We traveled to lower British Columbia for a soak or two in a couple of hot springs, and ended up becoming enchanted with the West Kootenay region.
The Selkirk Mountains define this part of the Kootenays. “Highway 6 links silvan Salmo with Highway 23 and stern-wheeling Nakusp, and forms alliances with branches of Highway 3 (Crowsnest Highway) to wrap all who journey here in a seductive embrace. Love at first sight is the reaction of many visitors to the Kootenays,” according to KootenaysBC.com.
The whole region kept reminding me of that fictional place ‘Shangri-La’ described in the 1933 novel ‘Lost Horizon’ by British author James Hilton. There was one breath-taking vista after another along Kootenay, Arrow and Slocan Lakes.
While there is still lots of snow on the ground, now is the time to start planning for late Spring and Summer getaway camping trips.
There are incredible RV and tent opportunities in this region. A few private campgrounds are currently open, however, most of the Provincial Parks won’t open until May 7. (Click here for a list of the West Kootenay Provincial Parks.)
Photo: Kootenay Lake, Kootenays, British Columbia. Source: KootenaysBC.com. Map Source: WestKootenayParks.com
