Discover the extraordinary and intricate relationship between science and nature in diverse environment of the Kootenay Rockies region. Visit the Revelstoke Dam , one of North America's largest and most technologically advanced hydroelectric developments, built to harness the mighty power of Columbia River. Observe as science nurtures nature at the Kootenay Trout Hatchery , which produces 2.5 million trout fingerlings each year, or at the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area. Kootenay Rockies' national parks - Glacier, Kootenay, and Mount Revelstoke - abound with lush wilderness and magnificent wildlife. Yoho National Park houses the Burgess Shale fossil site, one of the largest Cambrian-aged, soft-bodied marine fossil deposits in the world.
The Kootenay Rockies region is also renowned for its many natural mineral hot springs.
Learn More About Science & Nature in the Kootenay Rockies
Revelstoke Dam
Kootenay Trout Hatchery
Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area
National Parks
Burgess Shale Fossils
Hot Springs
Revelstoke Dam is one of North America's largest hydroelectric developments, designed and built to harness the power of the Columbia River. The reservoir stretches 135km/84mi and is approximately 2,000m/6,562ft wide, and is 1 of 4 BC dams that regulate the flow of the Columbia River. Visitors can get an inside look at the dam's operation from the Visitor Centre atop the powerhouse, accessible by elevator. The main powerhouse gallery, circuit breaker gallery, tailrace area, and control room are all visible. The large exhibition area features information and video presentations on the design and building of the Revelstoke Dam. Tours are free and self-guided.
> Revelstoke Dam website
Stocking up to 150 lakes in the east and west Kootenay Rockies regions, this large hatchery produces 2.5 million trout fingerlings each year. Species raised here include Rainbow and Cutthroat Trout, Brook Char, and the endangered Kootenay River White Sturgeon, BC's largest freshwater fish.
Walk through an extensive interpretative area featuring aquariums, educational models, and displays, or around the the outdoor turtle pond and beautifully groomed hatchery grounds. Visitors can view (and possibly feed) some trophy-sized trout in the moat outside. The Kootenay Trout Hatchery is located 25 minutes southeast of Cranbrook . > Kootenay Trout Hatchery website
The Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area is a lush wetland habitat that stretches 7,000ha/17,000ac from the southeast tip of Kootenay Lake to the US border. With an estimated 286 species of birds living in this area, the wetlands offer amazing birdwatching, as well as wildlife viewing and fishing. The area features an interpretive centre with informational displays and videos. Tours are primarily self-guided. However, guided canoe tours are available. The Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area is located 1.2km/0.7mi west of Creston. 
A spectacle wilderness and wildlife winds along the Trans Canada Highway in the 4 distinct national parks - Glacier, Kootenay, Mount Revelstoke, and Yoho - of the Kootenay Rockies region. Glacier National Park
More than 400 glaciers are sculpted from Glacier National Park's rugged peaks and sheer cliffs. The park's steep slopes and high annual snowfall make it one of the world's most active avalanche zones. The rugged beauty and challenge of this 135,000ha/333,590ac park attracts backcountry skiers, backpackers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. Within the park, Rogers Pass is the site of the largest controlled avalanche area in North America. Glacier National Park is located on the Trans Canada Highway in the Kootenay Rockies.
Kootenay National Park 
Kootenay National Park is a vast, 140,600ha/347,428ac land area of startling contrasts. Towering summits and hanging glaciers meet narrow chasms, and forested valleys border rich mineral pools. Alpine tundra is found in the upper reaches of the park, while stands of Douglas-fir and prickly pear cactus occupy lower southern altitudes. Wildlife includes bighorn sheep, mountain goats, elk, mule, and white-tailed deer. More than 200km/124mi of hiking trails originate from the parkway, and self-guided nature trail leads across the Vermilion River to the cold mineral springs known as Paint Pots (after the vivid orange colour of the region's clay). Kootenay National Park is located near Golden .
Mount Revelstoke National Park 
Mount Revelstoke National Park is known for its amazing wildflower meadows and rugged peaks. The 26,000ha/64,247ac park offers magnificent vistas; In summer, the drive along the 26km/16mi Meadows-In-The-Sky Parkway to Mount Revelstoke weaves through a dense rainforest of cedar and pine, sub-alpine forest, and meadows. Both the ice-topped Monashee Range and Selkirk Mountains are visible. Most summer visitors drive the parkway to Balsam Lake, where the mountain can then be explored by a number of hiking trails. Backpacking, ski touring, and snowshoeing are popular in the winter months. Mount Revelstoke National Park is located on the Trans Canada Highway, just outside of Revelstoke .
Yoho National Park
Yoho National Park is a stunning 131,300ha/324,448ac park comprised of 28 mountain peaks more than 3,000m/9,843ft high. The park offers hiking, camping, and remarkable wildlife viewing amidst a glorious natural setting of rockfalls and waterfalls. Yoho is also the entrance way to the Burgess Shale, one of the world's most important fossil finds. Yoho National Park is located on the Trans Canada Highway, a 40min drive east of Golden .
Burgess Shale offers a glimpse of life on Earth 505-million years ago. Discovered in 1909 by Charles D. Walcott, the site is widely believed to contain the world's largest deposit of Cambrian-aged fossils. Burgess Shale, designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Burgess Shale represents a complete ecosystem of diverse and sometimes bizarre animals, such as the five-eyed Opabinia, which wielded a fierce claw on the end of an elephant-like trunk. The ecosystem existed for only a very short time after the first emergence of multi-cellular life on earth. Burgess Shale is located in Yoho National Park on the Trans Canada Highway, a 40 minute drive east from Golden.
Visiting Burgess Shale - Visitors can only view fossils with a guide.
- Admission fee is in effect.
- Guided tours leave once a day.
- The hike to the Mount Stephen Fossil Beds is a short but steep 6km/3.6 mi, 6-hour return trip.
- The hike to Walcott's Quarry is a moderately challenging 20km/12.4mi, 10-hour return trip with an elevation gain of 760m/2,888 ft.
The Kootenay Rockies region features spectacular, both developed and undeveloped, natural mineral hot springs. At Ainsworth Hot Springs, an ordourless shower of naturally mineralized water falls from the walls of a horseshoe-shaped cave into a waist-deep pool below. At Lussier Hot Springs, visitors enjoy an undeveloped, yet easily accessible hot springs, located in Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park. Other Kootenay Rockies hot springs include Canyon Hot Springs, Fairmont Hot Springs, Halcyon Hot Springs, and Radium Hot Springs.