SideHillSoup wrote:
Think about this round trip:
Following Hwy 3 west:
Take Hwy 3 west out of Alberta and stop and see Frank Slide continue on Sparwood see the largest truck in the world, Pass through Fernie towards Cranbrook.
Following Hwy 3 towards Cranbrook and about 60 kms west of Fernie as you come down a long hill towards a bridge that crosses the Kootenay River, there is a turn lane on your right and a road called Wardner / Fort Steele Road, if you want to see Fort Steele.
Follow this good paved road approximately 25 kms, where you will pop out onto Hwy 93/95
About 6 or 7 kms once on this road and on the left a sort distance down another rd, there is a Kootenay Fish Hatchery where you can feed the see fish.
Located at the Jct of Hwy 93/95 there is a ESSO gas station and a Campground on the right just as you get to Hwy Jct.
The ESSO has a nice big parking lot where the gas pumps are. I loved their big parking area around the pumps when I pulled my 35 ft 5th wheel.
The Fort Steele Historical Site entrance is about 300 meters to the left ( south) of the Esso down Hwy 93/95.
After Fort Steele follow Hwy 93/95 south towards Cranbrook where you will again join up with Hwy 3 west.
If you choose to, you can drive the short distance to Kimberly and take the kids on the Under Ground Mining Railway.
After Cranbrook follow Hwy 3 west to Creston. Depending when your in Creston the Hwy side fruit stands will be full of fresh fruit and some veggies. Most fruit stands are on the east side of Creston as you enter town.
Once at Creston take Hwy 3-A north west following Kootenay Lake to the Ferry Landing at Kootenay Bay. Here you will board the Kootenay Lake Ferry to cross Kootenay Lake to Balfour.
The Kootenay Lake ferry is the longest free ferry ride in the world, and the views from the ferry are spectacular.
After getting off the Ferry and at the top of the little hill as you leave the ferry take a right hand turn and follow Hwy 31 west still following the edge of Kootenay Lake towards Kaslo. ( the top of that little Hill is actually Hwy Jct 3-A and Hwy 31)
Along the way you will pass Ainsworth Hot Springs, they do have a large parking lot, however I have never pulled a trailer into that parking lot and it can get crowded durning cool or rainy days.
In Kaslo you can tour the dry docked Paddle Wheeler SS Moyie built in 1898. Kaslo has a community campground on the lake shore.
After Kaslo you will take Hwy 31 -A over the hump to New Denver. About 3/5 of the way over and as you start heading down hill there is a well marked gravel road on your left with signage pointing you to the Mining ghost town of Sandon. There is plenty of large areas to park rig.
Once you head down into New Denver you will be on shores Slocan Lake they have a small community campground on the lake shore.
After leaving New Denver take Hwy 6 north towards Nakusp. There are two campgrounds about 15 minutes from New Denver on the shores of Summit Lake. One campground is Summit Lake Provincial Park campground. The second is A small family owned campground called Three Islands Resort.
Once in Nakusp which is located on the shores of The Upper Arrow Lakes ( Columbia River) there is a small community campground how ever it is not on the lake.
There is also a great sandy beach in town as well as beautiful paved walking path following the lake shore.
Nakusp also has the Nakusp Hot Spring which has a campground right at the Hot Springs which as about a 15 minute drive on a paved access road leading to the Hot Springs. This road is located just past the Esso station by 500 meters to the right indicated with Signage.
After Nakusp follow Hwy 23, 45 minutes north to the Galena Bay / Shelter Bay ferry which again is free. This ferry is crossing the Upper Arrow Lakes and once off the ferry you are only 45 minutes from Revelstoke.
After you visit to Revelstoke you can follow Hwy 1 to Golden to visit your friends and then into Calgary and home.
Having driven the route from Revelstoke to Calgary many many times. My wife and I both like the views heading east more than heading west through Rogers Pass and Kicking Horse Pass, just our Opinion.
There are tons of campgrounds private and BC Provincial campgrounds all along this route, you just have to decide where you want to stay, I only named a couple.
Also there are hiking trails and mountain bikes trails all over the mountains around here. Also a great hike is up Idaho Peak, there is a shuttle service out of New Denver for a fee so you donโt have to drive your own vehicular up the mountain road to the parking lot ( YouTube Idaho Peak BC)
What ever you decide to do have fun.
Soup.
SS Moyie
Summit Lake BC ( West Kootenays)
Summit lake, fishing looking at Three Islands Resort.
Slocan Lake
Hey Soup, you working part time at the Visitors/Welcome Centre on the Crowsnest at the BC/AB border? If not, they should hire you.
That's a pretty comprehensive list of stuff to do out there.:B
Great pics, too.
Think about this round trip:
Following Hwy 3 west:
Take Hwy 3 west out of Alberta and stop and see Frank Slide continue on Sparwood see the largest truck in the world, Pass through Fernie towards Cranbrook.
