RegionUsable guide

West Kootenays

Kootenays, Canada

Photo: Shaundd, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

The West Kootenays is south-eastern British Columbia, Canada. The area is approximately defined as being the area south of Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) from Revelstoke and including the valleys of Slocan Lake and Kootenay Lake and at least part of the Arrow Lake valley (Columbia River), as far south as the USA border.

Getting there and around

Getting there

By plane
Airports within this region with scheduled commercial flights:
By bus

Read in the guide

Getting around

By public transit
BC Transit operates the following bus transit systems in the region:
By boat

Read in the guide

Airports and nearby hotels

Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.

Castlegar/West Kootenay Regional Airport

Castlegar · Regional · YCG

Search stays near YCG

Search flights

Cities

Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park

lies in an area roughly bounded by the highways connecting Kaslo, New Denver and Nelson. The only official campground near the most-visited part of the park is at Kaslo Lake. The Kokanee Cabin can be found a few hours hike from the Gibson Lake trailhead. Access in summer is a hiking trail and in winter by helicopter as it is also a popular backcountry skiing destination.

Read before you go to West Kootenays

Articles and travel topics about West Kootenays and Canada.

Travel tips

How to Use AI to Find Cheap Flights: Tools & Prompts (2026)

Discover how to use AI to find cheap flights. Learn prompt strategies, smart fare engines, open-jaw routings, and error-fare booking techniques.

Oct 17, 20266 min read

Nature & adventure

Canadian national parks

The National Parks of Canada, and some of the National Historic Sites of Canada, are managed by Parks Canada, an agency of the Government of Canada.

Wikivoyage

Travel tips

Rail travel in Canada

Although trains are not nearly as ubiquitous and convenient a mode of travel in Canada as in Europe or East Asia, they remain popular with some travelers because of the spacious design of the cars, the scenic routes,…

Wikivoyage

Nature & adventure

Hiking in the Canadian Rockies

Many books have been written about hiking in the Canadian Rockies, particularly in Alberta and eastern British Columbia (the "Rocky Mountains" don't actually extend that far).

Wikivoyage

Full travel guide

Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.

Cities, towns and villages

UnderstandIn general, the West Kootenays is a little more remote and a little more difficult to get into and travel around than some of the more populated parts of the province.

Talk

Get inBy heading south from Revelstoke towards Nakusp or from Hwy 3 through Creston or Trail.

Get aroundThe easiest way to see the Kootenays is by private vehicle. There is very limited public transit in this region.

SeeThe area generally has quite stunning scenery. Details are contained in the listings for many of the towns in the region.

DoThere are many reasons to visit the West Kootenays. The longer one stays, the more opportunities appear.

EatIf all you want is the usual fast food, the West Kootenays has the usual complement of fast food outlets, but it is possible to do better than that.

DrinkMany towns in the West Kootenays have at least one brewery, such as Castlegar, Kaslo, Rossland, Salmo, and Trail. Some towns have multiple breweries, such as Creston and Nelson.

Stay safeThere are few things (in the normal sense) to worry about when traveling in the West Kootenays. Crime is infrequent and the people are friendly and helpful.

Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "West Kootenays" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Shaundd, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Improve this guide on Wikivoyage