The formation of the Kootenai Falls was said to be due to a succession of phenomena. The underlying…read moreBelt Supergroup layer of crust was the result of the despoition of quartzites, mudstones, and shale from when the area was an ancient sea floor. Next, tectonic forces caused there to be a folding action where the crust compressed up against a different tectonic plate as they were headed in opposite directions. The Kootenai River exposed the hard rocks of this Belt Supergroup including the tectonic folds and faults that now resulted in the "steps" over which the river flowed. Such violent geologic forces ultimately would give rise to the rugged Rocky Mountains that dominated the Continental Divide. This would separate the ancient seas of the west and the Great Plains to the east. The Kootenai Falls bridge was initially built in 1937 to help the US Forest Service access forest fires on the other side of the Kootenai River, but a major flood destroyed it in 1948. The bridge was rebuilt in the 1950s, and with the creation of the Libby Dam, and was protected from flooding. This particular bridge I believe was rebuilt in 2019. The best thing about it? Not many people know it's there. Worth your time to visit.

I've been to the great Kootenai (Pronounced Coo-tah-knee) Falls and Swinging Bridge a few times and…read moreit's amazing every time! Pretty short and easy hike to both. If you're in Northwestern Montana you must come here and then take a trip to nearby Glacier National Park. Right next to where you park at the trailhead to Kootenai Falls, there a little shop that sells treats and wares called "Main Street Perk 2.0 at Kootenai Falls". We got some bottled water and Huckleberry ice cream. Don't miss out on the ice cream!

First off: our guides, Cassie and Bri were excellent and kept us safe and secure and also eased…read moreour nerves as we took off on this high flying adventure. This involves no climbing or other physically taxing activity except walking from the van to the zip line start and a small walk from one zip line to the next. Basically, anyone under 265 lbs can do it. There is the option after the first zip line to bow out, if you find you really hate it, so you should definitely at least give it a go. The views are exhilarating and it's wild to go flying across a deep mountian canyon. Again, while it seems scary, it's very safe and very fun. Thanks for the great adventure!

If you've never been on a zip line this is a fantastic one to start with. Great management with…read moreoutstanding service and very safety oriented. Guides were super through the six zip lines making sure you were having fun and safe on the platform. Fantastic scenery as you crisscrossed the valley with views of the creek, lake and mountains.

Apparently this is the quintessential Nelson hike. Nelsonians (is that what you're called, guys?)…read morehike it on the regular and there's a good amount of people on the trail, all of whom are very friendly. There are a few parking spots allocated for the trail, but they fill up quickly, so you'll likely be parking alongside Johnstone Road, which can be a bit tricky. Dogs are allowed on the trail and in true Kootenay hospitality, there are even dozens of hiking poles for you to use and return to the beginning of the trail. The trail itself goes straight up for 1.8 Km each way. If you give yourself a break at the top to enjoy the view (which, why wouldn't you??), the hike takes about 2 hours. I like a big payoff for my hikes in the form of an amazing view and Pulpit definitely delivers one. Pulpit was a really good way for me to get to know Nelson.

Not much in the way of food and lodging but nice camping/beach spot. Water is pretty cold. Nice…read morevolleyball net

Beautiful campground and huge sandy beach. Amazing creek winds through the trees with a wooden…read morefootbridge to cross. One of the biggest campgrounds on Priest Lake. It also fills up fast, so make a reservation.

Wow! What a treat. So accessible and hidden in plain sight. Beautiful boulder waterfalls. Lush…read moregardens. Small bridge over river. Flower beds. Some Japanese items. Saw an American Dipper too!

If you're looking for glacial lakes and alpine vistas, come here. The moderately rated 4 km trail…read morethat starts from Gibson Lake at the parking lot to Kokanee Lake offers some terrific alpine access and will make you feel as though you're stepping onto the edge of Alaska (but a bit more tame). You can continue on to the Glacier via Keyhole Trail (steep) or take a day to round the mountain and camp out. Wildflowers are vibrant in mid to late summer and numerous waterfalls intersect the trail. You might consider carrying bug spray to fend off a few mosquitoes near the lakes, but the views are certainly worth it! Make sure if you are staying overnight that you use the provided chicken wire to surround your car -- the porcupines apparently have a hankering for brake lines. Have never had a problem leaving mine unprotected during the day! Make sure that your car is higher clearance and that the wheels are all ready for adventure! You don't need a 4WD car at all, but you might feel like you wish you had a truck at times (depending on condition). I've driven it in a lower Mazda 3 and almost considered turning around. Definitely worth it, though!

I had always thought about checking out what the Cody Caves tours were all about. This dated back…read moreto over 20 + years ago when I had lived in Nelson BC for a short period, but never managed to make the time. Well today was the day and boy what a fantastic experience it was! There are a variety of levels for their cave tours depending on what you want to experience and how long you would like to spend in the caves. Reservations must be made ahead of time in order to secure your spots on the tour. Once booked, they will email you information on how to get there along with most everything you will need to know before you go. We chose the family tour which takes you about 300 meters into the cave. This tour is a great introduction to caving for anyone feeling apprehensive or claustrophobic. In terms of attire, definitely bring a change of shoes and socks as you will trek through many wet parts of the cave and past an underground waterfall. Long pants that do not constrict movement and range when your climbing over rock formations is recommended. I had a T-shirt and shorts and was totally fine in the 5 degree temperature. Most may prefer long pants for warmth and additional protection for your legs if you accidentally stumble. In the event you wear shorts, pack bug spray for when you hike to the caves from the park parking lot at the top. The road entrance leading to the caves from the highway is a 10 km-ish dirt forestry road. You do not need a 4x4 or truck to drive it. In fact two people from our tour group drove up in a Mazda 3 front wheel drive vehicle. The initial 2.5 km may appear a bit intimidating at first, but the rest of the route is smooth sailing. You should allow 30 minutes to get yourself from the highway entrance to the Cody Caves Provincial Park parking lot. If you start your trek up about an hour before you tour start time, you will less likely run into traffic flowing the opposite route (from previous tours). Something you will want to avoid as the road is narrow and would require you to back up to an area passable in the road. Once you arrive at the top and meet your guide, they will walk you through your adventure ahead and show you on a map where you will be going. After setting ever one u on with gloves, helmet and head lamp. You begin a short hike (20 minutes or so) up a couple hundred meters to the cave entrance. From that point you will be in for an amazing and memorable adventure! Our guide was fantastic! This was his 7th season as a guide for Cody Caves and he was incredibly knowledgeable and informative throughout the entire tour. The one cool thing that you do not notice is that there is absolutely no light coming in to the caves from outside in only 5 minutes into your trek. It's incredible how much your group's' headlamps fill the caverns during your trek in the caves. Depending on the pace of your tour group, you should allow about 2 hours from your scheduled start tine to return back to your vehicle from the caves (sometimes previous group may be slower return back to the tour cabin too) so allow yourself time if you had any plans following your tour adventure. Cody Cave tours is definitely a must do on your list especially if you plan to pass by Ainsworth. We will definitely return to check out their other style of tours the next time we are back in the Kootenays.

Had a simply splendid experience spelunking with our guide Lee! We tried the Explorer Tour. This…read moretour has a bit of everything! Splashing through glacier fed spring water, short rock climbs, rope assisted climbs (even up a small waterfall!), ladder climbs, tight squeezes, very tight squeezes and tons of amazing calcite formations from stalagmites, stalactites, straw formations, drapery formations, cave pearls.....all very cool. We were the first guests in the cave this year and were even treated to the sight of hibernating Daddy Long Legs Spiders . Highly recommend this caving tour experience.