National Geographic Logo - Home
    PAID CONTENT FOR DESTINATION BRITISH COLUMBIA
    SOUL-STIRRING LANDSCAPES Spanning 1,000 miles in eastern British Columbia and home to 2,283 named peaks, the UNESCO-protected Canadian Rockies mountain range is one of the largest in North America, as well as being one of the biggest protected areas in the world. Some of the planet’s most celebrated landscapes are found in the range’s national parks, from snow-capped peaks in Golden to glacier-fed lakes in Yoho National Park and hot springs in Kootenay National Park. Location: Kootenay Rockies
    SOUL-STIRRING LANDSCAPES Spanning 1,000 miles in eastern British Columbia and home to 2,283 named peaks, the UNESCO-protected Canadian Rockies mountain range is one of the largest in North America, as well as being one of the biggest protected areas in the world. Some of the planet’s most celebrated landscapes are found in the range’s national parks, from snow-capped peaks in Golden to glacier-fed lakes in Yoho National Park and hot springs in Kootenay National Park. Location: Kootenay Rockies
    Photograph by Destination BC, Kari Medig
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
    • Travel

    In pictures: life-affirming adventures among British Columbia's ancient peaks

    Whether exploring forests, mountains, lakes or beaches, spending time in the wilds of Canada’s westernmost province has the power to transform both mind and body, says local guide Haida Bolton.

    ByLaura Price
    Published September 7, 2021
    • 5 min read
    This paid content article was created for Destination British Columbia. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic, National Geographic Traveller (UK) or their editorial staffs.
    ROAD TRIPPING With its long, wide roads and epic mountain scenery, there are few places in the world better suited to road tripping than British Columbia. There are dozens of routes to choose from, but the real highlight here is Route 97, a 1,293-mile odyssey that takes you from the US border in the south, to Watson Lake in the Yukon via BC’s wild north and Okanagan wine country. The stretch takes in incredible scenery that brings with it a palpable sense of serenity. Go RVing rent campers in and around Vancouver. Location: Northern BC
    ROAD TRIPPING
    With its long, wide roads and epic mountain scenery, there are few places in the world better suited to road tripping than British Columbia. There are dozens of routes to choose from, but the real highlight here is Route 97, a 1,293-mile odyssey that takes you from the US border in the south, to Watson Lake in the Yukon via BC’s wild north and Okanagan wine country. The stretch takes in incredible scenery that brings with it a palpable sense of serenity. Go RVing rent campers in and around Vancouver. 
    Location: Northern BC


    Photograph by Destination BC, Kari Medig
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
    WILDLIFE WATCHING British Columbia's central coast is home to one of the largest temperate rainforests in the world and is among British Columbia’s best year-round wildlife destinations. The highlight, though, can be experienced from September to October, when thousands of salmon migrate from the Pacific. This astonishing act of nature is not only amazing to witness, but attracts one of the highest concentrations of grizzly bears on the planet. Tweedsmuir Park Lodge offers non-motorised boat trips that allow visitors to get close to the bears without disturbing them. Location: Tweedsmuir Provincial Park
    WILDLIFE WATCHING 
    British Columbia's central coast is home to one of the largest temperate rainforests in the world and is among British Columbia’s best year-round wildlife destinations. The highlight, though, can be experienced from September to October, when thousands of salmon migrate from the Pacific. This astonishing act of nature is not only amazing to witness, but attracts one of the highest concentrations of grizzly bears on the planet. Tweedsmuir Park Lodge offers non-motorised boat trips that allow visitors to get close to the bears without disturbing them. 
    Location: Tweedsmuir Provincial Park

    Photograph by Destination BC, Kari Medig
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
    HELICOPTER RIDES The sheer size, as well as the raw beauty of British Columbia’s mountainous landscapes, is difficult to fully comprehend from the ground. On a heart-thumping helicopter ride over Squamish Valley, you’ll soar high above the surrounding waters of Howe Sound with nearby glaciers and turquoise fjords in and around the Tantalus Mountain Range. Blackcomb Helicopters runs summer and winter flights, while Sky Helicopters offer tours throughout the year. Location: Howe Sound
    BIKING TRAILS
    From spring to autumn, Whistler’s peaceful mountain trails and glacier-fed rivers provide the backdrop to some incredible bike trails. There's a variety of options for different levels and appeal, from cross-country mountain biking to downhill and enduro.
    Location: Whistler