Following Hwy 3 towards Cranbrook and about 60 kms west of Fernie as you come down a long hill towards a bridge that crosses the Kootenay River, there is a turn lane on your right and a road called Wardner / Fort Steele Road, if you want to see Fort Steele.
Follow this good paved road approximately 25 kms, where you will pop out onto Hwy 93/95
About 6 or 7 kms once on this road and on the left a sort distance down another rd, there is a Kootenay Fish Hatchery where you can feed the see fish.
Located at the Jct of Hwy 93/95 there is a ESSO gas station and a Campground on the right just as you get to Hwy Jct.
The ESSO has a nice big parking lot where the gas pumps are. I loved their big parking area around the pumps when I pulled my 35 ft 5th wheel.
The Fort Steele Historical Site entrance is about 300 meters to the left ( south) of the Esso down Hwy 93/95.
After Fort Steele follow Hwy 93/95 south towards Cranbrook where you will again join up with Hwy 3 west.
If you choose to, you can drive the short distance to Kimberly and take the kids on the Under Ground Mining Railway.
After Cranbrook follow Hwy 3 west to Creston. Depending when your in Creston the Hwy side fruit stands will be full of fresh fruit and some veggies. Most fruit stands are on the east side of Creston as you enter town.
Once at Creston take Hwy 3-A north west following Kootenay Lake to the Ferry Landing at Kootenay Bay. Here you will board the Kootenay Lake Ferry to cross Kootenay Lake to Balfour.
The Kootenay Lake ferry is the longest free ferry ride in the world, and the views from the ferry are spectacular.
After getting off the Ferry and at the top of the little hill as you leave the ferry take a right hand turn and follow Hwy 31 west still following the edge of Kootenay Lake towards Kaslo. ( the top of that little Hill is actually Hwy Jct 3-A and Hwy 31)
Along the way you will pass Ainsworth Hot Springs, they do have a large parking lot, however I have never pulled a trailer into that parking lot and it can get crowded durning cool or rainy days.
In Kaslo you can tour the dry docked Paddle Wheeler SS Moyie built in 1898. Kaslo has a community campground on the lake shore.
After Kaslo you will take Hwy 31 -A over the hump to New Denver. About 3/5 of the way over and as you start heading down hill there is a well marked gravel road on your left with signage pointing you to the Mining ghost town of Sandon. There is plenty of large areas to park rig.
Once you head down into New Denver you will be on shores Slocan Lake they have a small community campground on the lake shore.
After leaving New Denver take Hwy 6 north towards Nakusp. There are two campgrounds about 15 minutes from New Denver on the shores of Summit Lake. One campground is Summit Lake Provincial Park campground. The second is A small family owned campground called Three Islands Resort.
Once in Nakusp which is located on the shores of The Upper Arrow Lakes ( Columbia River) there is a small community campground how ever it is not on the lake.
There is also a great sandy beach in town as well as beautiful paved walking path following the lake shore.
Nakusp also has the Nakusp Hot Spring which has a campground right at the Hot Springs which as about a 15 minute drive on a paved access road leading to the Hot Springs. This road is located just past the Esso station by 500 meters to the right indicated with Signage.
After Nakusp follow Hwy 23, 45 minutes north to the Galena Bay / Shelter Bay ferry which again is free. This ferry is crossing the Upper Arrow Lakes and once off the ferry you are only 45 minutes from Revelstoke.
After you visit to Revelstoke you can follow Hwy 1 to Golden to visit your friends and then into Calgary and home.
Having driven the route from Revelstoke to Calgary many many times. My wife and I both like the views heading east more than heading west through Rogers Pass and Kicking Horse Pass, just our Opinion.
There are tons of campgrounds private and BC Provincial campgrounds all along this route, you just have to decide where you want to stay, I only named a couple.
Also there are hiking trails and mountain bikes trails all over the mountains around here. Also a great hike is up Idaho Peak, there is a shuttle service out of New Denver for a fee so you donโt have to drive your own vehicular up the mountain road to the parking lot ( YouTube Idaho Peak BC)
What ever you decide to do have fun.
Soup.
SS Moyie
Summit Lake BC ( West Kootenays)
Summit lake, fishing looking at Three Islands Resort.
Slocan Lake
Following Hwy 3 west:
Take Hwy 3 west out of Alberta and stop and see Frank Slide continue on Sparwood see the largest truck in the world, Pass through Fernie towards Cranbrook.
Following Hwy 3 towards Cranbrook and about 60 kms west of Fernie as you come down a long hill towards a bridge that crosses the Kootenay River, there is a turn lane on your right and a road called Wardner / Fort Steele Road, if you want to see Fort Steele.
Follow this good paved road approximately 25 kms, where you will pop out onto Hwy 93/95
About 6 or 7 kms once on this road and on the left a sort distance down another rd, there is a Kootenay Fish Hatchery where you can feed the see fish.
