Kelowna 
The Kootenays offer a diversity of cultures and landscapes and cover an area beginning at the Alberta border and extending west to the Monashee range, which is part of the Columbia Mountains. Comprised of three main regions – West Kootenay, East Kootenay, and Columbia-Rockies, there are plenty of towns and natural spaces where you can enjoy the cooler fall months.
Credit: Joshua Reddekopp/ Unsplash
Autumn brings an amazing landscape of gold, orange and red to the region, and these colours will pop out gradually for about three months (September to November), with the height of the colour usually being seen in October. The mild temperatures mean that it is easy to get out and enjoy every spot on this list.
You will find aspen, birch and cottonwood around the lakes and rivers shining their bright colours during these months. At the higher elevations, you can come across golden larches, bringing their lovely yellow needles into the blend with the darker needles of the evergreens.
In the historic towns, the non-native oaks and maples steal the show with their dense canopies that turn brilliant shades of red and orange. Backdropped by heritage homes, these towns will captivate you in the autumn months.
To visit the area, it is best to drive, but if you are coming from a long distance, you can look at hopping onto an Air Canada flight to the West Kootenay Regional Airport, located 30 minutes from the town of Nelson, which has regularly scheduled service daily to both Calgary and Vancouver. There are plenty of places to stay in the charming towns in the region.
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Kaslo’s Waterfront and River Trail
Take a walk along Kaslo’s Waterfront and River Trail to get a full appreciation of the delicate balance of the variety of vegetation in the area. This trail has a length of just over three kilometres, and winds its way alongside and over the burbling river, providing plenty of photo opportunities at the unique red-covered bridges and the dense fall colours.
You can choose to enjoy the shorter interpretive part of the trail, which is just over one kilometre in length, or wander the extended southern part, which provides benches at strategic viewpoints and pretty fall landscapes next to the river.
Address: 314 D Ave, Kaslo
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Nelson’s Rail Trail
It’s not necessary to complete the entire trail here to soak in the autumn atmosphere, but because this is a longer trail, it will allow you to choose how much time you would like to spend enjoying the plethora of fall colours.
The trail itself is multi-use, which means that you can hike or bike along it, and is part of the longer TransCanada Trail system. A total distance of 49 kilometres, you will want to make sure that you wear appropriate footwear and clothing for your time outdoors.
Address: Nelson
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Nelson’s Rotary Lakeside Park
Fall is probably the best time to enjoy Lakeside Park in Nelson.
Doubling as an arboretum, the Park is home to beautiful large evergreens including Giant Sequoias, Western Red Cedars, Dawn Redwoods and Norway Spruce, which offer different shades of green all year long. Of course, the Norway Maples, Silver Maples, Weeping Willows, Black Walnut, Sycamores, Red Maples, Mountain Ash, Oaks and more are spread throughout the park, and create an enchanting mixture of colours as they turn through the season.
Address: 306 Elwyn St, Nelson, BC V1L 6G4
Monica Meadows
We have to mention Monica Meadows because this is not only an incredible hike with plenty of gorgeous views but also an opportunity to see golden larches as they splash their uniquely coloured needles across the landscape.
A total of 10 kilometres round trip, this walk only has an elevation of approximately 653 meters and is listed as a moderate hike. We suggest doing this before the weather turns, so before the end of September. You will want a decent vehicle to get up here, as the road can be rough towards the top.
Once you get through the switchbacks to the lakes, be aware that this is a fragile environment and stick to the path, or plain dirt or rocks. On days with no wind, your photo ops of the reflections of the larches on the lakes will provide you with life long memories.
Cottonwood Falls Park
Located right in Nelson, this spectacular Park is home to a scenic waterfall and a Japanese Garden.
This hidden gem offers visitors a chance to wander the well-set pathways and gardens at their leisure while soaking in the magnificent colours. An easy place to visit if you don’t have much time, or if you are exploring the town of Nelson. The city is well known for its heritage trees and its urban forest includes ash, maple, oak, chestnut, cedar, fir and elm tree species.
Fernie
The entire city of Fernie is a great destination to view fall colours.
The best time to visit is mid-September to mid-October to get the full beauty of the leafy deciduous trees, which turn yellow, orange and red, and there are opportunities to view the Western Larch as well.
Check out the patio at the Fernie Golf & Country Club, where the views are spectacular or head off to explore Island Lake and Hartley Lake.
If you are more into a driving view, head over to River Road or Cokato Road, where the colours pop.
Maiden Lake is very accessible as it is located in town and provides stunning photo ops with Mount Fernie, the Three Sisters, and Mount Proctor in the background. On a calm day, the reflections of the colours from the trees on the water can be stunning.
Or, if you want to enjoy the slightly cooler fall weather on a short hike that provides truly beautiful fall vistas, try the Town Loop Trail, which follows the dyke along Elk River.
Of course, we can’t forget to mention Mount Fernie Provincial Park, where you will find lots of chances to get out into the beauty of the season. It is easy to spend a few days exploring the area and catching the best of the autumn.
Naksup
This small village provides big opportunities to revel in the spirit of autumn.
Located between the Selkirk and Monashee ranges, this village is well known for the nearby hot springs and picturesque mountain lakeside setting, which comes alive in the fall.
Take a walk down Broadway onto 10th Avenue and along 2nd and 5th Avenue NW, there’s a grand showcase of maple trees that line the streets.
The Waterfront Walkway features a great display of oak trees, which creates a different atmosphere and colour spectrum.
As you are travelling the area, check out the nearby village of Fauquier, where there are oaks planted down the boulevard that is viewable as you drive by on the highway.
Kimberley
The route between Kimberley and Marysville provides travellers with the unique sight of the golden larch trees.
The Western Larches stand out amongst the bright green of the other trees, and it is a sight to behold if you can catch them before their needles fall.
They are the only conifers that lose their needles in the fall. The Kimberley Nature Park Society offers two hikes in October to view the wonderful array of fall colours: the Golden Larch Hike and Chasing the Colours, so if you would like to experience these wonderful trees while getting some information and guidance on hiking in the area, this is the perfect opportunity.
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Golden
You may wonder if the town’s name came from the colours of the trees here in the fall months, as the town comes alive with autumn magic.
A simple stroll in the downtown area, or along Highway 95, will infuse you with fall spirit as you feast your eyes on the magnificent maple-lined streets.
Along with a mixture of other deciduous trees, the tree-lined streets bring you a plethora of colours that include purples, reds, oranges and bright yellows. The delightful views of the surrounding mountains combined with the colourful trees will make you want to stay for the entire season.
Kootenay Lake
We know that most of the places listed here are around Kootenay Lake, but it stands to reason that we need to list the lake itself as a destination, as you can have the unique opportunity to view the colours from the water.
This is the largest inland lake in British Columbia, so you need to be prepared before you head out, if you haven’t boated there before.
There are also opportunities to catch a ferry across the lake, or if you prefer to stay on dry land, you can spend some time simply driving the route around the lake to catch the miracle of nature in the autumn.
