10 best things to do in Canada’s Kootenay Rockies

How many activities can you fit into one week? I find out on an adrenaline-fuelled road trip in British Columbia.

"Can I splash anyone?” our guide, Austin, offers as we clamber into the raft. The responses vary, but the theme is unanimous: “Me!” “Yes please!” “Oh my goodness, I’m melting!” 

We’re in Canada’s Kootenay Rockies at the height of summer, sweltering in thick wetsuits, but we’ll need them shortly – we’re about to plunge into swirling whitewater, which just a few short hours ago was attached to a colossal glacier. I’ve got a single week up my sleeve and my objective, as I wind my way from the lush rainforests to the majestic mountains, is simple.

These sublime landscapes are home to countless activities and I’ve signed up for a decathlon of sorts, aiming to tick off as many as I can. Starting at Calgary Airport and heading west, it takes just under two hours to cross the British Columbia border and arrive at the first action station.

Kootenay River through Kootenay National Park.

1. Hike

The key to any good adventure is a warm-up, so, shortly after we roll from the prairies into Kootenay National Park, we pull over for a leg stretch at Marble Canyon. There’s one easy trail from the car park along the narrow gorge and another spring called the Paint Pots, stained vivid orange by iron oxide. We linger over the so-amazing-they-look-fake views, before continuing to Panorama Mountain Resort.

2. Quad bike

Toby Creek Adventures is less than 2km from the resort, so after breakfast we try the new Paradise Basin quad bike tour, rumbling up from the valley floor past Marmot Falls to an alpine cabin and the remnants of a silver mine. Word to the wise: wear clothes you don’t mind getting filthy – this is a very dirty kind of fun. It’s suitable for all ages, because nonriders can opt for a “side by side” (an all-terrain buggy) and strap in with seatbelts, and there’s a delicious barbecue at the top. 

Enjoy a cross country trail in British Columbia, Canada.

3. Bike

If winters in Canada are for snow sports, summers are for mountain bikes. Panorama has more than 30km of downhill trails, suitable for riders of all levels. Green trails are advertised as the “least difficult” (my burning quads would agree they’re not “easy”), so that’s where we start. It’s a great way to boost your heart rate, especially if you’re lucky enough to spot one of the resident black bears snacking on wildflowers. When you’re on the chair lift keep your eyes peeled just in case one ambles out into the sunshine.

4. Coast

Biking isn’t Panorama’s only big summer drawcard. This year, the resort opened its new Wild Rider Mountain Coaster, so visitors can zoom down a custom-built 1km monorail at up to 40km/h, as well as its Timberline Traverse Aerial Ropes Tower, an impressive four-level obstacle course. The season runs from May until September and the village has a fun family-friendly atmosphere.

Indulge in a Swiss-style fondue.

5. Eat

You can’t adventure on an empty stomach, which is why the team behind Playwest launched a Mountain Sunsets and Savoury Fondue experience. Our guide, Chris, takes us on a short hike up Mount Swansea, near Invermere, in time to enjoy golden-hour views over the Columbia River Wetlands, then he whips up a Swiss-style fondue on a camp stove, featuring three cheeses and served with baguette, vegetables and deli meats.

6. Paddle

These wetlands are a natural wonderland, home to an estimated 216 species of wildlife, so of course you’re going to want to take a closer look. Take a tour with Columbia River Paddle and keep a lookout for everything from beaver dams to bald eagles as your guide explains the unique ecology. If you’re with a group, make it even more fun by piling everyone into a huge voyager canoe.

Not Boo.

7. Bear

There’s one word you’ll hear a lot when you arrive at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, the week’s second stay: Boo. No one is trying to surprise you; it’s the name of the resident grizzly, who was rescued as a cub and lives in an 8ha enclosure on site. Visit the refuge and go behind the scenes with the Ranger Assist Program to hear Boo’s story and see him eat his dinner. Tonight, we watch him happily attack an ice block made up of apples and honey, grapes and yoghurt… and steak and beef stock. Delicious.

8. Zipline

The town of Golden, at the base of the resort, is an adventurer’s paradise, and one of the highlights is Golden Skybridge. Here you’ll find Canada’s highest suspension bridge – 130m above the valley floor – and plenty of family-friendly activities. Don’t miss the canyon swing, a mountain coaster or, my favourite, a thrilling 300m zipline across the gorge. 

Paddling with Glacier Raft Company.

9. Gondola

No visit to Kicking Horse is complete without a bite at what feels like the top of the world. Eagle’s Eye restaurant is the resort’s signature dining experience, perched in the mountaintops at an elevation of 2347m. And while the views from the gondola are spectacular, the panorama from the gondola station is in a different league entirely. Lunch is delicious and the sweet-sour alpine lemonade is the pick of the day.

10. Raft

Just like that, we’ve made it to Glacier Raft Company. My heart is hammering as we push off, but Austin seems confident, and before long we plunge into the frothing Class Four rapids. We start with the trickiest section, and while the first few minutes are tense, we quickly get the hang of it. Soon we’re whooping as we successfully navigate each obstacle and eagerly scout the next. It’s the perfect way to finish the week – so much so that I can’t resist a final splash in that gorgeous glacial melt.

Escape route

Fly direct to Vancouver and get a connecting flight to Calgary with Air Canada. Hire a car and enjoy the magnificent views as you drive to Panorama Mountain Resort and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort before heading back to Calgary Airport. 

The writer travelled as a guest of Destination BC.

Originally published as 10 best things to do in Canada’s Kootenay Rockies