more stats
938 ft
Distance
5 ft
Climb
-18 ft
Descent
00:02:34
Avg time
-13 ft
Altitude change
3,515 ft
Altitude min
3,535 ft
Altitude max
3,533 ft
Altitude start
3,520 ft
Altitude end
-1.4%
Grade
-10.9%
Grade max
3.1%
Grade min
344 ft
Distance climb
456 ft
Distance down
138 ft
Distance flat
00:02:34
Avg time

Sideshow Mel Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Gravel Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Bowmont Park
    Calgary, Alberta
  • Difficulty Rating
    Green Rate
  • Local Popularity
    100 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 90 in Trail Running
    • 90 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #973 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #35797 in Trail Running
    • #58032 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC, CX, Gravel
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Green
  • Physical Rating
    Easy
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes

I prefer this option vs. trying to climb that super steep section of Sideshow Bob and then shooting back down a steep descent two seconds later. I'm soft - Like Melvin Van Horne aka Sideshow Mel Smile .

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 2 rides
  • 13 miles average
6 Months
  • 115 rides
  • 9 miles avg distance
All
  • 784 rides
  • Last: Aug 15, 2026
c1c2c3c4
January
February
March
April
May
June
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Status:
on Jun 6, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 3.84 (1 votes)
Your vote: 0

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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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The colour categories are based on what percentage of users are riding a trail in its intended direction.
  • > 96%
  • > 90%
  • > 80%
  • > 70%
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  • < 50%
  • bi-directional trail
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  • < 1 week
  • < 2 weeks
  • < 1 month
  • < 6 months
  • > 6 months
Trail Ridden Direction
The intended direction a trail should be ridden.
  • Downhill Only
  • Downhill Primary
  • Both Directions
  • Uphill Primary
  • Uphill Only
  • One Direction
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  • Description
  • Photos
  • Description & Photos
  • Videos
Trail Popularity ?
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Max Vehicle Width
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Jump Magnitude Heatmap
Heatmap of where users jump on trails. Zoom in to see individual jumps, click circles to view jump details.
BC Backroad Status

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Slope Aspect
Direction the slope faces
Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to sideshow-mel trailhead (51.088790, -114.170200)

        Photos

        4 more »
        mtb
        53 |
        Sep 29, 2022 @ 8:11pm
        Sep 29, 2022
        mtb
        44 |
        Sep 29, 2022 @ 8:11pm
        Sep 29, 2022
        mtb
        30 |
        Sep 29, 2022 @ 8:11pm
        Sep 29, 2022
        mtb
        39 |
        Sep 29, 2022 @ 8:11pm
        Sep 29, 2022

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        Nearby Trails

        Bowmont Park

        • By sullivadTF Pro & contributors
        • #436338 - 920 views

        Frequently Asked Questions About Sideshow Mel

        ▼ Where is Sideshow Mel located?
        Sideshow Mel is located in Bowmont Park, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is part of the Bowmont Park trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 51.08879, -114.1702.
        ▼ How hard is Sideshow Mel?
        Sideshow Mel is rated as Green difficulty. The physical rating is Easy. The average grade is 1.4%. The climb difficulty is rated Green.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Sideshow Mel?
        Sideshow Mel has 5 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 18 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 3,515 ft to 3,535 ft.
        ▼ Is Sideshow Mel a point to point trail?
        Sideshow Mel is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ How long is Sideshow Mel?
        Sideshow Mel is 938 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ Are dogs allowed on Sideshow Mel?
        Yes, dogs are allowed on Sideshow Mel. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
        ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Sideshow Mel?
        Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Sideshow Mel are:
        • May (128 activities)
        • June (39 activities)
        • October (33 activities)
        Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
        ▼ How do I access Sideshow Mel? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
        The closest parking and trailhead locations to Sideshow Mel are: View all parking locations in the area.
        ▼ How long does it take to ride Sideshow Mel?
        Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 6 minutes to ride Sideshow Mel. The trail is 938 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
        ▼ How busy is Sideshow Mel?
        Sideshow Mel is a very popular trail. There have been 4,919 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 6,065 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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