An easy four-hour drive from Spokane, the Arrow Lakes region—which includes Castlegar, the Slocan Valley, and Nakusp—is a family-friendly paradise complete with hot springs, lakeshore hikes, mountain bike trails, vineyards, innumerable paddling opportunities, museums, galleries, a ghost town, and plenty of fishing holes for every type of angler.

The best part of visiting the region from April to October is the lack of visitors. Popular destinations in Montana, Idaho, and Washington are overrun with people in the summertime, but in the Arrow Lakes region of British Columbia, you’re more likely to spot wildlife than human life. It’s simply the best-kept secret for American families who live within a day’s drive of the border.

Named for the 144-mile long Arrow Lakes system and the 1,000-foot deep Slocan Lake, the region encompasses three valleys resting on either side of the Selkirk Mountains, connected by the Columbia and Kootenay rivers. Appropriately shaped like a diamond, the region’s southern end is near the Canadian/American border just south of Castlegar and extends both northwest to Upper Arrow Lake and the community of Fauquier, and also northeast up the Slocan Valley to Nakusp and Halcyon Hot Springs.

Given the plethora of water, it’s the perfect place for families to visit for a long weekend, a week, or an entire month. There are five provincial parks in the region including McDonald Creek, Rosebery, Summit Lake, Syringa, and Valhalla, as well as many private campgrounds and recreational sites where you can set up a tent or park an RV. If your basecamp needs to include more amenities, there are also many hotels, inns, lodges, B&Bs and cabins to suit a range of group sizes and needs.

Below are some suggested daily itineraries in the Arrow Lakes, based on your family’s interests.

Water Ways

From lakes and rivers to streams, ponds, waterfalls and hot springs, there is no shortage of water in the Arrow Lakes region. Fishing, paddling, boating, swimming and beach-side camping opportunities abound.

Families with small children will want to start their visit with a swim in the natural ponds on the shores of Columbia River at Millennium Park in Castlegar. This is the largest urban park in the region where you’ll find beach volleyball courts, a bike park and plenty of shoreline fishing spots.

Nearby, there are beautiful waterfalls and lakeside camping spots at Syringa Provincial Park on the shores of Lower Arrow Lake. This is where one of the world’s largest Kokanee salmon was caught. You’ll find excellent trout and walleye fishing here and on the Columbia River.

After exploring the Arrow Lakes near Castlegar, drive east to the Slocan Valley to join a guided rafting trip with Endless Adventure. You can also rent kayaks, paddleboards and safety equipment, then go play in the Slocan River or on Slocan Lake.

Continuing north, be sure to stop at Summit Lake and Box Lake, where you’ll find excellent trout fishing. Then take your pick of hot springs to visit, including the community-owned Nakusp Hot Springs and the luxurious Halycon Hot Springs Resort.

Silvery Trail

Silver mining is what drove development in the Arrow Lakes region in the mid to late 1800s, leaving behind historical locations and mining memorabilia.

Start your adventure in Castlegar, the Sculpture Capital of Canada. Visit the perfectly preserved Railway Museum and Doukhobor Discovery Centre that is home to 10 historical buildings that recreate the culture of the pacifist farming people who profoundly shaped this region in the early 1900s.

From there, drive northeast along the Slocan Valley to the quaint former mining towns of Slocan, Silverton, and New Denver. Nearby is the ghost town of Sandon where you’ll still see many of the old buildings, including the old city hall and powerhouse.

Finish your historical tour at the recently remodeled Nakusp Museum to view artifacts from homes impacted by flooding of the valley in 1960s when the Hugh Keenleyside Dam was built on the Columbia River.

Out and About

If outdoor recreation is more your family’s speed, everything is offered in the Arrow Lakes from hiking and biking to golfing and climbing. There are a dozen rock climbing areas around Castlegar, Lower Arrow Lake, and Slocan City with hundreds of routes for beginners to experts, as well as a burgeoning bouldering scene.

For golfers, in Castlegar you’ll find three courses (as well a disc golf course), plus two other golf courses in the Slocan Valley, one in Nakusp, and one in the tiny community of Fauquier.

Of the many hiking opportunities in the region, some of the best family-friendly ones can be found near the Nakusp Hot Springs. Simply pick one of the seven in the area that range from 0.5 to 5 miles in length, then enjoy a relaxing soak in the hot springs afterward.

