have great lightweight cross country mountain bikes, but those are not the best fit for the bike park, so we rented them bikes. We also rented adult downhill bikes and it was so much nicer than riding our trail bikes (TIP: if your kids take lessons, they get to keep their rental bike until 8pm that day, so you can get a lot of extra downhill bike use that way)
Hydration pack – Downhill bikes usually don’t have water bottle cages, so this is the easiest way to stay hydrated.
Snacks – Our kids work up a serious appetite while biking, so we pack lots of high calorie/higher carbohydrate snacks for everyone.
Closed toed shoes – better yet if they’re mountain bike shoes or shoes with a stiff sole (skate shoes like Vans work great for this)
A light layer to put in their hydration pack for when the weather changes (which it does often)
Full face bike helmet – a regular helmet can be fine, but not for much more than a green trail (our youngest had a hard time finding a full face rental that fit well, and so for green trails, he just wore his normal MIPS bike helmet).
Gloves
Knee and Elbow Pads
Chest or back protector (optional)
Our kids typically rode in pants and a t-shirt, while carrying a long sleeve shirt in their hydration pack
Best Bike Trails for Kids at Whistler Bike Park
When you’re deciding where to ride with your kids at Whistler, make sure to look at the trail progression chart that’s on the trail maps. It will tell you what the easiest and hardest of each color of run are. Once you get into the intermediate and advanced trails, there is a HUGE difference between the easier and harder trails. We went through the list and worked our way up once the kids were riding one well.
Read: Best beginner bike trails in Whistler for more options outside of the resort
To help you figure out where to start, here’s a description of the beginner bike trails at Whistler:
EZ Does It
This is the park’s easiest trail, accessible by turning right at the top of the Fitzsimmons lift. The trail starts off gently, but there are a few steeper turns that might make true beginners feel uneasy. Since all the other green trails branch off from EZ Does It, it’s the best place to start. The trail is wide and flows nicely for most of the way down, with minimal technical features. While it’s not ideal for absolute beginners, it’s a great introduction to bike park riding for those with a bit of mountain biking experience.
Beginner Flow Trails at Whistler Bike Park
- EZ Does It
This trail is your main option for easing into the park’s offerings. - Crabapple Turns
A short detour off EZ Does It that runs alongside the massive Crabapple Jumps used by the pros. It’s a decent option, but our family preferred sticking with EZ Does It. - Golden Triangle
You can connect to Golden Triangle about a quarter of the way down EZ Does It. It’s similar in difficulty but usually less crowded, making it a nice alternative. - B-Line
Once you’re comfortable on the green trails, B-Line is the next step. It’s the easiest blue flow trail but does have some challenging sections. The steep entrance is likely the most intimidating part, but once past that, it’s a fun, flowing ride.
Beginner Technical Trails at Whistler
- Rod and Todd
You’ll find the entrance to these trails partway down EZ Does It on the right. They’re both short, with Rod being the easier of the two. Todd introduces a few steeper, more technical features. - Shady Acres
Located about halfway down EZ Does It, Shady Acres offers a manageable technical challenge with some rocks and roots, but it’s not very steep. - Del Bocca Vista
This is the most technical beginner trail at Whistler, and it’s a favorite of ours because of its length and multiple entry and exit points. The trail starts off easier at the top, but as you descend, it gets progressively more difficult with increased technical features and steeper sections.
Tips for a Successful Family Bike Day at Whistler
- Take It Slow: Start with the easier trails and gradually progress as your family’s confidence grows. There’s no rush—enjoy the ride and celebrate small victories along the way.
- Safety First: Ensure everyone has proper gear, including a full-face helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads. Whistler can be a bit intimidating at first, so safety gear will help your kids feel secure.
- Stay Hydrated and Snack Often: Downhill biking is more tiring than it looks, especially for kids. Keep plenty of water and snacks on hand to keep energy levels high, especially if you plan on riding until later in the evening.
- Encourage Breaks: Don’t be afraid to take breaks between runs. There are plenty of spots around the park to relax and take in the views.
- Ride Together: Even if you put your kids into lessons, make sure to plan time after the lessons are over to ride together. It’s a great way to see what your kids have learned and fantastic for them to solidify their skills.
Whistler Bike Park offers an incredible opportunity for families to bond over the thrill of mountain biking. With a mix of trails suitable for advanced beginners and those looking to tackle technical terrain, there’s something for everyone. Our family had a blast, and I’m confident yours will too. Whether you’re seasoned riders or just getting started, Whistler promises an adventure you won’t soon forget.
