SELKIRK LOOP SELKIRK LOOP - International Selkirk Loop

north Kootenay Lake-Silvery Slocan Super Side Trip
BrItISh ColumBIa
ainsworth Hot Springs • Kaslo • new denver • Silverton • Slocan
110 mIleS / 177 km
Heading north from
Balfour on Highway
31, this route circumnavigates
Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park.
Take the time to stop at the unique caves
of Ainsworth Hot Springs, where you also
get a bird’s-eye view of Kootenay Lake while
soaking in the outdoor pool. Driving just 6 km
(3.5 miles) farther brings visitors to the unusual
Cody Caves, where guided, seasonal, one-hour
underground tours are appropriate for anyone
age 6 and up.
Kaslo is a charming, restored heritage
village that features great restaurants and art galleries.
One of the 60 designated heritage buildings
is the Langham Cultural Centre, originally
constructed as a hotel in 1896. Inside, take a selfguided
tour of Langham’s Japanese Canadian
Museum to learn more about what happened
to Canada’s Japanese population during World
War II. The community is home to the majestic
S.S. Moyie, the world’s oldest intact passenger
sternwheeler and a National Historic Site of
Canada. The ship is open to the public from May
through mid-October and is also the location
of the Kaslo Area Visitor Information Centre. For
easy hiking and biking, take the River Walk along
Kaslo River. Wardner Trail leads to a viewpoint
overlooking the village and Kootenay Lake.
In winter, Kaslo is a gateway to alpine skiing,
Slocan Lake and Valhalla Provincial Park dominate your
view while traveling along Highway 6 (Courtesy ©
www.dougpyperphoto.com)
Below: Tour the historic paddle wheeler S.S. Moyie in
downtown Kaslo (Carol Graham)
cat-skiing,
cross-country
skiing, skating,snowmobiling
and ice
fishing.
Traveling
west 28 km
(18 miles) on
Highway 31A
from Kaslo,
the roadway
summits
at 1,100 m
(3,600 feet),
at Fish Lake,
site of a
picnic area.
Watch for the
well-marked signs to the mining ghost town
of Sandon. Visit the Sandon Museum or tour
the adjacent, still-functioning powerhouse and
explore the fascinating buildings that remain.
www.selkirkloop.org 45