Wildlife in the Columbia Valley Region
The Columbia Valley Region of British Columbia, Canada has much to offer the traveler. We have been on the highways and backcountry roads exploring the Columbia Valley Region of BC for years now visiting with communities like Golden, Spillimacheen, Radium Hot Springs, Invermere, Panorama, Windermere, Fairmont Hot Springs, Cranbrook and Kimberley.
The region is one of Mother \nature’s greatest art pieces nestled in a museum caught between the Rocky Mountains to the east and Purcell Mountains to the west.
The area is a mecca of year round adventures. In the summer months travelers enjoy golfing, hiking, boating, water skiing, river rafting, horseback riding, backpacking, mountain biking, sailing, cycling, fishing, hot springs, canoeing, kayaking, wildlife tours, rock climbing, birdwatching, paragliding and hang gliding.
In the winter months travelers can enjoy cross country skiing, snowboarding, downhill skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, dog sledding, heli skiing, backcountry skiing, cat skiing and snowmobiling.
Alki Creek Trail
During our adventures we documented many of the best adventures in the region. Here is a list of some of the most memorable adventures we enjoyed in the Columbia Valley Region.
– Marysville Falls – Kimberley – An easy boardwalk walking path located in the Village of Marysville which is south of Kimberley, BC. The hiking trail is a casual adventure leading to a viewpoint overlooking a 30 metre waterfall. The trail follows the banks of Mark Creek for most of the way and then begins climbing a ridge to a viewpoint looking out across from the falls.
– Northstar Mountain – Kimberley – The mountain destination is an alpine resort popular for skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and dog sledding in the winter months. Other winter activities enjoyed near the resort mountain include heli skiing and snowmobiling.
– Alki Creek Trail – Kimberley – Alki Creek Trail is a difficult hiking trail, full of alpine scenery, popular for hiking, wildlife viewing, photography and sightseeing. It is a one-way 9.5 kilometre hiking adventure along a spur road, a single track trail and over rock chutes. The hiking route includes switchbacks, navigating through mountain passes, alpine meadows and forests.
Views of Kimberley from Mountain Lifts
– Columbia Basin Wetlands – It is a large protected wilderness and wildlife habitat popular for birdwatching and wildlife viewing. The Columbia River is a Heritage River of Canada established in 1996 and then recognized again in 2005 as a International Ramsar Site – the Columbia River Basin Wetlands is one of the largest wildlife wetlands in North America.
– Kicking Horse Mountain – Golden – The mountain is a year round recreation destination with a fully serviced mountain resort. In winter other activities enjoyed on the mountain include a rock climbing gym, telemark skiing, snowmobiling, heli skiing, cross country skiing, ice skating, tubing and snowshoeing. In the summer activities enjoyed include like hiking, horseback riding, rafting, wildlife viewing and safaris.
– Kindersley Pass Trail – Radium Hot Springs – The hiking trail is a full day hiking adventure exploring forested valleys and mountain peaks in the Kootenay National Park of British Columbia, Canada. Kindersley Pass Trail explores 10 kilometres through second growth trees, leading up to an alpine tree line and then onto the Kindersley-Sinclair Summit. The entire trail will take about 4-6 hours to complete.
Radium Hot Springs
– Radium Hot Springs – The Natural Hot Springs are considered the largest hot spring pools in Canada. It is an odorless mineral hot spring that is continually fed by the warm waters coming from the earth via Sinclair Creek. Many services have been built around the attraction which is next to the stone walls of Sinclair Canyon.
– Kootenay National Park – The park was established in 1920 and covers 1,406 sq. kms. The park is full of First Nation history and is very much left in its wilderness state. The forest eco system is surrounded by mountain peaks, alpine glaciers, roaring rivers and meadows of grasslands. In fact, the national park is the only BC National Park containing a grassland eco system.
– Panorama Mountain – Invermere – The mountain is a year round adventure destination with a fully serviced mountain resort popular for mountain biking & hiking in the summer months and skiing and snowboarding in the winter months.
Water Skiing on Windermere Lake
– Windermere Lake – Invermere – The lake is one of the more popular recreation lakes in the Columbia Valley Region. Windermere Lake rests in the Rocky Mountain Trench. Activities on the lake during the summer months are plentiful. The most popular activity on the lake are the water sports like water skiing. However, there are lots of other activities enjoyed at the lake including boating, swimming, canoeing, beaches, picnicking, wind surfing, fishing, birdwatching, hiking, fishing, sail boarding and kayaking.
– Fairmont Hot Springs – Invermere – The hot springs rest at the headwaters of the Columbia River – not far from the recreational water sports of Windermere Lake. Fairmont Hot Springs is a year-round resort village with the largest odorless hot spring pools in Canada, some golf courses and a ski hill.