Located at the Jct of Hwy 93/95 there is a ESSO gas station and a Campground on the right just as you get to Hwy Jct.
The ESSO has a nice big parking lot where the gas pumps are. I loved their big parking area around the pumps when I pulled my 35 ft 5th wheel.
The Fort Steele Historical Site entrance is about 300 meters to the left ( south) of the Esso down Hwy 93/95.
After Fort Steele follow Hwy 93/95 south towards Cranbrook where you will again join up with Hwy 3 west.
If you choose to, you can drive the short distance to Kimberly and take the kids on the Under Ground Mining Railway.
After Cranbrook follow Hwy 3 west to Creston. Depending when your in Creston the Hwy side fruit stands will be full of fresh fruit and some veggies. Most fruit stands are on the east side of Creston as you enter town.
Once at Creston take Hwy 3-A north west following Kootenay Lake to the Ferry Landing at Kootenay Bay. Here you will board the Kootenay Lake Ferry to cross Kootenay Lake to Balfour.
The Kootenay Lake ferry is the longest free ferry ride in the world, and the views from the ferry are spectacular.
After getting off the Ferry and at the top of the little hill as you leave the ferry take a right hand turn and follow Hwy 31 west still following the edge of Kootenay Lake towards Kaslo. ( the top of that little Hill is actually Hwy Jct 3-A and Hwy 31)
Along the way you will pass Ainsworth Hot Springs, they do have a large parking lot, however I have never pulled a trailer into that parking lot and it can get crowded durning cool or rainy days.
In Kaslo you can tour the dry docked Paddle Wheeler SS Moyie built in 1898. Kaslo has a community campground on the lake shore.
After Kaslo you will take Hwy 31 -A over the hump to New Denver. About 3/5 of the way over and as you start heading down hill there is a well marked gravel road on your left with signage pointing you to the Mining ghost town of Sandon. There is plenty of large areas to park rig.
Once you head down into New Denver you will be on shores Slocan Lake they have a small community campground on the lake shore.
After leaving New Denver take Hwy 6 north towards Nakusp. There are two campgrounds about 15 minutes from New Denver on the shores of Summit Lake. One campground is Summit Lake Provincial Park campground. The second is A small family owned campground called Three Islands Resort.
Once in Nakusp which is located on the shores of The Upper Arrow Lakes ( Columbia River) there is a small community campground how ever it is not on the lake.
There is also a great sandy beach in town as well as beautiful paved walking path following the lake shore.
Nakusp also has the Nakusp Hot Spring which has a campground right at the Hot Springs which as about a 15 minute drive on a paved access road leading to the Hot Springs. This road is located just past the Esso station by 500 meters to the right indicated with Signage.
After Nakusp follow Hwy 23, 45 minutes north to the Galena Bay / Shelter Bay ferry which again is free. This ferry is crossing the Upper Arrow Lakes and once off the ferry you are only 45 minutes from Revelstoke.
After you visit to Revelstoke you can follow Hwy 1 to Golden to visit your friends and then into Calgary and home.
Having driven the route from Revelstoke to Calgary many many times. My wife and I both like the views heading east more than heading west through Rogers Pass and Kicking Horse Pass, just our Opinion.
There are tons of campgrounds private and BC Provincial campgrounds all along this route, you just have to decide where you want to stay, I only named a couple.
Also there are hiking trails and mountain bikes trails all over the mountains around here. Also a great hike is up Idaho Peak, there is a shuttle service out of New Denver for a fee so you donโt have to drive your own vehicular up the mountain road to the parking lot ( YouTube Idaho Peak BC)
What ever you decide to do have fun.
Soup.
SS Moyie
Summit Lake BC ( West Kootenays)
Summit lake, fishing looking at Three Islands Resort.
Slocan Lake
Kevinwa wrote:BobsYourUncle wrote:
Lamplighter! ......snip
I was actually thinking of your adventure when I was looking through revy campgrounds. I remember reading it as it happened. As a power engineer who works in a steam plant for a living the Dam fascinates me. I would love to take a tour!
Yes, my adventure! But rather than focus on the 10 thousand dollar hit to my wallet, and the cancellation of a wonderful planned holiday, We learned something.
Revelstoke used to be a place you pass through on your way to some place nice. Maybe stop for gas and a coffee. That was it.
My eyes were opened and we made a great holiday of it there. If you travel right through the town and keep going, there is a wonderful drive way out along the lake. It goes for many miles before it dead ends. I didn't know it existed. There are several areas of fancy new homes there that we drove through and looked at. Again, never knew it existed. There is a small airport out there too.
Would I go back? Yes, absolutely. We even discussed moving there in our retirement. The locals are very nice, friendly people. Everywhere we went, every store and even the place I had the truck towed to for repair evaluation greeted us with a warm cheerful smile and super friendly attitude.
A couple pics of our stay there in our Tango!
