Fort Steele is a carefully preserved mining village in the heart of the Kootenay Rocky Mountains. While only small, there are enough attractions within this enclosed national heritage site to keep you entertained all day.
Formerly only known to the local Ktunaxa First Nation people, the region was put on the map once and for all by the 1860s gold rush at nearby Wild Horse Creek. First known as Galbraith’s Ferry, the settlement was renamed after a superintendent from the North West Mounted Police, who was lauded after settling a bloody land ownership dispute.
Dedicated locals stopped Fort Steele from becoming a ghost town by asking British Columbia to declare it a heritage site. The result is a town that oozes charm and history, drawing tens of thousands of visitors to Fort Steele each year.
Enter the old school house, explore the Masonic lodge, pan for gold, admire the blacksmith’s and tin shops, look at the merchandise in one of the old general stores and visit the bakery. Head upstairs in the old Wasa Hotel and Museum to browse the regional art gallery.
Live shows and fun tours are held daily in summer. See a reenactment by the Wildhorse Theatre to experience the thrills of the gold rush days.Take the kids along for a Livestock Tour to encounter and feed real farm animals or enjoy cheeky encounters during the village’s “Gossip Tour.”
Take a 20-minute steam train ride, leaving daily from the Fort Steele Station in summer. The train stops halfway at an elevated platform for panoramic views of Fort Steele and the St. Mary and Kootenay rivers below.
Fort Steele is about 4 hours by car from Nelson, Spokane and Calgary. There is a fluctuating admission fee, which peaks in July and August and is voluntary in winter. Children of 5 years and under enter for free and family discount passes are available too. You can also get a “Steele of a Deal” day pass that includes all the rides and summer shows. For catering, there is a café, bakery with traditional wood oven, hotel restaurant and ice cream parlor.
