Valley Map
Things To Do
There’s so much to do all year round!
Click below for more information about what kinds of activities you can enjoy in the Summer and Winter months.
Summer Activities | Winter Activities
If golf is your passion, you’ll feel as though you’ve gone to heaven when you chose the Columbia Valley. Within a 1 ½-hour drive in any direction of Invermere, there are 14+ spectacularly scenic and rewarding 18-hole championship tracks to play.
Reward yourself on courses consistently ranked among Canada’s best and designed by some of the finest architects in the business: Les Furber, Bill Newis, Doug Carrick, Bill Robinson, and Gary Browning are just a few.
Here is a short description of the golf courses. Click on the left listing of courses to get more details.
Eagle Ranch Golf Course
This championship 18-hole golf course features 6,800 yards of diverse terrain, multiple tee-boxes and some beautiful and challenging holes, including the 160 yard par three 16th hole.
With lovely views of Lake Windermere, the Columbia River wetlands, Purcell Mountains and Rockies, the course is like an amusement park with 18 excellent rides. Eagle Ranch is located near the crossroads to Invermere. The course features a pro shop and clubhouse and will feature, much, much more, including a stunningly located hotel overlooking the wetlands, as development continues.
Greywolf at Panorama
One year before it even opened, this spectacular course was being touted as one of the best golf courses in Canada. And not to disappoint, it is. It was voted as the best new course in Canada by Golf Digest in 1999. Greywolf’s 18 holes are cut along the side of Toby and Hopeful Creeks and Panorama Mountain. The signature hole is No. 6 (The Cliffhanger) which requires one drive over a gorge to an ample green. This par 72 course is 7,140 yards from the black tees. Greywolf has a pro shop, licensed clubhouse and course side cappuccino shack at the sixth tee.
Mountainside Golf Course
Across the highway from Riverside on the way to Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, this 18-hole course features 6,267 yards of golfing fun. Its signature hole is No. 4 and is called the Fairmonster. This 600 yard (from the blue tees) beast leads you south toward Columbia Lake and you better have your long game working! A challenge for all skill levels, Mountainside also has a restaurant and lounge, dining room in the evening with entertainment and putting green. Mountainside is one of the oldest courses in the region and thus carries with it a venerable feel.
Radium Golf Resort
Located two km south of Radium Hot Springs, at the top of the Mile Hill, which offers spectacular views of the Columbia River Wetlands. This is an 18-hole, par 69 course which features some dizzying tee-shots, including its signature hole, No. 12 which drops 92 feet from tee-box to the green. The full amenity resort offers power carts, club rentals, lessons, a licensed dining room, swimming facilities and hotel and resort accommodations.
Riverside Golf Resort
Located in Fairmont. This 18-hole course features 6,507 yards. Its signature hole is No. 5, a par 3 in which you drive across the Columbia River twice with one shot. Voted as the the top course in Canada in 1998 by the Golf Course Owners Association, the course offers spectacular views of the Rockies and Purcells. It winds along the headwaters of the Columbia River and golfers of all skill will enjoy this beautiful and sometimes challenging, sometimes forgiving course. Riverside has a driving range and putting green to go along with two restaurants and the Sportsman’s Lounge.
The Springs at Radium Golf Course
This 18-hole course located in Radium Hot Springs, is consistently considered one of the best in British Columbia. This par 72, covering 6,717 yards, features a licensed dining room, lounge, power carts, club rentals, practice facilities, lessons (including an acclaimed junior program) and club storage. Built to championship standards, the course overlooks the Columbia River Wetlands and Purcell Mountains, with the Rockies standing guard to the east. Its white sand traps and water hazards, as well as craftily located tee-boxes make this course a challenge and pleasure to play. Radium’s 140 member Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep band also call the Springs home during the spring so don’t be surprised if you share a fairway with a ram or two!
Windermere Valley Golf Course
Located on Windermere Loop Road in Windermere, this revamped 18-hole track offers challenges ranging from a number of par 3s to one par 5. It has 5,036 total yardage, (par 66), a snack bar, lounge, full service pro shop, putting green and driving range. The course owners and staff pride themselves on customer service. Windermere traditionally opens in mid-March and runs until the end of October.
Copper Point Golf Course
This 18-hole course, the newest in the valley, opened for play last fall. While its building amenities are still under construction, this beautiful course, located south of the Invermere crossroads, has a driving range and temporary clubhouse/pro shop. With wide fairways and challenging greens, Copper Point offers something for all levels of golfers.
Coy’s Dutch Creek Ranch Par 3
Located south of Fairmont off Hwy 93/95 at Columere Park. It is challenging but perfect for all ages and levels of skill. One go-round on this former ranch/pasture and you’ll see why! Coy’s features a dining lounge and club rentals.
Spur Valley Greens
This pleasurable nine-hole course is located 15 minutes north of Radium Hot Springs on Highway 95. The par 33 track is ideal for people needing to work out their irons but also allows you to pull the big dogs out of the bag on occasion. Spur Valley has a licensed clubhouse, driving range and RV park.
Fairmont Executive Par 9
The valley’s newest nine hole course, located due west of Mountainside, affords beautiful views of the valley and Rockies. This is a wonderful course to tune up your iron game and putting and is good for all ages and skill levels.
Guided Fishing/Hunting
The East Kootenay Region has the unique distinction of being one of the highest capability areas to support wildlife in North America. Ten big game species are found within its 26,000 square kilometer area. The total big game population exceeds 100,000 animals yielding densities of approximately four animals per square kilometer. Big game found in the Region include white tail and mule deer, elk, caribou, moose, mountain goat, mountain sheep, black and grizzly bear and cougar.
