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HIKING

Fernie is surrounded by hiking trails that can take you from the vibrant core of the community and deep into the forest. There are walks of history, long hikes into the backcountry and more sweeping vistas than you can name to be found in and around Fernie. With more trails than can be listed, pick up a copy of the Fernie Hiking and Biking Trail map from the Visitor Information Centre or outdoor stores around town. If you want something lighter or just in or on the edge of town, consider the Emily Brydon Trail along the Elk River, offering a flat walk on the valley floor to take in the sights. Or maybe the Fairy Creek Trail for something a little more adventurous, which takes you up to Fairy Creek Falls from the Visitor Information Centre. Mount Fernie is a lot of up, giving you amazing views of town from the west, while Mount Proctor is even more climbing, taking you along the edge of the Fairy Creek watershed, and offering sweeping views of up and down the valley from above the treeline. The Mount Fernie Provincial Park trails tend to stay in the forest, offering more chances of wildlife encounters. Or you can head to Island Lake for a nice walk around the lake (with the option of more uphill), or to Fernie Alpine Resort where lift-accessed trails can get you high up the hillside without a long hike, and guides can teach you all about the forest.

Fernie FAQ

Where can we take a short hike?

If you’re short on time or just want a nice easy stroll, walk along the dyke trail along the Elk River in the Annex. Annex Park is closed for 2022, but the trail past is open and offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains. An out and back walk is the Fairy Creek Trail, which starts at the Visitor Information Centre and takes you to beautiful waterfalls in the Fairy Creek watershed.

BIKING

Go for a walk down 2nd Avenue in Fernie in the middle of summer and there’s a good chance you’ll see more mountain bikes than people.

That’s because there are hundreds of kilometres of trails around Fernie that link together and ensure that an eager rider can spend an entire day out riding without having to loop back once. From beginner trails right on the edge of town to intermediate loops through the forest and enough advanced trails up in the hills to keep even the most adventurous rider busy, Fernie has it all. On 2nd Ave, you can find the local businesses Gearhub, The Guides Hut, Straight Line and Ski Base which can set you up with the gear you need to get out on the trails. While you’re there, pick up a copy of the local multi-use trail guide and pick a trail that suits what you’re after. For some tips, heading south from 2nd Ave takes you to the Montane trails, an accessible network of mostly beginner and intermediate connecting loops. Above Montane are more challenging trails sure to bring a thrill. If you go east, there’s the Ridgemont network – a local favourite through the forest right next to town that offers plenty of sweeping views. If you go north you can cross the Elk River and find the Fairy Creek trails next to the Visitor Information Centre. These trails take you up, up and up for more fantastic views and a rewarding downhill. To the west you have a lot of options: Climbs, loops, downhill, technical – whatever you want. The Mount Fernie area, Mount Fernie Provincial Park, and last (but certainly not least) the Fernie Alpine Resort trails offer days of riding time. Speaking of the Fernie Alpine Resort, access to downhill trails can be through a seasons pass for the chairlifts, if you’re after all that downhill and don’t fancy spending all your energy on the up. Trail guides can be picked up at any outdoor store in Fernie, as well as at the Visitor Information Centre.

Fernie FAQ

Where can we take a short bike ride?

Cycling is something a lot of Fernie does. The streets are easy to navigate, and the trails are within reach. Ride around the Maintown Loop for an urban exploration, or try out some of the green trails at Montane.

FISHING

(Image courtesy of Andrés González)

Fernie and the Elk Valley is a mecca for fly fishing, drawing visitors from afar to throw a line in the Elk River. The area is famous for its Westslope Cutthroat Trout, Bull Trout and hybrid catch. The Elk River is catch-and-release, so fly fishers are in it for the experience. Rivers are open to fishing year-round except April 1 to June 14, and there are four local businesses in Fernie that can offer information on what you need (like a fishing license) and also offer guided fishing trips. With wide open space, avoid the crowds and cast a line on the river for the experience of a lifetime.

