Golden Ultra Fun Weekend
The Golden Ultra running race promises to be an exciting weekend, but if you are a family or supporter of an athlete, or just participating in one of the stage races, there are lots of other adventures and activities for you to discover in Golden BC over the weekend.
Make the most of your visit to Golden by planning ahead and using our suggested itinerary or our handy trip planning tool to create your Ultra weekend itinerary. Print or download a copy of this suggested itinerary.
Friday
Noon – 8pm: Pick up athlete's race packages at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
Visit Boo at the Grizzly Bear Refuge at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. This is the largest enclosed and protected grizzly bear habitat in the world. The 20-acre area is the home of our resident grizzly bear, Boo. Within this natural mountainside habitat, Boo hunts, plays, forages, and explores just like his wild cousins. Tours start on the hour from 10am (no 1pm tour).
4pm: Cheer athletes at the start of ‘The Blood’ in the Plaza at Kicking Horse, and then ride the gondola to the top of the mountain. At the top, you can take in the 360 views as you do an easy ridge hike, or just take a beverage on the patio at the Eagles Eye restaurant, Canada’s elevated dining experience, as you watch the race finish.
Enjoy dining at one of the on-mountain restaurants, or downtown on a patio with a view.
Saturday
7.30am: Be there at the race start line in Spirit Square in downtown Golden at 7.30am to cheer the athletes off for the ‘The Sweat’ then head to one of our many cafes and restaurants offering delicious breakfast and great coffee.
After breakfast, get a unique view of the famous Wapta Falls in Yoho National Park by taking a guided SUP tour on the Kicking Horse River. Or if nature is your interest, then take a guided tour of the Columbia Wetlands, home to over 300 species of birds, fish and mammals and where you can also see the World’s Largest Paddle.
Alternatively rent a bike, pack a picnic and cycle up to Cedar Lake to enjoy a day on the lake.
As you return to downtown Golden to watch the race finish, don’t forget to check out the Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge, the longest free-standing timber frame bridge in Canada, and visit our local galleries and stores for gifts and souvenirs hand-crafted by local artisans.
Sunday
9am: Following the race start for ‘The Tears’ in Spirit Square, followed by another scrumptious breakfast, and check in on your favourite chainsaw artist, why not take a bike ride or stroll along the Rotary Trail system, a 7km journey around the town and alongside the Kicking Horse and Columbia Rivers. Start and finish from the Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge and be back in time to see the race finish.
1pm: Race awards
In the afternoon head out to see the wolves at the Northern Lights Wolf Wildlife Centre and learn about these valuable and misunderstood animals.