There’s also the Nakusp and Slocan Rail Trail, a gentle grade trail converted from a rail line that runs 28 miles from Nakusp to Summit Lake. Road bikers will love the stunning views and lack of traffic in the Arrow Slocan region. Mountain bikers have their pick of hundreds of miles of singletrack, including adaptive trails at Mount Abriel, south of Nakusp, and the Merry Creek Trails in Castlegar that are famous for their hand-built structures and stunts.

Vince Hempsall lives in the beautiful Kootenay region of British Columbia, where he spends his time rock climbing, backcountry skiing, and mountain biking (when not working). He is the editor of “Kootenay Mountain Culture Magazine.”

Find more stories about adventure travel to Canada in the OTO archives.

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It’s now time to enjoy those bits of the great outdoors that have been off limits. And what better place to bust out again than Rossland, British Columbia, the capital of Canadian mountain biking less than three hours north of Spokane?

In-Town Epic Riding

According to Caroline Rousselle, one of the owners of Revolution Cycles in Rossland (a must visit!), what makes Rossland befitting its status as Canada’s mountain biking capital is the wide variety of trails that are accessible directly from town, no car required. Anyone enjoying these trails has the Kootenay Columbia Trail Society (KCTS) that built and maintains them to thank.

The trails, says Rousselle, as described on the Trailforks app, are accurately labeled. When there’s a black diamond, you better not overestimate your abilities or fitness.

If you are looking for something Rouselle describes as a “bit more flowy,” then the blue-square intermediate trails are for you. That means, if you want to tackle the local epic Seven Summits, you need to be fit and capable. It may well contain the toughest 30 kilometers (18 miles) you’ll ride, with more than 4,500 feet of climbing.

Bring all the food and drink you’ll need for the average five hours it takes to complete. The Trailforks rating for the Seven Summits is “extreme.” And they mean it.

Along with a great trail system, Rossland has become a leader in adaptive mountain biking, providing a welcoming space for athletes who have suffered spinal cord injuries that would otherwise keep them from cycling. Similarly, every trail but the Seven Summits, due to the delicate trail surface and ecology, is open to Class 1 eBikes.

New Trails & Amenities Open along with the Border

So what’s happened in and around Rossland since the COVID-19 border closure? Stewart Spooner, operations manager for KCTS, says “We’ve had quite a few developments in the past couple of years.”

The Millennial Trail Expansion opened in 2020, adding 5.8K of trails at the base of Red Mountain with advanced, intermediate, and novice climbing and cross-country terrain and connections to Paydirt trails. Another new trail is the machine-built, bermed, and jump-filled Dragontail, adding a bike-park experience, though without lift access.

Spooner says that KCTS has also created an entirely off-road loop of trails connecting the Larch Ridge trail network, including the popular Monticola trail. KCTS is also developing the new Mxiɬp Xewílh (Cedar Trail), an 18K moderate trail connecting Nancy Green Pass to the Larch Ridge Trail network and RED Mountain Resort. The lower section will open mid-summer 2022, with the entire trail ready for Spring 2023. That’s lots of new terrain for those who have previously ridden the Rossland area.

It’s not just that trail system that has grown in Rossland since the border closure. Kylie Lakevold of Tourism Rossland reports that “during the pandemic more new businesses opened versus closed.”

New restaurants include Rossberry Hill Bistro at RED Mountain Resort and The Underbelly Bistro downtown. There’s a new chef at The Velvet Restaurant too. Shopping has expanded, there are new and expanded art options, and lodging has improved with renovations at The Wild Turkey and The Flying Steamshovel inns.

When to Go

Rossland’s elevation of 3,356 feet means warm weather begins in late-May and many trails can hold snow in places through June. The subalpine Seven Summits doesn’t typically open until early July, closing in late October.

Most trails receive regular maintenance one the snow melts and the trails dry out, but it’s always worth a call up to Revolution Cycles in Rossland for a trail update.

Find more stories about Rossland, B.C., in the OTO archives.

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We hear a loud crash and branches snapping. We stop. Silence. Then a loud sandpapery scratching and a loud exhalation of (no doubt human flesh-tinged) breath. It’s certainly something big, and we’ve got grizzlies on the mind after having been warned away from several trails at Fernie Alpine Resort owing to bear activity earlier in the day.

“You wanna get out of here?” I ask Nat.

“Yep!”

We spin the bikes around and speed off. Turns out Brokeback Ridge truly is on every local’s top five list. Fortunately, this community of around 5,000 boasts over 100 named trails, so things never get crowded, whether with two wheels or four legs, but come fall the trails seem especially empty.

