Take a drive through the Kootenays and you’ll quickly realize you’re in a special place. Spring, summer, fall, or winter, the natural beauty of the area shines through, but autumn might be the best of the bunch.
As the leaves change colour, the landscape transforms into a vibrant tapestry of reds, oranges, and yellows. If you’re looking for the best spots to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of fall foliage, here’s some of our favourite streets, viewpoints and walks across the Kootenays that will have you reaching for your camera.
Nelson
Cottonwood Falls
Stepping into Cottonwood Falls Park in the fall is magical. Brilliant colours surround you on all sides and underfoot as the park’s many Japanese maples shed their foliage. The rush of the water and the many benches make this small park an absolute must-visit in the fall!
Lakeside Park
Sometimes you don’t have to go far to find the kind of diversity that makes for picture perfect fall vistas, and Lakeside Park is a perfect example of that! This park is lined on all sides by a magical selection of mainly deciduous trees that make the park an absolute delight in the fall. It’s carefully manicured, easily accessible, and with the lake and mountains in the background, absolutely stunning!
Blewett Canal
There’s many reasons we love the Blewett Canal: it’s flat, easy to access, and beautiful in all four seasons. Walking along the gently curving flat canal, following the water on one side, and groves of deciduous trees on the other, it’s a beautiful spot for a stroll all year round.
Rails to Trails
The Nelson rail trail is one of our favourite spots to walk regardless of the time of year, as the trail winds along the ridge above Nelson. Along with the incredible views of the town, Elephant and Toad Mountain, and Kootenay Lake, the trail also fills with colour right alongside the old rail bed!
If you’re looking for a bright spot for a fall walk, hit the trail towards Cottonwood Lake, in Ymir, or towards Salmo for a picture-perfect fall setting. 🍁
Nelson Cemetery
A cemetery might not be the first place that comes to mind for an autumn stroll, but Nelson’s cemetery is old – you’ll find graves from the First World War in Block #4.
Adorning these hallowed memorials is a meticulously curated grove of deciduous trees, lining the pathways that wind through 15 acres of hillside. In the fall, it’s a wonder to behold, bright, cheerful, and peaceful. Whether you’re visiting someone who rests here, or just taking a walk through this park-like oasis, the Nelson cemetery is definitely worth a visit in the fall.
Gyro Park (by way of Silica Street!)
These aren’t dedicated walks, but some of the city’s most beautiful trees are found lining the boulevards in the city’s heritage neighbourhoods, particularly in Uphill and Fairview!
If you’re looking for a gorgeous walk, and don’t mind a bit of up-and-down exercise, park at Nelson United Church, and walk up Silica Street under the cover of bushy maples filled with yellow and red foliage, turn left at Park Street, and walk down to Gyro Park for a stroll along the pathways. Send pics, we love these old streets!
Honourable Mentions:
While still beautiful without its coat of vines, the Nelson court house in fall was such a spectacular display of colour, it’s hard not to miss it!
Six Mile Road erupts into vibrant yellows when fall colours are in season – it’s really a sight to behold!
Castlegar
One of our favourite outdoor activities in Castlegar, you can’t go wrong with a walk among the fall leaves in this community surrounded by water everywhere you look!
Kinnaird Waterline Trail
Rock climbers will be well acquainted with the bright colours that adorn this popular climbing spot and its accompanying walking trail. The Kinnaird Waterline Trail winds along a mixed forest of evergreens and deciduous trees showing off their full glory each fall!
Columbia River Trail
Walk or bike this trail that extends from Castlegar to Trail along the Columbia! This close to the water, long stretches of the path are filled with vibrant colours in the fall! It’s a relatively easy hike, but it’s 15 kilometres long each way, so save some energy for the return journey, or just turn back when you’ve had your fill. This one is also dog friendly, and they can even be off-leash for most of it! 🐕 🍂
Millennium Park
Take a walk through Millennium Park this fall, and you’ll see why this is such a popular walking trail at this time of year! The waterfront pathway is beautiful all year round, but the colours along the shoreline are stunning, stretching on for several kilometres for a perfect fall walk among the leaves!
Trail
Our pick for the best fall colours in Trail is from the pedestrian bridge. The Columbia River is lined on both sides by colourful foliage in the fall, and there’s no better vantage point than the Trail suspension bridge. If you’re looking for a vantage point a little closer to the leaves, Gyro Park has some incredible colours, as does the promenade, especially near the library.
Rossland
Some of the oldest and grandest deciduous trees can be found right downtown Rossland! The town’s central promenade is lined with striking red foliage in autumn, but take a walk down any of the town’s side streets for towering maples and oaks that are especially fiery in mid-late October!
Kaslo
If you’re in Kaslo, you’d be hard pressed to find a more beautiful display of fall colours than right downtown! Kaslo is always a beautiful town, but in fall is particularly stunning, with towering trees radiant in the fall sunlight. Walk through the side streets of downtown and wander down towards Vimy Park for the best colours Kaslo has to offer!
Have a favourite viewpoint or path where the colours of fall leaves are on full display? Let us know in the comments and we’ll come check it out!
In the meantime, if you’re looking for something fun to do this autumn, don’t miss these fall events in the Kootenays!
