40 BEST Things To Do In Golden, BC

There are many great things to do in Golden, BC, during the summer and winter months. Golden is only a short drive away from our home, so every year we take quick trips to check out all the activities and explore outside of the Canadian Rockies. Heading to Golden is an excellent addition to any trip to Banff or Jasper, and it’s also more reasonably priced than the mountain towns in the Canadian Rockies.

Golden is an outdoor lover’s paradise in a growing town nestled in the mountains. It is an excellent destination for any traveler looking to explore more of the great Canadian wilderness. If you’re looking for ideas about what to do in Golden, we have you covered!

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Where is Golden?

Golden is a small town with a population of under 4000 people in southeastern British Columbia. The closest major city is Calgary, and it takes about three hours to get from Calgary to Golden. Golden is built around the confluence of the Columbia and Kicking Horse Rivers and is surrounded by the Purcell and the Rocky Mountains.

It’s the perfect location near five national parks: Yoho, Banff, Jasper, Glacier, and Kootenay. Golden is located right off Highway 1 (the Trans-Canada Highway), which makes it a great stop on any Western Canada road trip, especially when connecting Vancouver to Calgary.

Its accessibility to Yoho National Park and affordability compared to Banff and Canmore make it a popular summer tourist destination. With the development of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, it is slowly creeping up the map as a world-famous ski destination.

Golden’s history is strongly tied to the Canadian Pacific Railway and the logging industry, and after visiting, you can still see the remnants of an old railway town. Now, one of the town’s main drivers is outdoor adventure and tourism!

Land Acknowledgement: Golden and the surrounding Columbia Valley are located on the Homelands of the Ktunaxa Nation. The Secwepemc People also traveled through the region, and the Metis Nation, Columbia River Society, call Golden home.

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How Long Should You Spend in Golden?

We love visiting Golden and think you need at least 2-3 days to explore properly, but you won’t be bored basing yourself in town and spending a week exploring the surroundings.

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Best Things to Do in Golden, BC

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Get a Feel for Downtown Golden

Compared to nearby mountain towns like Banff and Jasper, there is not much to Downtown Golden, but it’s still well worth a walk around when you first get there. Pop into the few shops, enjoy a drink outside at the Rockwater Grill, or just promenade next to the lovely Kicking Horse River.

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Walk the Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge

When walking around downtown Golden, it’s worth it to venture over to the Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge, which spans 46 meters over the Kicking Horse River. It’s well-loved in the community and a beautiful bridge to stroll around with a coffee from Purcell Coffee or Bluebird Cafe.

The Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge is remarkable in that it is the longest freestanding timber bridge in Canada. Timber Framers came from many nations to help raise the bridge, many of them volunteers, as there was only a $485,000 budget to build the estimated $2 million bridge.

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Horseback Ride Along the Blaeberry

One of the best things to do in Golden is to saddle up on a horse and enjoy a horseback ride through the stunning region. We really enjoyed our time doing this on a cool September morning. Unlike where we live in Canmore, the terrain and land are entirely different, just two hours away.

Think lush forest, diverse plants, unique wildlife, fantastic green space, and fewer people around. You could easily take a hike along the Blaeberry, but we honestly loved exploring it by horseback as it gave us a whole different viewpoint from our many hikes in Alberta. See Bear Corner Bed & Bale for horseback riding tour options; hourly rates start at $90.

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Have Lunch at Thompson Falls

A beautiful but easy and short hike around Golden is the Thompson Falls forest hike. This moderate hike only takes 3 hours round trip and provides spectacular views of Thompson Falls. This trail has a connection that was used by First Nations as a trade route!

After our horseback ride, we decided to have lunch here and were shocked by how few people came back here on the weekend. It’s a great place to go with families or pets and enjoy nature for a bit. Careful walking around – you don’t want to slip in here!

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Meet Boo, The Bear

No trip to Golden would be complete without paying a visit to Boo, the Grizzly Bear first! At Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, there is actually a Grizzly Bear Refuge, the largest single bear refuge in the world.