Located in the east Kootenays, 40 minutes from both the Montana and Alberta borders, Fernie is still very much a blue-collar mountain town; despite the weekly influx of Albertans, mining and logging are still the top two industries. Cut blocks occasionally close cherished riding zones, but riders have plenty of alternate choices, and trails typically get a facelift once the timber company moves on. 

Fernie’s riding is less shuttle-centered than some communities, a fact that will become apparent the first time a local smokes you on a climb up a classic like Swine Flu. Fernie trail builders never met a steep climbing turn they didn’t like, and many of the area’s most well-regarded routes are black-diamond climbs where “cleaning” every switchback is a local badge of honor. Even if you don’t encounter a bear, your heart rate will skyrocket.

In fact, it’s easy to go car-free on a Fernie bike trip. From a campsite at Fernie Provincial Park (complete with shaded sites, free hot showers and potable water) or from one of the many in-town lodging options, riders can pedal directly onto dozens of classic trails in Fernie Provincial Park, some of which connect to Fernie Alpine Resort.

Despite the community’s trail-building bona fides, one need not be an expert rider to make the most of a visit. The city has built a sprawling skills park for the groms, conveniently located next to the aquatic centre. Nearby, the trails of the Castle Mountain area crisscross the Nordic trail system on a network of smooth climbs and descents. 

Then there’s Lazy Lizard. The five-mile machine-built trail connects the campground at Fernie Provincial Park (via a short connector) to Island Lake Lodge. A favorite local ride is to pedal up to the lodge and enjoy dinner and drinks on the outdoor deck, which surveys the lodge’s famed ski terrain on the steep slopes of the Lizard Range.It’s an experience that typifies the riding here: both casual and hardcore, just enough work to make you feel like you’ve earned the rewards at the end. And the post-drinks descent, on high-speed berms under a sprawling awning of cedar and aspen, should rewrite your top five. Just don’t forget your bear calls. 

Related: Planning a Fall Fernie Road Trip

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RED Mountain Resort, located in the Kootenay region of Canada, is well known for its location on the powder highway in winter; it should also be noted as a summer recreation destination, with single track, wildflowers, and epic views for bikers, trail runners, and hikers. 

This summer, RED Mountain is launching two stay-over camp events so adventurers from around the world can stay on the mountain and receive coaching and first-hand experience with trail running or mountain biking. The trail running camp, called “Making the Grade,” is for adult runners, while the mountain biking camp, called “Switchback!” is exclusively for youth ages 12-18. 

If you’re coming from the states, the exchange rate will be in your favor for traveling. After the camp, explore all the wine tasting, hiking, fishing, and other outdoor recreation that the Kootenay region has to offer. With a drive that’s less than 3 hours from Spokane, RED Mountain may just become your new favorite summer destination. 

“Making the Grade” Adult Alpine Running Camp

Run through picture-perfect mountains deep in the beautiful Kootenays and work on your times and technique at RED’s adult alpine running camp, held from June 21-24, 2019, in Rossland, B.C. Pro Coach Rene Unser will combine the best terrain, coaching, and structure from P.A.C.E. Sports Fitness to take intermediate and advanced runners to a new level. 

The camp offers both short and long distances to choose from every day to suit different goals and fitness levels. The short distance group will cover approximately 60K over four days, with daily distances in the 10-25K range. One day of the camp the group will be running the 25K Broken Goat course, so participants need to be trained to cover this distance. The long distance group will cover approximately 85-95K over four days, with the first evening run between 10-12K run and the next three days varying from 25-35K. 

The all-inclusive camp registration includes high-quality food, afternoon yoga sessions, training and workshops, three nights at the Nowhere Special hostel, socials, swag, and more. It’s the perfect (beautiful) place to up your trail running game and relax!

“Switchback!” Youth Mountain Biking Camp

The trails around Rossland and RED Mountain Resort get so much attention for a reason: epic cross-country trails rich with natural and man-made features; burly freeride descents; and incredible Kootenay scenery abound. Now is your chance to introduce solid riders ages 12-18 of any gender to this world-class mountain biking wonder only a couple hours north of Spokane. 

RED’s Switchback! Mountain Bike Camp, July 7-12, is for experienced riders looking to push themselves in a fun, supportive environment for five days of cross-country and downhill mountain biking. This all-inclusive, fully immersive camp will have riders climbing harder, descending faster, and managing technical sections like a boss.

The home-grown instructors are as world-class as the trails. Dane Tudor is one of the world’s elite freeskiers and mountain bikers, and Mike Hopkins is an athlete, producer, director, and globetrotter who began as a professional big mountain skier before moving into the world of mountain biking, having now competed in six Red Bull Rampages.

