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In the heart of Elk Valley, amid some of the most rugged terrain of the Kootenay Rockies, is Sparwood.
In the late 1800s the discovery of coal led to the creation of Michel and Natal, two communities built to support the coal mining operations of the early 1900s. The original mining towns were later relocated in the 1960s. These residents made up the new community of Sparwood.
Sparwood is prized for its alpine setting, heritage displays, mining history, and recreational opportunities from hiking and fishing to skiing and cycling.
The Sparwood Heritage Murals depict local legends and historic events on prominent buildings in the downtown core. You’ll also see mining artifacts as well as the Terex Titan, the world's largest tandem-axle dump truck, a legacy of the town’s coal-mining roots.
You can also tour nearby Elkview Mine to experience a working open pit coal mine.
Sparwood hiking trails wind around green space or meander high in the mountains. Try the Mountain Shadows Loop which follows the Sparwood Golf Club, or the tree lined Lions Park trail.
Several trails can be explored at Sparwood Ski Hill, and the Matevicks Draw hike leads to the mountain ridge above Sparwood Heights.
North of Sparwood, cyclists can make tracks along Cummings Creek Road. The Coal Mountain Discovery Trail, which runs approximately 30 km (18.5 mi) each way, links Sparwood with one of Canada’s premier mountain biking destinations: Fernie.
Nearby Fernie is a mountain biker’s paradise, with challenging backcountry trails and easy countryside pedals. The Coal Creek Heritage Trail is an intermediate cycle through the old Coal Creek townsite. Or go vertical and take the chairlift at Fernie Alpine Resort.
Quiet campsites can be found on Grave Lake north of Sparwood. Mount Fernie Provincial Park and Fernie Alpine Resort also offer nice spots to set up camp.
For an invigorating nine-holes of golf check out the Sparwood Golf Club.
Share Sparwood’s historic pride on the self-guided Heritage Mural Walk. You’ll see depictions of historic events and every day legends painted on prominent buildings in the downtown core. The walk also takes you past several mining artifacts on display around the town centre.
Visit the Mini Museum for a closer look at Sparwood’s mining history and the influence of early coal mining communities Michel and Natal, which were located east of Sparwood in the early 1900s.
The Terex Titan is the world’s largest tandem-axle dump truck, a legacy of Sparwood’s mining heritage. It was brought to the town in 1978 to work the mines, arriving by train on eight rail flat cars.
It was retired in 1990 because it was no longer cost efficient, but you can still marvel at this massive truck near the Sparwood Visitor Info Centre. The Titan can carry two buses plus two pick-up trucks in its box and each tire is 3.3 m (11 ft) in diameter. The truck carries a maximum load of 317 metric tons (350 tons) and is 20 m (66 ft) long, 7.8m (25.7ft) wide and 6.9 m (22.7ft) to the top of the canopy.
Just east of Sparwood visit the Elkview mine to view the operations behind a working open pit coal mine. Learn about period coal mining in the area as well as modern-day coal mining processes.
Coal mine tours also available in the community of Elkford through the Elkford Chamber of Commerce and Elk Valley Coal.
Stop off at scenic Elk Valley Provincial Park southwest of Sparwood, or enjoy the scenic day-use area of Crowsnest Provincial Park.
For more amenities, Mount Fernie Provincial Park in Fernie offers campsites, a day use/picnic area and some hiking trails.
Drive along the Lower Elk Valley Road to catch a glimpse of spectacular wildlife including Elk and deer. Continue on to Big Ranch at the end of that road to catch sight of Black and Grizzly Bear in this preservation area. You may also see eagles and Osprey.
Flowing alongside Sparwood, the Elk River is a world-class fishing destination where you’ll find Cutthroat Trout, Bull Trout and whitefish. Cast out on shore or in a boat to test your skills. Grave Lake, north of Sparwood, also offers great fishing for Kokanee and Rainbow Trout.
The Elk River is a great spot for paddlers. Enjoy a gentle canoe or kayak trip amid Class I-II rapids or, for the more adventurous, take on the Class III sections of the river. Grave Lake is also a popular spot for paddling.
From Fernie you can book a tame or thrilling river rafting trip on the Elk River or Bull River through local tour operators. Full or half-day trips offer easy floats to challenging Class IV whitewater rides.
Combine your love for snow, skiing and spectacular mountain terrain at Fernie Alpine Resort just south of Sparwood, offering 109 defined trails serviced by 10 lifts.
The Good Skiing and Snowboarding Guide 2004 voted Fernie Alpine Resort the “North American Resort of the Year.” Experience five alpine bowls nestled in the majestic limestone cliffs of the Lizard Range in the Kootenay Rockies. This powder paradise offers more than 9 m (29 ft) of snow across 1,013 hectares (2,504 acres) of skiable area.
Sparwood’s idyllic mountain landscape is perfect for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Sunset Ridge Ski Hill offers groomed, marked trails for cross-country skiers. Popular spots for snowmobilers include the Corbin area to the southeast, and north of Sparwood in the Grave Prairie area.
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