That’s right, right on Kicking Horse Mountain is a 20-acre area home to Boo. That means in the winter, you can literally ski and snowboard past a (sleeping) grizzly.

When Boo’s mother was sadly shot in the wild at just five months, the cub was given a home at the Grizzly Bear Refuge. He’s been living his lazy bear life here for the past 20 years and has become an icon of Golden and Kicking Horse Mountain.

It’s here that Boo hunts, forages, and plays around in his wide-open space. He’s an impressive and massive creature and a remarkable sight in Golden. Boo is observed and monitored in his natural area, and many great studies about Grizzlies have come from this refuge.

You can visit him throughout the day, but interpretive tours are offered at select times every day in the summer to help visitors understand Grizzly bears further.

Those wishing for a more in-depth experience can join the RAP (Ranger Assist Program). The RAP program is only offered twice a day without the general public. By partaking in this program, you get to see how Boo is fed his supplements every day and get a more private, in-depth tour. Find more info here!

Note that Boo is still a grizzly living on 20 acres of land, so there is no guarantee you will see him. Though, each time we have visited we have had fantastic luck!

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Test Your Skills on the Via Ferrata

Via Ferrata means “Iron Road” in Italian, and that’s precisely what this is, an Iron Road up a mountain. Essentially, it’s a climbing route with harnesses, steel cables, iron rungs, pegs, ladders, and bridges, making an ascent up a massive mountain in Canada completely safe!

This is one of the best Via Ferratas in Canada and offers many different route options from beginner to advanced. The “ascension route” is the most difficult and is even said to be one of the hardest Via Ferratas in North America. At 465 meters and a summit of Terminator Peak, it just may be one of the best!

Sadly, for the second time in a row, we got rained out of our Via Ferrata experience at Kicking Horse (the first was just two months before on Mt. Norquay). However, we know we’ll be back to conquer this one!

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Have a Beer at Whitetooth Brewing Company

After you’ve had enough mountain fun for the day, the only natural thing to do is unwind at a Whitetooth Brewery. This is one of the only breweries in Downtown Golden and offers incredible Belgian-inspired homebrews. It’s also one of our favorite breweries in the region, beating out Banff Ave Brewing and The Grizzly Paw in Canmore.

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Face Your Fears on the Golden Skybridge

The Golden Skybridge is Golden’s newest attraction. It opened in summer 2021 and is one of Canada’s Highest Suspension Bridges.

This is one of the most exciting things to do in Golden for all ages as it’s not every day you can walk 426 feet above a vast canyon. Surrounded by the Columbia Valley, walking across this skybridge while a river and waterfall crash below you is memorable.

There’s also a play park for the children, a beautiful outdoor eating area, and plenty of nature to take in. The whole experience should take you around an hour unless you decide to add on the…

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Zipline, Canyon Swing, and Mountain Coaster

Right at the Golden Skybridge are two more exciting Golden activities! Great for kids and families is the zipline that has visitors racing across a 1,000-foot canyon. The zipline has four tracks that can go at once so friends and siblings can have fun racing each other.

Also brand new is the Golden Giant Canyon Swing. Designed for two people, this swing will send adventurous souls free-falling over the canyon edge. It’s one of the only experiences like this in the region!

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Hike the Iceline Trail

• Length: 14.2 km
• Duration: 5-9 hours
• Elevation Gain: 864 meters
• Difficulty: Moderate-Hard
• Best Time To Go: Summer
• Parking: Takakkaw Falls Parking Lot

The Iceline Trail is one of the great hiking trails in Yoho National Park. The whole 14.2 km trail is simply stunning, offering waterfalls, glacier views, glacier lakes, and beautiful wildflowers (if you hit it in summer).

This trail is rated as moderate as there isn’t much elevation gained and no scrambling to overcome, but it is long. Expect the Iceline to take anywhere from 6-8+ hours, but it’s all worth it for a day spent near glaciers and waterfalls. Alternatively, if you don’t want to rush your time, there are campsites along the trail, though they’ll have to be booked out in advance in the summer season.

