Where Are We?

The Eastshore of Kootenay Lake lies in the Central Kootenay Region of British Columbia at 530 metres (1736') above sea level. The valley is formed by the Selkirk Mountain range to the west and the Purcell range to the east. By road, we're an 8 hour drive from Calgary, Alberta, 4 hours from Spokane, Washington, or 10 hours from Vancouver, B.C. The nearest towns are Nelson, 1 1/4 hr to the west, and Creston, 1 1/4 hour south of Kootenay Bay ferry landing.

The lake is about 144 km (90 miles) long, and up to 152 meters(500') deep, with an average width of 4 km (2.5 miles). The water is pure enough to drink and provides a home for kokanee salmon, sturgeon, and trout, including the world's largest species of rainbow. Approximately half of the lakeshore is accessible by road. Kootenay Lake is fed by numerous creeks and its rocky shores encompass hundreds of tiny bays and beaches, intriguing to explore by kayak or canoe.

Peaks ranging from 2100 - 2750 metres (7000'- 9000') dominate the terrain. Settlements are strung along a thin band where the roads follow the lakeshore. Wilderness is always close at hand and human residents share the landscape with large populations of deer, elk, moose, bear, mountain goat, cougar, and coyote. Kootenay Lake remains ice-free in winter. Wetlands at both ends of the lake and at Crawford Bay, including the 7000 hectare Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area, host 265 species of migrating and nesting birds - even wild swans and pelicans!

Kootenay Lake Ferries
Celebrated as the longest and most scenic free ferry crossing in the world, the 35-minute voyage from Balfour to Kootenay Bay is operated by the Ministry of Highways as a year-round service. Two ferries provide continuous service from 6 a.m. until midnight daily. The Osprey 2000 is our brand new 80-car ferry.

Historical Notes
The Ktunaxa people have hunted, fished and gathered in this valley for thousands of years. These resourceful people left few traces. Petroglyphs can be seen from the water in a few locations, and arrowheads and other artifacts indicate favourite camping grounds. The Ktunaxa still live in the Creston valley and elders occasionally teach at the Tipi Camp on Pilot Peninsula.

Explorer David Thompson first saw the valley in 1808 but it wasn't until the 1880's that the area began to be frequented by Europeans - prospectors and miners drawn by the lure of silver and gold. Enormously rich silver strikes brought waves of men seeking fortune, followed by the railways and paddle-wheel steamers. There are signs of this frontier history wherever you go in the Kootenays, from sunken paddle-wheelers to abandoned miner's shacks.