Winter Activities: Tobogganing, skating, or Nordic skiing through rolling windy trails through woods. Downhill Skiing, Snowboarding, Heli-Skiing, Cat Skiing, Snow mobiling, Dog Sledding, and Ice Climbing from mid-November to the End of March.

Summer Activities: Pilots from all over the world flock to the Mount 7 flying site to paraglide and hang-glide. Horseback Riding, hiking, mountain biking, golfing, fishing, and air tours. World class white water rafting, ATVing, motocross, and rock climbing attract international thrill seekers. Bird and wildlife viewing, slow floats, wetland scenic forest tours.

Boating and angling are common activities at recreation sites.

Most sites allow car top boat launching only. That means you can hand-launch only canoes, kayaks and boats small enough to be carried on top of your car. Trailered boats can be launched safely and conveniently from those sites with ramp facilities.

In most cases, the ramps are suitable only for small and medium-sized boats.

A plane or helicopter ride will show you the Selkirk, Purcell and Rocky Mountain ranges and their glaciers. You can even land on a glacier for a closer look. Air tours are available year-round.

For local history there's the Golden Museum where you can learn about the important role that Swiss Mountain Guides played in the birth of Canadian mountaineering traditions. Or at Ray's Antique & Collectable Museum you can browse through some old farm equipment and antique tools. Take a guided hike way, way back [some 515 million years] and visit the fossils of the renowned Yoho Burgess Shale or, if art is your scene, there are many local art shops.

Tours: Cruise the numerous small mountain roads. Tour season is [weather permitting] from May to October.

Bird / Wildlife Watching: The Rocky Mountain Trench is a major migratory path, and a great diversity of birds also settles in the Columbia Valley. 265 transient and resident species have been counted in Golden so far. Reflection Lake, the Edelweiss slough and Moberly Marsh are favourite birding spots. You can do bird watching year-round, although there are more species during migration in spring [April to June] and fall [September to October].

Canoe / Kayak Tours: At the Columbia River you can view birds of prey, herons and ducks. Paddle the Blaeberry River for more action. The Kicking Horse River is the place to be for great whitewater action. For very experienced kayakers the lower canyon with its class IV rapids is ideal. Season: May to October.

Climbing: In 1912 six Swiss Mountain Guides and their families moved permanently to Golden. Canadian Pacific Rail had hired them as professional mountain guides for the many tourists who wanted to explore the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Today there are many ACMG certified mountain guides who live and work in Golden and the mountains around. Golden attracts climbers from all over the world.

Cross-Country Skiing: Track-set trails are just minutes from town at the Golden Golf Course. More challenging trails can be found at Dawn Mountain Nordic Trail System at the base of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. Many more tracks set by XC-enthusiasts can be found in the Blaeberry and Columbia Valley. The season is from December to April.

Cycling: Golden is the centre for the 'Golden Triangle' Tour where you cross the Continental Divide twice. You can go at your own pace or book a package with one of the tour companies.

Dog Sledding: Season lasts from late November to April.

Downhill (Alpine) & Cat Skiing / Snowboarding: The new Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is being developed into a 250- acre resort, encompassing 4005 acres of ski and snowboarding terrain, with views of the Canadian Rockies. The new gondola rises to the summit of the Dogtooth Mountain Range at an elevation of 7705 feet [2350 meters] where the new Eagle’s Eye Restaurant is located. The excellent snow conditions will include a vertical drop of 4,133 feet [1260 meters] from the top lift, making it the second highest in Canada. Ski season is from early December to the end of April.

Freshwater Fishing / Ice Fishing / Heli-Fishing: The area's fishing opportunities are endless, ranging from early and late rainbow trout, small cut-throat trout in alpine lakes to char in the river and giant ling [turbot] and Dolly Varden in the hydro reservoir. Guides can take you to the type of fishing you prefer and provide all the equipment from boats to heli-fishing. One of the more popular lake areas is south of Golden, near Parson and Brisco. Many of the lower lakes open early in May, and more fishing can be found at higher elevations as summer arrives. A popular lake is Mitten Lake. Also excellent are the Cleland and Jade Lakes, and to the west, the Blackwater Lake. Stocked rainbow trout up to 24-inches can be caught in these areas.

North/northwest of Golden are the Susan and Jeb Lakes in the area of the Big Bend Highway and are usually open by early July.

These two lakes are renowned for their Brook trout. Anglers should note that the waters to the north remain cooler longer in the summer and often provide a more vigorous fish than the lethargic ones of the southern waters. Many of the higher alpine lakes, which open at various times later in the summer offer exciting and picturesque fly and spin- cast opportunities. The more popular areas include Gorman, Quartz and Silent Lakes - and all trailheads are within 25 minutes of town. Hike-in distances range from several kilometres to much longer.

For river fishing, the Columbia opens early in the spring providing Rainbows and Char. With a red and white spoon or a wet fly you'll likely nab one. Also available in the Columbia are Dolly Varden, Whitefish and Kokanee. Creeks and streams open officially on June 14. and a lightweight fly rod is recommended.

In the Glacier and Yoho National Parks is superb fishing but you must have a special permit aside from your regular license to encourage catch and release in these areas.

Golfing: The Golden Golf & Country Club is rated one of the top 10 is B.C., the 75th best course in Canada by Score magazine, with Golf Digest rating it three-and-a-half stars. Whether you play pro or beginner there are complete facilities and services at the 18-hole championship course. The season is from mid April to October. The course ranges from 5,380 yards to 6,818 yards long. One hole, the 11th, has such a fine setting that wedding parties have utilized the spot for photographs. It is a par 4, running 385 yards downhill from an elevated tee, with Holt Creek running beside it. This course features a pro shop, which can completely outfit all golfing needs. As well, there is a full-service restaurant, lounge and outdoor patio.