From our humble beginnings as a small railway town to the hub of outdoor adventure that is Golden today. Our story changes with the seasons and has evolved over time but it has remained as compelling and authentic now as it was then.
Learn what "A Year In Golden" is all about, or learn more about the many stories waiting to be told below.
The Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge crosses the Kicking Horse River in downtown Golden. Constructed in 2001 with huge oak timbers logged from local forests it is a reflection of Golden’s history with its Swiss design and engineering. A true testament to the community spirit, the townspeople of Golden offered their homes to members of the International Timberframers Guild who worked for free on the project.
Golden has its roots in Canada’s pioneer days of mountain tourism. Many families in Golden are descended from the Swiss Guides; mountaineers, skiers and alpine hikers brought from Switzerland by CP Rail, who brought their alpine expertise to help connect the first tourists to the mountains and wilderness landscape surrounding Golden. Today, the Edelweiss Village, built for the Swiss Mountain Guides and their families in 1912 by CP Rail still stands.
Drive in any direction from Golden and you hit a national park. There are six within driving distance: Yoho, Glacier, Kootenay, Banff, Mount Revelstoke and Jasper. If hiking, bird watching or wildlife viewing are on your agenda, this treasury of parks make Golden a perfect spot for winter and summer excursions.
Golden’s Kicking Horse River lives up to its reputation as one of Canada’s wildest waterways. But don’t be intimidated – families can opt for a gentle float past peaks and canyons, while those looking for thrills and spills can paddle Class 3 and 4 white water.
Paddle your own canoe or take a Columbia Wetlands boat tour and see some of the over 200 species (herons, beavers, eagles among them) that make this heritage river their habitat. Opportunities for bird watching, fishing or river rafting abound in Golden.
With more than its fair share of stand-out restaurants, Golden is developing a culinary scene that stops visitors in their tracks. Featuring Rocky mountain cuisine and fusion restaurants, Golden also boasts the Cedar House restaurant, which features in the top 50 restaurants in Canada, and the Eagle's Eye at Kicking Horse is the highest restaurant in N. America.
The Golden Farmer's Market - twice weekly in summer, and regular indoor markets in the winter, including the popular Christmas Fayre in December.
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort boasts the highest bike park in North America and stunning views of the Columbia Valley, Canadian Rocky Mountains, and the Selkirk and Purcell Mountain ranges. 3,700 ft of twisty single-track and plunging downhill descents, to lung-busting cross- country tracks and gentle family-oriented descents, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort has 26 trails are available off the Gondola. Alpine single track, rock slabs and technical stunts are some of the many features throughout the mountain.
Although he’ll be hibernating over the winter, Boo, the resident orphan grizzly bear, will emerge again next summer in the largest enclosed and protected grizzly bear habitat in the world at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. Visit the refuge and learn about his favorite toys.
Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre is the only place in Canada where you can walk with wolves in their natural environment. Daily walks are run year round. Feel a little apprehensive? No problem, alternatively you can also view these amazing animals from several viewing stations while getting the whole scoop on the howling canines.
For ultimate romance, after a day of skiing on Kicking Horse book a night in an Eagle's Eye Suite. Perched at 7,700 feet overlooking the Columbia Valley, the Purcell & Selkirk Mountains, the Eagle's Eye suites provide butler service, dinner at Eagle’s Eye restaurant, breakfast and first tracks next morning.
Golden has 240km of groomed trails, deep snowfalls of champagne powder and spectacular scenery. Aficionados head to Prairie Hills for steep tracks. New is the West Bench Trail, a family-friendly sledding area, as well as an ice-fishing expedition by snowmobile with lunch and campfire.
With four heli-ski outfits and a cat-ski operation in Golden’s backyard, backcountry adventures are definitely on the agenda. Book an avalanche skills training courses, or an overnight stay at a luxury lodge. Golden offers the only town accessible heli-skiing in Canada.