Andres Fly Fishing, andresflyfishing.com Elk River Guiding Co. and Fly Shop, elkriver.ca Kootenay Fly Shop and Guiding Co, kootenayflyshop.com Fernie Wilderness Adventures, ferniewildernessadventures.com

Wildlife Safety

The Elk Valley is prime ecological land, with rivers, meadows, forests and fields that make it a beautiful place for humans to live. Those same traits also make it attractive for wildlife,making the Elk Valley a high-traffic area for our forest friends, and increasing chances that locals and visitors alike will encounter critters in town and beyond. Here in the valley you can encounter large animals like bears, deer, elk and moose, as well as smaller critters like skunks and racoons. It’s important to keep encounters with wildlife safe for everyone. The goal is to reduce encounters, and if you do have one, to get out of it safely. Some basic tips: Carry bear spray if you are walking out of town, and make plenty of noise so wildlife know you’re coming. Make sure to pick up all your trash, and leave no trace behind. Do not feed wildlife. WildsafeBC is the top organization for human and wildlife safety, with resources on animals you can encounter locally, and how to stay safe in the environment. You can find them and resources on wildlife at wildsafebc.com.

RAFTING

If you love rafting or you seek a new water sport experience that can be both thrilling and relaxing, you’ve come to the right town.

That’s because running right through Fernie is the amazing Elk River, which stretches for about 220 kilometres through the southeast Kootenays. Of course, being in the Kootenays, your river exploration options stretch beyond our beloved Elk River. The Bull River closer to Cranbrook is also a popular rafting spot, where professional guides based in Fernie take daytrippers for afternoons surrounded by surreal mountain wilderness scenery and fun whitewater challenges. The rafting season usually begins around late May and stretches into early September. If a day on the raft is what you’re looking for, you have two options for guiding companies who can make your day-trip dreams come true.

Canyon Raft Company

Started by local legends, this awardwinning guiding company has been taking people on river trips for over 26 years, offering water-sport enthusiasts both relaxing floats and higher-intensity whitewater experiences. For the more daring adventurers out there, Canyon Raft Company guides can take you on a ‘River Wild’ trip, where you will get the full-blown whitewater rafting experience. These trips offer full day adventures for adults or youth on both the Lower Elk River and the Bull River. For more information about the trips offered, visit the Canyon Raft Company website, or give them a call! They are passionate about what they do, and will do their very best to make your trips exciting, challenging, relaxing, and safe.

Mountain High Adventures

Operating out of their ‘Adventure Centre’ yurt (Mongolian-style tent) at the Fernie RV Resort, this company offers adventure for all experience levels, from seasoned, thrillseeking paddlers to families. They provide a variety of kinds of trips, such as: whitewater rafting, whitewater kayaking, scenic floats, stand-up paddleboarding, and more, like the whitewater ‘Mammoth Rafting’ waveriding experience and ‘Kootenay River Expedition’. Guides from this company also offer trips on in the ‘raging’ Elk River Canyon, which is their most popular run geared more towards adventure seekers and rapid runners, as well as trips on the Bull River for a lower and less-raging rapid class. For more information about all that these river guides have to offer, visit the Mountain High Adventures website, or stop by their yurt to see them in person.

GOLF

Surrounded by mountains and rolling green hills and tucked away just off the highway, the Fernie Golf Course is one of Fernie’s hidden gems.

The course features 18 stunning holes, each framed by the surrounding mountains. This par 70 course plays 6,556 yards long from the back tees. Rated in the top 25 of BC’s courses you won’t want to miss this one on your next golf getaway! Club professionals describe the club as a mountain course, which is very playable, relatively easy, and features no blind holes, extreme hills, or sharp corners. It is very walkable as the distance from one green to the next tee box is very short. For those who like to walk instead of take a cart, this course is for you, too. There is a fair amount of water on the course, but the water features are usually found beside the fairway. Only a few holes feature playable water hazards. The hills are gently rolling, and the greens are maintained to manageable speed; not excessively fast. We do have a driving range if you want to warm up prior to your round or just come by and practice. If you need a few pointers to help take your game to the next level we have golf pros on hand to help you out. When you’ve finished eating lunch or dinner at their highly acclaimed restaurant which overlooks the course, and you return home or continue on your journey, memories of the stunning scenery will stick with you. The staff at Fernie Golf Course love few things more than a new face. Whether you’re a pro or a beginner, they want to make it clear that anyone is welcome. For more information about the club, visit Golffernie.com.

Fernie FAQ

Who can I talk to about what to do in Fernie?

The go-to location for information about Fernie is the Visitor Information Centre, which is on the north side of town on Hwy. 3. Its formal address is 102 Commerce Rd. if you’re punching it into a map, but you can spot it from the highway because of the big Fernie sign out the front. If you’re already downtown, the Fernie Museum on 2nd Ave acts as a downtown Visitor Information Centre. Helpful folks at both locations can answer all sorts of questions about Fernie and what to do, where to eat and more.

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Fernie Golf Club

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