    Photograph by Destination BC, Kari Medig
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
    ADVENTURES ON HORSEBACK It doesn’t get much wilder than exploring the Sea-to-Sky corridor, with access to Pemberton Valley and Birkenhead backcountry — tours here trace the trails that were originally used for transporting gold in the early 1900s. From high up in the saddle, you’ll smell the scent of pine and wildflowers as alpine meadows give way to steep mountain paths flanked by impossibly blue fjords and gleaming white glaciers. Tour companies like Copper Cayuse Outfitters offer everything from leisurely half-day rides along the Lillooet River to multi-day horsepacking adventures to hidden waterfalls and hard-to-reach camping spots. Location: Pemberton Valley
    ADVENTURES ON HORSEBACK
    It doesn’t get much wilder than exploring the Sea-to-Sky corridor, with access to Pemberton Valley and Birkenhead backcountry — tours here trace the trails that were originally used for transporting gold in the early 1900s. From high up in the saddle, you’ll smell the scent of pine and wildflowers as alpine meadows give way to steep mountain paths flanked by impossibly blue fjords and gleaming white glaciers. Tour companies like Copper Cayuse Outfitters offer everything from leisurely half-day rides along the Lillooet River to multi-day horsepacking adventures to hidden waterfalls and hard-to-reach camping spots.
    Location: Pemberton Valley


    Photograph by Destination BC, Henrik Nilsson
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
    HELICOPTER RIDES The sheer size, as well as the raw beauty of British Columbia’s mountainous landscapes, is difficult to fully comprehend from the ground. On a heart-thumping helicopter ride over Squamish Valley, you’ll soar high above the surrounding waters of Howe Sound with nearby glaciers and turquoise fjords in and around the Tantalus Mountain Range. Blackcomb Helicopters runs summer and winter flights, while Sky Helicopters offer tours throughout the year. Location: Howe Sound
    HELICOPTER RIDES
    The sheer size, as well as the raw beauty of British Columbia’s mountainous landscapes, is difficult to fully comprehend from the ground. On a heart-thumping helicopter ride over Squamish Valley, you’ll soar high above the surrounding waters of Howe Sound with nearby glaciers and turquoise fjords in and around the Tantalus Mountain Range. Blackcomb Helicopters runs summer and winter flights, while Sky Helicopters offer tours throughout the year. 
    Location: Howe Sound

    Photograph by Destination BC, Kari Medig
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
    ADVENTURES ON HORSEBACK It doesn’t get much wilder than exploring the Sea-to-Sky corridor, with access to Pemberton Valley and Birkenhead backcountry — tours here trace the trails that were originally used for transporting gold in the early 1900s. From high up in the saddle, you’ll smell the scent of pine and wildflowers as alpine meadows give way to steep mountain paths flanked by impossibly blue fjords and gleaming white glaciers. Tour companies like Copper Cayuse Outfitters offer everything from leisurely half-day rides along the Lillooet River to multi-day horsepacking adventures to hidden waterfalls and hard-to-reach camping spots. Location: Pemberton Valley
    ADVENTURES ON HORSEBACK
    It doesn’t get much wilder than exploring the Sea-to-Sky corridor, with access to Pemberton Valley and Birkenhead backcountry — tours here trace the trails that were originally used for transporting gold in the early 1900s. From high up in the saddle, you’ll smell the scent of pine and wildflowers as alpine meadows give way to steep mountain paths flanked by impossibly blue fjords and gleaming white glaciers. Tour companies like Copper Cayuse Outfitters offer everything from leisurely half-day rides along the Lillooet River to multi-day horsepacking adventures to hidden waterfalls and hard-to-reach camping spots.
    Location: Pemberton Valley


