Nelson, British Columbia

This local trail starting from Johnstone Road is locally famous and really well maintained. Located off the other shore of Kootenay Lake, this hike reveals a beautiful view of the town of Nelson and the surrounding mountains.This trail is doable in all seasons and although it can be steep at some...

Ask most people about the mountains of eastern British Columbia and they'll likely think you mean the Canadian Rockies. But mention the Purcell Mountains and you're more than likely to get a blank stare back at you. And that's a good thing.The Purcell Mountains in British Columbia run parallel to...

Please note, the path to this waterfall crosses private property. The early portion of this trail passes through the Marsden Face Conservation Property, which is privately owned conservation land. Visitors to this property are asked to respect the ecological values of the property. Please follow ...

The hike up Toad Mountain provides a great view over Nelson and it's surrounding mountain peaks. From the summit, a 360 degree view gives you a great spot to look at the distant Valhallas, Kokanee Glacier, Purcells and lower Selkirks.The main challenge to hiking Toad Mountain is access. The road ...

Hiking to the summit of Half Dome is a rewarding backcountry ski trip that can be done with ease of access from Whitewater Ski Resort.After riding the Silver King Lift (no inbounds ascent on foot allowed), exit the resort through the backcountry gate to the right of the lift. Follow the trail out...

Whitewater is a short 20 minute drive from downtown Nelson. There are only 3 lifts here, but a surprising amount of terrain — most of which will satisfy even the strongest of skiers. Our favorite runs were the Trash Glades, accessed via a short traverse off the backside of the Motherlode Chair (a...

Kootenay Lake is one of BC's biggest lakes at 104km long, and between 3-5km wide. At nearly 500ft deep, this lake stays cold all summer long with the most perfectly clear and clean water you can imagine. Hiking the Pilot Bay Trail is a great way to experience this incredible place.All of BC's inl...

The hike to Gimli Ridge is one of only two hikes in the Valhallas that reach up to the alpine area. It provides stunning scenery of the surrounding range, and an intimate experience with the huge monolith that is Gimli Peak.The trail steadily climbs elevation. From the trailhead, Gimli seems dece...

Silver Spray Cabin is a beautiful cabin nestled high in the Alpine of Kokanee Provincial Park - a perfect spot to spend a clear summer night.The hike to the cabin is strenuous - there is no hiding that. 6km of pretty much straight uphill gets you from the valley bottom to the Alpine, where the hu...

The trail to Gwillum Lakes is a must do when in the West Kootenay. It's iconic with the locals for being one of the best day hike or overnight camp trips in the region. A 6km hike through true wilderness rewards you with an alpine meadow dotted with small lakes perfect for swimming in and camping...

The trail begins at the end of Railway avenue near downtown. The trail passes through the red bridge above the river, where you may just see salmon in the stream if you're lucky!The trail has something for everyone. From the gushing icy river with a snow-capped mountain range in the distance, to ...

There’s something delightfully old-school about RED. Show up, park where there’s room and get going from the pretty basic base area. Don’t stop skiing until your legs do. Highlights for us included Powderfields, Ledges, Captn Jacks, and Beer Belly — as well as the “Poochies Trees” off the Red Mou...

To begin let me just say that this trail has some beautifully breathtaking moments. Also, I highly recommend spring to early summer if you enjoy wildflowers.Okay.. so ... Me, my dog Tolkien and my partner did this trail in two days. However we did see a group of people that completed it in one da...

The Lyle Lakes hike starts with the access - as most do in the Kootenays it requires finding the trailhead! Turn off HWY 31A onto Rossiter Road, about 24km's from Kaslo and 23Km from New Denver. Here, follow the main route on the forestry roads for 7km to the trailhead, noting to bear left at 5.9...

Drive north on SR 31 almost to Ione, Washington and turn right on Sullivan Lake Road. Follow the road around the lake to the East Sullivan Lake campground. We had to park outside the campground because of construction and walk to the trailhead.From the marked trailhead, hike through the 0.6 nat...

Begin this hike at the trailhead to the nature trail at East Sullivan Lake Campground just 14 miles from Ione, Washington. Take a right at the first fork and continue on through the cedar forest until you reach a viewpoint above the lake at 0.5 mile. The next 3.5 miles wind through a pine, larch,...