Castlegar to Creston

Castlegar:
Situated on the banks of the Columbia and Kootenay Rivers in Kootenay Country, 170 km (105 miles) from Rock Creek is Castlegar and the junction of Hwy 3 which runs east-west, Hwy 22 south to Trail and Hwy 3a north to Nelson

Castlegar Railway Station:
Declared a heritage site, it now serves as the Castlegar Museum.

Doukhobor Museum:
Be guided through an early 100's communal village by a descendant of the Doukhobor settlers of the area.

Zuckerberg Island Heritage Park:
Named after the Zyckerberg's, who in 1931 came to teach the Doukhobor children and settled on the island, it is now a park with historical attractions.

Further along Highway 3 is Salmo, then onto Stagleap Provincial Park and Kootenay Pass, the highest paved road in Canada at 1774m (5819 feet).

The final town in the Kootenays is Creston before entering British Columbia's Rockies.

Creston:
Overlooking the lush Kootenay River Valley between the Selkirk and Purcell Mountains is Creston.

With its mild climate, Crestons main industries include agriculture, dairy and orchards. Flat fields and grain elevators give it a prairie-like feeling.

Creston Valley Museum:
Constructed of local stones, this museum displays such artifacts as the Kutenai Canoe which points down under the water at either end.

Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area:
This wetland has been preserved as a bird and water-fowl refuge with over 250 bird species including swans and geese. There are guided canoe trips, hikes and lectures.

From Creston take Hwy 3A to Crawford, where a free car-and-passenger ferry makes a 40-minute trip across Kootenay Lake to Balfour.

The route from Creston to Crawford is scenic but twisting as it travels along Kootenay Lake shoreline.

From Balfour Hwy 3A heads to Nelson. Hwy 31 will take you to Kaslo.

Continue on Hwy 31 to Galena Bay a rougher and more isolated route. Or follow Hwy 31A to New Denver, Hwy 6 to Nakusp and 23 to Galena Bay across to Shelter Bay and on to Revelstoke in the High Country.

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