    Photograph by Destination BC, Henrik Nilsson
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
    BIKING TRAILS From spring to autumn, Whistler’s peaceful mountain trails and glacier-fed rivers provide the backdrop to some incredible bike trails. There's a variety of options for different levels and appeal, from cross-country mountain biking to downhill and enduro. Location: Whistler
    ​BIKING TRAILS
    From spring to autumn, Whistler’s peaceful mountain trails and glacier-fed rivers provide the backdrop to some incredible bike trails. There's a variety of options for different levels and appeal, from cross-country mountain biking to downhill and enduro.
    Location: Whistler


    Photograph by Destination BC, Kari Medig
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
    HIKES FOR ALL There are over 1,000 miles of hiking trails in the Canadian Rockies, many of which are well signposted and easy to navigate. Trails range from easy short walks and day hikes to challenging multi-day hikes and climbs to peaks of up to almost 13,000ft. The Iceline Trail in Yoho National Park, which receives fewer visitors than neighbouring Banff, has impossibly blue lakes, 655ft waterfalls and ancient glaciers. Great Canadian Trails runs a fully catered four-day Iceline Trail tour. Location: Kootenay National Park
    HIKES FOR ALL
    There are over 1,000 miles of hiking trails in the Canadian Rockies, many of which are well signposted and easy to navigate. Trails range from easy short walks and day hikes to challenging multi-day hikes and climbs to peaks of up to almost 13,000ft. The Iceline Trail in Yoho National Park, which receives fewer visitors than neighbouring Banff, has impossibly blue lakes, 655ft waterfalls and ancient glaciers. Great Canadian Trails runs a fully catered four-day Iceline Trail tour.
    Location: Kootenay National Park


    Photograph by Destination BC, Kari Medig
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
    Nature has a lasting effect on us and experts say that the bigger the nature, the better. Take a moment and connect with British Columbia's great wilderness, even before you travel. Call the Wild at HelloBC.com
    Nature has a lasting effect on us and experts say that the bigger the nature, the better. Take a moment and connect with British Columbia's great wilderness, even before you travel. Call the Wild at HelloBC.com
    Photograph by Destination BC, Kari Medig
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

    Nature has a lasting effect on us and experts say that the bigger the nature, the better. Take a moment and connect with British Columbia's great wilderness, even before you travel. Call the Wild at HelloBC.com

    Follow us on social media 

    Twitter | Facebook | Instagram 

    Read This Next

    2,000 years of shipwrecks discovered on ancient sea route
    • History & Culture

    2,000 years of shipwrecks discovered on ancient sea route

    An 8-country UNESCO expedition reveals surprising finds in waters mariners were once believed to have avoided "at all costs."
    AI can help you plan your next trip—if you know how to ask.
    • Travel

    AI can help you plan your next trip—if you know how to ask.

    Experts weigh in on the best ways to use tools like ChatGPT for travel—and how to avoid being duped by AI “hallucinations.”
    Did this mysterious human relative bury its dead?
    • Science

    Did this mysterious human relative bury its dead?

    If the claims are true, the behavior by Homo naledi—a baffling, small-brained member of the human family tree—would pre-date the earliest known burials by at least 100,000 years.
    This new birth control for cats doesn't require surgery
    • Science

    This new birth control for cats doesn't require surgery

    Scientists have developed a gene therapy contraceptive for cats that could reduce the deaths of birds and mammals. The treatment is easy to administer and lasts a lifetime.

    Legal

    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your US State Privacy Rights
    • Children's Online Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    • About Nielsen Measurement
    • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    Our Sites

    • Nat Geo Home
    • Attend a Live Event
    • Book a Trip
    • Buy Maps
    • Inspire Your Kids
    • Shop Nat Geo
    • Visit the D.C. Museum
    • Watch TV
    • Learn About Our Impact
    • Support Our Mission
    • Nat Geo Partners
    • Masthead
    • Press Room
    • Advertise With Us

    Join Us

    • Subscribe
    • Customer Service
    • Renew Subscription
    • Manage Your Subscription
    • Work at Nat Geo
    • Sign Up for Our Newsletters
    • Contribute to Protect the Planet

    Follow us

    National Geographic Logo - Home

    Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright © 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved