By Matt Coté
Cover photo courtesy of Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism
British Columbia and Washington have long been intertwined. Be it by geography, a joint history of industrialism or the trains that once linked the two. From 1893 to 1989, the Queen City of the Kootenays shared an iron umbilical connection with Spokane, and the two developed in tandem.
Though the last train hauled its final load of lumber south from Nelson almost 30 years ago, an ephemeral bond remains. Today, it manifests in an ecosystem of common values and recreational fervor. But, with a population of just 12,000, the quieter and more genteel Nelson now serves as one of the most apt and easy escapes from the comparative bustle of Spokane, and the flow has reversed.
The adventure-minded travel north these days over 2.5 hours of easy-rolling highway to an idyllic and walkable Victorian burg surrounded by temperate rainforest, dotted with rainbow crosswalks, planted on the shoreside of one of B.C.’s longest lakes. Since the early aughts, Nelson has transformed into an ever more vibrant enclave for cultural rogues and devout outdoors people.
Miles of loamy singletrack, easy-access hiking, secret beaches, cosmopolitan dining, shopping and art are all just a short road trip away. What to pack in your personal caboose depends entirely on how you want to explore.
By Bike
Mountain bikes, whether powered by a battery or last night’s pasta dinner, are an easy accessory on any road trip. Riding your way through the evergreen hillsides from Nelson to Kaslo—an impossibly picturesque sister community just one hour north—is a problem of scale. There are over 417 trails in Nelson alone.
Infamous for its longstanding downhill scene, gnarly tracks like Powerslave and Space Junk have been core draws for over a quarter century. But Nelson and Kootenay Lake have also seen a boom in modern, intermediate riding in the last decade. Climb trails like Fairly High and Bottom’s Up have opened up blue flow on Morning Mountain and Giveout Creek to a whole new demographic.
Kaslo’s Mount Buchanan likewise offers a compellingly softer scene with its Friendly Giant climbing trail. It traces the side of the mountain over 18 miles to deliver ambitious pedallers 4,400 feet to the top of a newly developed network overlooking Kaslo Bay. Dive into classic gravity-focused descents like The Monster, dip into the gentler draw of High Commander, or flow right back down the way you came on the Friendly Giant.
By Water
Sometimes board shorts, a bikini, and an inflatable SUP are the best option for a simple and uncluttered drive, even if it is only a few hours away. The west arm of Kootenay Lake is a maritime spur that links into the 65-mile-long main body of the lake right around its midpoint. There is an embarrassment of sandy beach to sink into along its winding fetch, from Nelson’s Lakeside Park to the more removed Taghum Beach. Then, up in Kaslo, cosy pebble beaches extend along the wider, more yawning spread of the main lake. The crystal water is warm and swimmable from late May through late September, and just as inviting to sail or SUP through October. Kokanee Creek Provincial Park provides egress from the sand into the rainforest, with easy walking trails to escape the midday heat.
Take the world’s longest free scenic ferry from the lake’s midriff at Balfour, and Pilot Bay Provincial Park is almost guaranteed to deliver solitude. It’s a lesser-known hideout with storybook estuaries offering some of the most peaceful floats in the province.
By Foot
Often, the simplest outings are the best—those delivered by two feet and a heartbeat. There’s nothing more streamlined than a pair of sandals or good walking shoes. But if you go so far as to bring boots to the Kootenays, you can imbibe in loftier goals like hiking Pulpit Rock or the Lyon’s Bluff, mere minutes from downtown Nelson. Or you could convene with the god of mischief on Mount Loki.
But an urban hike can be just as captivating. Nelson is home to more than 350 heritage buildings and over 50 commissioned murals, all within walking distance of the compact but elegant downtown, with Italianate influences reminiscent of Portland’s cast-iron commercial district. There are more restaurants per capita than both Manhattan and San Francisco packed into Nelson’s center—a niche food scene that chefs from around the world come to tenure in.
It all revolves around historic Baker Street, dotted with artisan shops and breweries, not to mention galleries and venues, like the Oxygen Art Centre and Bloom Nightclub. From electronic all-nighters to fusion food, you can find it all on this quixotic little strip. So while, for 100 years, it was raw resources that drew people north, today it’s the eclectic pull of a wilderness outpost dedicated to living life outside, and living it loud.
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