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Greenwood is a place of carefully preserved heritage buildings, with easy access to such fascinating sites as smelter ruins and ghost towns, all set against a backdrop of mesmerizing natural scenery. Here is a town to enjoy, particularly if you are intrigued by history or enjoy walking and hiking and exploring in general. Be sure to visit the Greenwood Museum for its superb displays and exhibits of the town’s colourful –and at times dark– history.
Greenwood offers a spectacular natural backdrop to outdoor adventure. Walk, hike, mountain bike or horseback ride along trails that wind by flowing rivers and around sparkling lakes, leading to exquisite mountain vistas. These include the Trans Canada Trail/Spirit of 2010 Trail, which passes by abandoned mine sites, through rock tunnels and over abandoned trestles; as well as the Historic Dewdney Trail, originally built in the 1860s as a gold rush route to BC’s southern interior, and which now takes hikers past the ruins of old log cabins and other such remains of the gold rush heyday.
For those who prefer greens, there are two challenging, nine-hole courses and a renowned 18-hole championship course all within driving distance of the town.
Greenwood has an abundance of wonderfully preserved heritage buildings. Be sure to take the self-guided “Heritage Walk” tour through the town’s vibrant downtown district and past historic residences. Some of the more significant structures include the 1903 courthouse, the 1897 hotel block and the last remaining brick substation built by the West Kootenay Power & Light Company in 1906.
The Boundary region of the West Kootenay was once one of the world’s largest copper-producing areas, and Greenwood’s history as a boom-and-bust mining and smelting town from 1896–1919 (when copper prices plummeted at the end of WWI) reflects this past.
Greenwood was also the site of a Japanese-Canadian internment camp during WWII. This was a black mark in Canadian history, although it did lead to Greenwood’s revival. All this history is explored in detail at the Greenwood Museum. Visitors can also take a self-guided driving tour through the historic ghost town of Phoenix, once a vibrant copper mining town.
Many visitors are drawn to Greenwood for its early 1900s architecture, evident in the superbly preserved heritage buildings along the main street. Be sure to take the self-guided “Heritage Walk” tour through this vibrant downtown district and past historic residences.
Lotzkar Memorial Park encompasses the ruins of Greenwood’s industrial copper smelter. The massive ridge of slag, with its prominent 36-m (118-ft) high smokestacks, acts as a reminder of past prosperity. The park also houses the waste slag, which during the smelter’s heyday, glowed red in the night. Now a black moonscape, visitors can walk on this black glass and step inside what were nicknamed “hell’s bells.”
Greenwood is surrounded by towering mountains, sparkling lakes as well as pristine rivers, streams and creeks. Wildlife such as deer, bears and coyotes can be seen in many places near town. Perhaps the best-known of these areas is Boundary Falls, which played a key role in Greenwood’s mining history thanks to the discovery of placer gold in the creek below the falls. Today, this is a prime location to appreciate nature, particularly in spring when the waters are high and flowing and the wildflowers are in breathtaking bloom. Another crown jewel in Greenwood’s natural bounty is the aptly named Jewel Lake. Just a 9-km (6-mi) drive from Greenwood, the clear mountain lake is home to nature trails and stunning views of the area.
Thanks to its many lakes, rivers and streams, the Greenwood area is a fisher’s delight. As many of the wilderness lakes are stocked, fish are plentiful, especially rainbow and eastern brook trout. Fly fishers head to Jewel Lake in particular for rainbow trout. Boundary Creek is also a popular fishing destination.
Greenwood offers easy access to winter sports. Head to nearby Big White, Mt. Baldy and Phoenix for excellent downhill skiing and snowboarding. The area is also a cross-country skiing paradise, with the Trans Canada Trail/Spirit of 2010 Trail running the length of the Boundary region. Other winter recreational opportunities include snowmobiling.
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