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History and natural beauty unfold before you in the New Denver area.
See the sub-alpine lakes, dense forest, and flowing rivers of Valhalla Provincial Park. Or hike the rugged terrain of Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park. Wind your way through the old-growth forest of Goat Range Provincial Park or stop for a swim at Summit Lake Provincial Park.
You can walk or cycle some 100 km (62 mi) of abandoned rail beds. Lakeside and forested campsites are also within easy reach. Three natural hot springs provide rejuvenation just a short distance from New Denver.
Visit the area’s ghost towns, including Sandon, a town that once thrived as the centre of the world's largest silver-mining boom.
The Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre is the only centre in of its kind in Canada, honouring the memories of the over 20,000 Japanese Canadians who were forcibly relocated to internment camps in BC’s interior during World War II.
Attend the annual Kaslo Jazz Festival or New Denver’s aromatic Hills Garlic Festival.
Fishing, swimming and paddling are all popular activities in the area. Winter activities include alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing.
Walk or cycle some 100 km (62 mi) of abandoned rail beds as well as challenging mountain trails in the New Denver area.
The new Slocan Valley Heritage Trail is a 50 km (31 mi) stretch of level railbed following the Slocan River. Take the scenic walking trail along the shores of Slocan Lake. Easy to moderate hiking trails wind through Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park. For a rugged trek, try the Wee Sandy Creek Trail in Valhalla Provincial Park.
North of New Denver cyclists can set off on the 13-km (8-mi) Galena Trail, a route that follows railbeds past abandoned mines, over bridges and boardwalks, then to a creek crossing by cable car.
Outdoor enthusiasts will find many vehicle-accessible campgrounds near New Denver. Rosebery Provincial Park’s forested campsites are tucked along the banks of Wilson Creek. Summit Lake Provincial Park has lakeside and forested sites. Backcountry campers can set up at Valhalla, Goat Range and Kokanee Glacier Provincial Parks. Valhalla Provincial Park has nine camping areas, accessible by water taxi.
The magnificent peaks of Valhalla Provincial Park are popular for mountain climbers. For beautiful views of the Selkirk Mountains, play a round at the nine-hole Slocan Lake Golf Club.
Return to the time of pioneers and prospectors by touring New Denver’s heritage buildings. Take the self-guided Historical Walking Tour past buildings that date back as far as the 1890s. See the two-storey Bank of Montreal building, built in 1897, which now houses the Silvery Slocan Museum. View St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, built around the turn of the century and still serving the local Catholic community. You’ll also see a host of other heritage buildings, which were originally built as residences, hotels and shops.
Visit Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre which honours the memories and experiences of the over 20,000 Japanese Canadians who were forcibly relocated to internment camps in BC’s interior during World War II. The Kohan Reflection Garden was also built in remembrance of the Japanese-Canadian internees.
New Denver’s Silvery Slocan Museum recalls the town’s mining, transportation, logging, and pioneer life.
Head south of New Denver to visit the Silverton Gallery and Silverton Outdoor Mining Museum.
Two ghost towns recall the area’s silver-mining boom. East of New Denver, visit the Sandon Museum located in the historic Slocan Mercantile General Store. Also see the abandoned buildings of the former mining and sawmill townsite of Retallack.
You’ll find First Nations pictographs near the edge of Slocan Lake.
Stop in at the Hidden Garden Gallery for art exhibits, musical performances and readings by local writers.
Step aboard the S.S. Moyie in Kaslo, where the last operating passenger sternwheeler in Canada is dry-docked.
The annual Hills Garlic Festival in September features organic garlic and garlic-flavoured foods as well as local arts and crafts, produce, and live entertainment.
Live music, dance and theatre events are held throughout the year in New Denver. Nearby Kaslo is home to the annual Kaslo Jazz Festival in August.
Explore sub-alpine lakes, mountain peaks, waterfalls, rivers and isolated beaches of Valhalla Provincial Park. The park is popular for camping, hiking, rock climbing, paddling, fishing and wildlife viewing.
Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park attracts experienced hikers, mountaineers and backcountry campers to its rugged wilderness. Several lakes offer good trout fishing. You may spot Golden Eagles, Mule Deer, Black and Grizzly Bears.
Old-growth forest, alpine lakes and meadows make up Goat Range Provincial Park, popular for backcountry camping, hiking and fishing and home to Grizzly Bears, Mountain Goats and Caribou.
Summit Lake Provincial Park offers vehicle-accessible camping, as well as fishing, swimming and paddling. You may spot Mountain Goats, eagles, hawks and kingfishers.
Idaho Peak is one of the area’s famous viewpoints, accessible by following a steep, unpaved road some 12 km (7.5 mi) out of Sandon. A short walk through alpine meadows leads to the Idaho Peak forestry lookout.
New Denver is located near three natural hot springs.
Nakusp Hot Springs sits in a narrow canyon of the Kootenay Rockies, offering two natural outdoor pools.
Halcyon Hot Springs overlooks Upper Arrow Lake and has four pools of varying temperatures.
Ainsworth Hot Springs on the west shore of Kootenay Lake is a unique horseshoe-shaped cave where hot, odourless mineral showers fall from the cave's roof into a waist-deep pool.
In summer the shallower bays of Slocan Lake warm up, providing good swimming. The lake’s west side sandy beaches can be reached by water taxi. Bannock Point, just south of Silverton, has a small, sandy beach. Summit Lake’s pebble beach is popular for swimming.
Anglers at Slocan Lake come for Rainbow and Bull Trout, Kokanee and whitefish. Fish for Rainbow and Cutthroat Trout at Summit Lake. Upper Arrow Lake is populated with Rainbow and Bull Trout, whitefish, Burbot, and Kokanee as well as the great Gerrard Rainbow Trout. Valhalla Provincial Park also offers good lake fishing.
Paddle amid the spectacular scenery of Slocan Lake or kayak the Class I to Class III rapids of the Slocan River, negotiating shifting log jams.
Snow brings skiing and other outdoor pleasures to the New Denver area.
Check out Summit Lake Ski Hill where a t-bar lift services 152 vertical m (500 vertical ft).
The area’s abandoned rail beds make for great cross-country skiing, or try snowshoeing in the local mountains.
For steep slopes and tree skiing, check out the cat-skiing operator based in nearby Retallack.
Ski touring is available in the Valhalla Range for alpine skiers, telemarkers and snowboarders.
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