Golden (British Columbia)

Golden is a small town in the Columbia-Rockies portion of the Kootenays in British Columbia near the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort.

Understand
The town was established in 1883 as a railway base camp named Cache. The name was later changed in an effort to compete with the nearby camp of Silver City. Since 2000, and the development of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Golden has become increasingly tourist-oriented.

Golden has a population of less than 4,000 (2021), but a drawing area of approximately 15 000. The face of the town is changing with the development at the ski resort, drawing a multitude of transient visitors and wealthy Albertans and international visitors purchasing second homes.

There are two visitor information centres in Golden.



By car
Golden is located at the junction of the Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) and Highway 95, about 4 hours north of the U.S. border. The nearest major airports are Calgary, 3 hours east on Highway 1; and Vancouver, 8 hours west on Highway 1.

By rail
No passenger trains stop in Golden.

By plane
Golden has a small airport that private aircraft can fly into. It is operated by the Town of Golden.

Get around
Golden is so small that you don't necessarily need a car (especially if you are staying in the proximity of the centre). The town is divided by a river and each side has a supermarket (IGA on the north, SavOn on the south) which makes it easy to get the necessities by foot.

During the winter months, Kicking Horse Resort runs a Snow Shuttle ($6/trip as of Feb 2007 - daily, weekly, monthly passes are available) which runs every 2 hours or so. The Snow Shuttle does a route going around town, up along the strip on the highway (Trans-Canada 1) and up to the mountain.

Of course, the easiest thing is to have a car, especially if you want to explore. There is a National Car & Truck Rental, 915 11th Ave S,, in town, however, their fleet is very limited. There may also be some in nearby towns (Kamloops, Revelstoke, Canmore, Invermere). Otherwise Calgary would be a good bet.

Do


Golden's main appeal for the tourist is its wide array of adventure sports. In the winter, visitors should head for the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, ideal for the experienced skier or snowboarder. In the summer, activities to consider include whitewater rafting, hiking, mountain biking, and hang-gliding.

Recreation




Hiking
Golden's location makes it a good starting point for many hikes in the area. A comprehensive listing can be found through Golden Hikes. Most hikes are at high elevations, and will definitely be under snow until mid June and quite possibly until late July, depending on the year's snowfall. There is also a 7-km walking path, the Rotary Trail, which circles the town. The section along the river is particularly nice. Start at the Pedestrian Bridge.

Horseback riding
Horseback riding, in the area surrounding Golden, is also popular among tourists.



Mountain biking
In addition to KHMR, the Golden Cycle Club maintains downhill and cross country trails including the Mount 7, Mountain Shadow, Moonraker and CBT networks.

Para-gliding
Mount 7 is a world-renowned heli/para-gliding site, home to several past world records. Tandem paragliding is a great option for amateurs.



Water sports
There are lakes in the area which might appeal to fishermen or canoeists. However, there is no place that rents canoes in Golden, so must bring their own equipment.

You can go swimming in a local lake or in the outdoor swimming pool.



Whitewater rafting
Three whitewater rafting companies operate from Golden. All raft the Kicking Horse River, which is known for having one of the longest stretches of class four rapids in the world. There is no appreciable difference between the companies.



Buy
The majority of Golden's stores are downtown on 9th St N, with a few being based on the other side of the river on 10th St S. Anyone interested in shopping can probably browse through the entire town in about three hours.





Eat
For such a small town Golden has a remarkable number and variety of places to eat, ranging from numerous fast-food places up on the highway strip, to pub-grub, to lower and high-end restaurants.

Budget

 * Fast-food places off Highway 1 include McDonald's, Subway, Dairy Queen, Tim Hortons and A&W.
 * Fast-food places off Highway 1 include McDonald's, Subway, Dairy Queen, Tim Hortons and A&W.
 * Fast-food places off Highway 1 include McDonald's, Subway, Dairy Queen, Tim Hortons and A&W.

Drink
Many cafes in Golden are licensed, but these are the best if you're looking for a pub.



Cabins and lodges
All of these have a central lodge and cabins for rent. Accommodation in the lodge will include breakfast.



Go next
Golden is in the heart of the national parks, many of which are close enough to be feasible day trips. Yoho National Park is 30 minutes west on the Trans Canada Hwy #1, and Banff National Park lies directly beyond. Kootenay National Park and the small town of Radium Hot Springs are hour south of Golden on Trans Canada Hwy #95. To the west, on Hwy #1, lie Glacier National Park, Mount Revelstoke National Park, and the community of Revelstoke.