Golden: Trails, bridges and winter travel

Golden is a winter destination in the Canadian Rockies, between the Purcell and Selkirk Mountains. In the town centre, restaurants, breweries and cafés are within walking distance of most accommodations. The Rotary Trail, river bridges and museum can also help you get your bearings when choosing where to stay. Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is a few minutes from downtown and adds its own attractions to those in town.

Winter travel and resort offerings

In winter, a scheduled shuttle runs daily directly from Calgary Airport to Golden and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. Within the town, the seasonal Golden Kicking Horse Connector links downtown with the resort slopes. It stops at several locations in Golden and runs regularly during the day, as well as on Friday and Saturday evenings. Check current shuttle availability and schedules before travelling.

The resort is a few minutes from downtown. Its offerings include alpine hiking trails, gondola rides, downhill mountain biking, powder skiing and scenic views. Operations vary by season. For planning purposes, it is helpful to consider your preferred activity and travel dates together, rather than assuming the same offerings are available year-round.

Trails, rivers and walks

The Rotary Trail connects downtown, residential areas and forested paths. In winter, it is cleared for walking and cycling. Its main route along the Kicking Horse River is maintained year-round by the Rotary Club and is open to recreation users. Other trails wind through urban forest, along both rivers, to viewpoints and through the historic downtown. The trail network brings together a variety of surroundings: riverbanks, forest and downtown streets.

The Golden Stroll combines local history with videos that can be accessed via QR codes along the Rotary Trail. It comprises two walks of different lengths. The longer Reflections Loop has 15 video stations; it follows the Kicking Horse River, passes through the forest and climbs to Reflection Lake Ridge. The shorter Confluence Walk has six stations and follows the river to Confluence Park. The number of stations and the destinations described make the two routes easy to distinguish, but do not indicate how long the walks take.

Bridges also help define Golden. The Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge on 8th Ave North spans the Kicking Horse River and connects downtown with residential neighbourhoods. It is 46 metres (151 feet) wide and is considered Canada’s longest freestanding timber-frame bridge. The Golden Skybridge includes Canada’s highest suspension bridges. The Town of Golden regards the pedestrian bridge as a symbol of collaboration; it also connects to the Rotary Trail.

History and practical information

A block from Main Street, the Golden Museum explores the history of the CPR, as well as that of the historic Swiss Guides and their families. Together with the Golden Stroll videos, the museum offers a different way to learn about local history: the museum focuses on these historical topics, while the walks connect history with stops along a route.

For outdoor skating, Golden has five outdoor rinks, including those at Mount 7 Rec Plex and Keith King Memorial Park. The rinks are maintained seasonally, depending on the weather and operating capacity. During the winter season, the Tourism Golden Office at 611 10th Ave N offers visitor services Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Outside these hours, including on winter weekends, the Golden-BC Destination App and website can help you find open attractions and events, as well as how to get there. Check the office’s current hours before visiting.

Explore more destinations

Explore more destinations: Squilax, Tappen, Salmon Arm, Anglemont, Sorrento, Parson, Scotch Creek, Beaverfoot.

For the broader travel overview: Columbia-Shuswap.