Camp registration includes six days of coaching and riding, killer meals and snacks, a pro photographer capturing all the action, six nights of lodging at RED’s new Nowhere Special hostel, evening activities, and swag. Americans can expect to save around 25% off the $1,495 Canadian price tag thanks to the current exchange rate in our favor. RED is also offering special lodging deals for parents at the Slalom Creek condo or new Josie Hotel, so no need to let the kids have all the fun. Space is limited to 30 riders and may sell out before the June 29 registration deadline.

Watch this Video to learn more and get a sneak peak of the Red Mountain vibe and beautiful trail!

(Sponsored Content)

Find more stories about Rossland, B.C., in the OTO archives.

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Contrary to the hardcore, Seven Summits image that may come to mind, Rossland has a diversity of beginner, intermediate and advanced trails that opens up opportunities for mixed groups of riders with differing ability levels to enjoy a mountain bike trip together knowing that they can split up or ride together.

The famed Seven Summits Trail, the 22-mile-long IMBA Epic that most people think of when they think of Rossland, is just the tip of the local riding iceberg. Which means that the vast majority of trails, well over 100 miles worth, are mostly lesser-known, highly rated trails that locals and visitors from around the world rave about.

Visit the local bike shop, Revolution Cycles, for a map and trail recommendations. Rossland has a super friendly and helpful bike community, which includes a number of services directed towards out-of-towners, from shuttling to bike coaching, tours and clinics that are designed to orient riders to the vast local trail network and help them build skills to match the terrain.

Mountain Bike Shuttles

Traditionally, most shuttle requests around Rossland have been for the Seven Summits Trail; however, if you take the time to talk with the guides at Kootenay Mountain Biking, they will turn you on to many other lesser-known, and, some would say, more fun trails that locals and a growing number of visitors shuttle on a regular basis.

For the latest information on bike shuttles, tours, and lessons, visit the Kootenay Gateway website.

Ladies Mountain Bike Weekend (June 13-14, 2015)

Join the super friendly and knowledgeable people at Kootenay Mountain Bike Coaching and BettyGoHard for a two-day women’s mountain bike weekend that focuses on building bike skills and confidence. The camp includes shuttle-assisted, coached rides combined with skill practice to help dial in your biking.

BettyGoHard, a women’s progressive action sports community, is focused on taking the intimidation out of outdoor sports and inspiring women to push their limits. “We have a unique understanding of the fears and obstacles that women face when taking on new challenges as we are women and men that have faced our own fears and obstacles,” says co-owner and head coach Natasha Lockey.

Both Natasha and her husband Ian Lockey bring unique experiences to their work. Ian is a standing paraplegic who competed in Sochi as part of the Canadian National Para-Snowboard Team. His experiences make him well-positioned to break things down from both a physical and mental perspective, enabling riders in their clinics to push through frustrations and succeed. Cost is $265 (Canadian).

They also offer custom clinic packages for four or more women if you can’t make the weekend of June 13-14, 2015, and want to set something up for you and your friends. More info: Kootenaymountainbiking.com.

Private MTB Lessons for Men, Women, Groups and Couples

Mountain biking is great fun, and the better you are, the more fun it is. Private lessons help build confidence, increase skills and reduce fears. “The best athletes in the world have coaches,” says Natasha Lockey. “We all have differing levels of skills and develop differently, and as we improve we will pick up some great skills and some not so great skills. Doing the same thing badly over and over is not going to make you better. You will just be better at doing it badly.”

For beginners, a lesson can help avoid many of the most common mistakes and bad habits that a lot of bikers have, she says. Lessons also help new riders get their body position and balance set up right and assist with a firm understanding of gears and brakes and how to use them efficiently.

Private lessons can also be great for couples and helps avoid uncomfortable situations where one rider in the relationship is trying to teach the other and give advice.

For experienced riders, lessons can be a great way to get past the plateau, become stronger, be more efficient and have more fun, she says. “Fine tuning the small skills and having an expert set of eyes will enable you to get closer to riding like a pro, and the pros always look like they are having so much fun!”

Ladies Yoga and Biking Retreat (September 12-13, 2015)

This weekend for intermediate to advanced riders includes mountain biking, yoga, great food, good company and fantastic Rossland trails. “We will spend the weekend balancing between building your confidence and skills on the bike with the flow of your yoga practice,” says Natasha. From beginner to seasoned yogis, everyone will benefit from these sessions, she says.

More info: Kootenaymountainbiking.com.

Find more stories about Rossland, B.C., in the OTO archives.

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