Home / Kootenay Rockies / The Valley of a Thousand Peaks / Invermere

• Lodging in this community
• Camping in this community 

 

Situated alongside Lake Windermere, one of the warmest bodies of water in the Kootenay valley, the town of Invermere is all about afternoons at the beach, boating on the lake, exploring art galleries and downtown shops. West of Invermere, in the heart of the Purcell Mountains, is Panorama Mountain Village where the focus is on adventure.

 

History

Invermere was established in 1810 as a trading post. It originally went by the names Copper City and Canterbury before settling on the name 'Invermere', a Scottish name derived from the words 'Inver' ("out of the mouth") and 'mere' ("lake").

Location

Invermere is located at the northern end of Windermere Lake on Hwy 93/95 in the Kootenay River Valley, 19 km (12 mi) south of Radium Hot Springs and 19 km (12 mi) north of Fairmont Hot Springs.

Places to See

• Windermere Valley Pioneer Museum

Enjoy a hands-on look at the history of the Windermere Valley and its settlers at the Valley Pioneer Museum. On display are extensive archival materials, a large historic photograph collection, mining cabins and heritage buildings, and even a dugout canoe crafted by an early member of the First Nations Shuswap Band.

• Pynelogs Cultural Centre

The Pynelogs Cultural Centre is used as an art gallery throughout the year and serves as the primary venue for a variety of arts-related workshops. A gift shop featuring the works of local artists and artisans operates throughout most of the year.

• James Chabot Provincial Park

Situated at the north end of Windermere Lake, James Chabot Provincial Park provides grassy play areas and a sandy beach where families can go windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, or play volleyball. 

Things to Do

•  Golfing

Located near the crossroads into Invermere, the Eagle Ranch Golf Course is like being in a magical wonderland. With excellent views of Lake Windermere, the Columbia River Wetlands and the Purcell and Rocky Mountains, this course has diverse terrain, multiple tee boxes and some challenging holes, including the 160 yard par 3 16th hole.

• Windsurfing

Excellent windsurfing opportunities can be found at Windermere Lake and Columbia Lake.

• Fishing

Launch your boat from James Chabot Provincial Park and fish for trout on Windermere Lake.

• Hiking

The hike up to the Lake of the Hanging Glaciers takes you through lush forests, up steep switchbacks, past several awesome waterfalls and into alpine meadows with an abundance of several different species of wildflowers. The lake is above the tree line and you can hear the shrill whistle of the marmots. You can hike along the shore of the lake or onto the ridges on either side where there are several climbing opportunities. The 16 km (10 mi) hike takes 6 hours return. 

Nearby Communities

Brisco Fairmont Hot Springs  Field Golden Radium Hot Springs Skookumchuck Wasa

Contact Information

District of Invermere
914 8th Avenue, Box 339
Invermere BC V0A 1K0
Tel: 250-342-9281
Fax: 250-342-2934
Email: info@invermere.net
Web: www.invermere.net