The abundance of streams and lakes in the East Kootenay support sport fisheries and serve as important spawning and rearing areas for a variety of species. Dolly Varden, Rainbow, Cut-throat, Eastern Brook trout, Mountain Whitefish and Kokanee make up the majority of catches in the Kootenay River and its tributaries. In addition, many lakes are stocked with fish from the Provincial hatchery near Wardner.
Visit www.adventurevalley.com/wings for Birdwatching info.
Hiking/Mountaineering
Hiking is where it’s at in the Columbia Valley. Thousands of trails cover thousands of miles and take the outdoor enthusiast into spectacular country.
Take your choice of mountain ranges…the Rockies or the Purcells – you can’t go wrong. If you’re the type of person who needs to get somewhere fast to relax, check out the various Heli-hiking outfits. They’ll get you to the out of reach places quickly, drop you off and pick you up.
Links:
Kootenay National Park Trail Report
Water Sports
So you like bouncing your way down churning whitewater?
You’ve come to the right place. The valley is home to several excellent rafting companies offering a variety of half-day and full-day packages. If you’re an experienced paddler, it is Nirvana.
The Kootenay, Spillimacheen, Lussier, Wild Horse and White rivers, along with Toby, Skookumchuck and Horsethief creeks are good places to start for kayakers and canoeists.
Of course, all watercourses end up in the Columbia River, which doesn’t offer whitewater adventure. All the Columbia can provide is gorgeous scenery around every bend and easy access. The river begins here and it winds its way through its internationally significant wetlands, which at 180 km in length, makes them the longest continuous series of wetlands in North America.
And it doesn’t matter which river or creek you dip a paddle in, wildlife is always evident.
If rafting doesn’t suit your needs, we suggest you check out some good old valley ingenuity.
The Columbia River offers some of the most beautiful day paddles this side of heaven. The float down the river from Athalmer to Radium Hot Springs is a wonderful way to spend a day and the chances of spotting a wide assortment of bird and wildlife are enormous. It’s an easy float going north and we recommend you have a pick-up spot down river rather than trying to fight the current on the way back.
Skookumchuck, 58 km from Fairmont Hot Springs, is a good spot to conclude the beautiful four to five hour paddle down the Kootenay River from Canal Flats. Pack a picnic lunch and make it an all day trip down the mostly gentle class one river. For the more adventurous, the Skookumchuck River offers class five rapids. Canoe rentals and shuttle services can be arranged in Skookumchuck.
The Kootenay River between Kootenay National Park and Canal Flats is another popular canoeing river, though we recommend you brush up on your knowledge of the river prior to departing as it contains a couple of tricky rapids.
The valley and the benches of the Rockies and Purcells contain numerous small lakes which make for nice, quiet paddles. We recommend you check in with local sporting stores, the Invermere Forest District or Kootenay National Park for more information about places to canoe, and for more in-depth info about the areas you’re considering launching.
Air Activities
Make your visit to the Columbia Valley Area an unforgettable one with:
- Cessna Scenic Flights
- Sailplane Discovery Flights
- Ultra-Light Discovery Flights
- Helicopter Scenic Flights
The Invermere Airport is located in the beautiful Canadian Rockies and is known to be one of the best mountain soaring and flying sites in the world. This area offers spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains, Glaciers, Mountain Lakes and the Columbia Wetlands (The Headwaters of the Columbia River System)
Discover the Rocky Mountains and the Columbia Valley in a whole new way… the way the eagles do… from the air!
Airports:
Invermere Airport (CAA8)
N50 31 W116 00
2820 feet Elevation
Operator: Babin Air 250 342-3565
Fuel 100LL
Runway 15/33 3000×75 asphalt
tfc 123.20
Fairmont Hot Springs (CYCZ)
N50 19 55 W115 52 25
2658 feet Elevation
Operator: Fairmont Hot Springs 250 345-6311
Runway 15/33 6000×100 asphalt
tfc 123.20, wind conditions 122.95
Radium Hot Springs
N50 38 W116 06
2650 feet Elevation
Operator N. Reed 250 347-9339
Runway 16/34 2600×100 turf
tfc 123.20
ATV/Off Road Biking
The Columbia Valley has thousands of miles of forest service roads and deactivated logging roads for ATV use. Get up to some of the old mines and into some spectacular country. The views are amazing.
Winter Activities | Summer Activities
Panorama Mountain Village and Fairmount Hot Springs Resort are the 2 local ski resorts offering family skiing, 4000 feet vertical, board/park and half pipe, x-Country skiing, and heli skiing.
This is not all: within a 2 hour drive you can ski at Kicking Horse (Golden), Kimberley, Fernie, Lake Louise, Sunshine, and Banff Norquay. Helpful Links:
Canadian Avalanche Centre
Alpine Club of Canada
Snowmobiling
The Windermere Valley Snowmobile club has its own groomer to keep the many trails smoothed out for riders.
Periodically you will find them collecting a minimal fee for trail maintenance. There are many areas designated for snowmobiles and everyone from beginner to the experienced can find a place to ride.
Nordic
There are excellent X-Country ski trails in the Columbia Valley.
Panorama Mountain Village
X-Country and Skate Ski trails
Fairmont Hot Springs
X-Country trails
Radium Hot Springs Resort
X-Country trails
Edgewater
The Edgewater trail system is another set of x-country trails that meander through the higher slopes on the Rockies side of the valley.
Windermere Lake
The Lake is great for skate skiing if there is not to much snow on it.
Going into the backcountry? Check avalanche conditions.