more stats
1,801 ft
Distance
15 ft
Climb
-89 ft
Descent
00:03:45
Avg time
-74 ft
Altitude change
2,111 ft
Altitude min
2,189 ft
Altitude max
2,185 ft
Altitude start
2,111 ft
Altitude end
-4.095%
Grade
-39.39%
Grade max
9.086%
Grade min
350 ft
Distance climb
980 ft
Distance down
470 ft
Distance flat
00:03:45
Avg time

Back Breaker Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Hawrelak
    Northwest Edmonton, Alberta
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Local Popularity
    80 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 60 in Trail Running
    • 75 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #14839 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #82011 in Trail Running
    • #96386 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    XC
  • Direction
    Downhill Primary
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • TTFs on Trail
    Drop

The companion to Root Canal this trail continues to traverse the rooty Mckinnon Ravine. Large berms help increase the flow on this technical trail.

Access Info

MacKinnon Access Trail under the 142nd Street Bridge over MacKinnon Ravine

Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 9 rides
  • 13 miles average
6 Months
  • 140 rides
  • 12 miles avg distance
All
  • 1,288 rides
  • Last: Sep 21, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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February
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update trails status or condition

Back Breaker Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Sep 15, 2026 @ 6:37pm (America/Edmonton)
Sep 15, 2026
Aug 29, 2026 @ 1:29pm (America/Edmonton)
Aug 29, 2026
Aug 20, 2026 @ 1:43pm (America/Edmonton)
Aug 20, 2026
 Still too wet, this trail needs some mad sun, heat, and wind to dry out.
Aug 16, 2026 @ 1:35pm (America/Edmonton)
Aug 16, 2026
 Had to bail out.
Jul 8, 2026 @ 3:36pm (America/Edmonton)
Jul 8, 2026
 Tree has been cleared
more » 4 social media mentions
Status:
on Sep 15, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4.52 (22 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (8,372)
close
      Directions to back-breaker trailhead (53.538160, -113.565430)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      5 more »
      mtb
      217 |
      Oct 1, 2020 @ 9:16am
      Oct 1, 2020
      mtb
      107 |
      Sep 7, 2020 @ 12:59pm
      Sep 7, 2020
      mtb
      127 |
      Aug 21, 2020 @ 3:13pm
      Aug 21, 2020
      mtb
      128 |
      Aug 31, 2019 @ 6:09am
      Aug 31, 2019

      Videos

      6 more »
      Root Canal, Back Breaker, Money $hot | Edmonton AB
      mtb
      8:04 | 150 | Sep 11, 2023 , Northwest Edmonton
      #ridelocalyegwinter - Back Breaker
      mtb
      2:01 | 365 | Jan 10, 2021 , Northwest Edmonton
      MTB Riding Gnarly Roots on a Hard Tail in...
      mtb
      10:50 | 432 | Oct 20, 2020 , Northwest Edmonton
      Backbreaker Trail with Zandro
      mtb
      5:48 | 1255 | Mar 1, 2019 , Northwest Edmonton

      Routes with this trail

      270
      Patricia Ravine Route
      ★ 4.3 • 21 miles • 1,355 ft • 56 • Loop •
      Hardcore's Wednesday A ride loop out to Patricia Ravine
      500
      West End Rip, Counter Clockwise
      ★ 2.3 • 21 miles • 1,423 ft • 60 • Loop •
      A mix of more technical single track, flowy single track, and some pavement / double track connectors.
      81
      Hawerlak Park ROute
      7 miles • 433 ft • 13 • Loop •
      watch the construction! sneak in if you can (enter at the emily murphy park sign at the entrance to the park)
      4.6 ★★★★★
      22 Ratings
      5 ★ 68%
      4 ★ 23%
      3 ★ 9%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      3 Reviews & Comments


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      Nearby Trails

      Hawrelak

      • By mtnbikermitchTF Pro & contributors
      • #10634 - 6,529 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Back Breaker located?
      Back Breaker is located in Hawrelak, Northwest Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is part of the Hawrelak trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 53.53816, -113.56543.
      ▼ How hard is Back Breaker?
      Back Breaker is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 4.095%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Back Breaker?
      Back Breaker has 15 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 89 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 2,111 ft to 2,189 ft.
      ▼ Is Back Breaker a point to point trail?
      Back Breaker is not a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Primary. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Back Breaker?
      Back Breaker is 1,801 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Back Breaker?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Back Breaker. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Back Breaker?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Back Breaker are:
      • May (98 activities)
      • September (91 activities)
      • July (76 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Back Breaker? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Back Breaker are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Back Breaker?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 4 minutes to ride Back Breaker. The trail is 1,801 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Back Breaker?
      Back Breaker is a very popular trail. There have been 8,263 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 8,372 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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