If you aren’t comfortable exploring the Canadian wilderness independently, a guide is a great option. Laura from Self Propelled Adventures is exceptionally knowledgeable and will guide you safely through these trails.

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See Laughing Falls and Twin Falls

If you don’t want to hike the entire Iceline trail, you can shorten it a bit and just hike to Laughing Falls. This is an easy hike that starts at the same parking area as Tak Falls. The trail to Laughing Falls is a 7.8km round trip trail with an easy 128 meters of elevation gain. The trail ends at the base of Laughing Falls, which is an impressive sight. If you want more of a day, then continue to…

Twin Falls! The trail to Twin Falls via Laughing Falls is a gorgeous one, and if you like big impressive waterfalls, you’ll want to continue hiking. From Laughing Falls, you’ll have to continue around 6.5 km to Twin Falls on simple terrain.

As you may have guessed, Twin Falls are two rushing 80-meter waterfalls – side by side twins, as you can say! If you get to see both, consider yourself lucky. When we visited in mid-September, only the right fall was flowing (see photo).

If you want to see both falls, it’s best to do this hike as a loop so that you can also stop at Marpole Lake; however if you do the loop, be prepared for a moderate boulder field to hike. If you are feeling extra adventurous, you can continue up to summit Whaleback Mountain, an easy scramble and the easiest summit in Little Yoho Valley. (Big day that requires experience hiking in the Rockies)

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Marvel at Takakkaw Falls

Takakkaw Falls, “Tak Falls” for short, is the second-highest waterfall in Canada and one of the most impressive waterfalls in the Canadian Rockies. At 373 meters high, Tak Falls is a sight to behold. The falls are fed by the meltwater of the Daly Glacier, part of the Waputik Icefield.

During the summer months, the falls’ volume is massive, but during October and into the winter, it’s like someone turned the taps off. *Also, the Yoho Valley Road closes around mid-October, cutting off access to Tak Falls.

The best part is that viewing Tak Falls requires no effort. You can drive right up to the parking area in Yoho and get grand views of the falls in less than a 10 minute walk. However, in my opinion, the best views of the falls are from the Iceline Trail.

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Walk to Wapta Falls

Wapta Falls is the largest waterfall of the Kicking Horse River and one of the best things to do in Yoho National Park. Wapta Falls is 18 meters high but what’s really impressive is that it is a whopping 107 meters wide. Getting there requires a short hike (5km round trip) with minimal elevation gain.

There are a few lookout points from above, but I highly recommend hiking down to the base of the falls for the best views. If you really feel like getting sprayed in the face, you can walk up a short hill in front of the falls for the best views.

I love visiting in the summer, but I honestly think Wapta Falls are even more beautiful in the winter when the ice freezes over and the surrounding peaks are covered in snow.

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Canoe Around Emerald Lake

Emerald Lake is an icon of Yoho National Park and is a great half-day trip out from Golden. Located just one hour away from Golden is this stunningly blue lake where you can enjoy a walk around the Emerald Lake Trail or rent a canoe and paddle around for a few hours.

The photos seriously don’t do this amazing place justice. Emerald Lake is one of the busiest of Yoho’s 61 lakes and ponds, so it’s best to get there early or later in the afternoon to avoid crowds.

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The Natural Bridge

If you’re heading to Emerald Lake, you need to stop at the Natural Bridge on either your way in or out. The Natural Bridge is a stop-off point on Emerald Lake Road. However, the turn-off is easy to miss, so watch for it on your left as you head up to Emerald Lake.

The natural bridge is what it sounds like—a natural bridge made out of rock cut by the Kicking Horse River. It’s an unusual sight, especially in the winter!

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Enjoy Sherbrooke Lake and Scramble Paget Peak

Paget Peak is a great place to start for those experienced hikers wanting something a little bit more challenging. Paget Peak is in Yoho National Park and is technically a scramble, but an easy scramble that provides downright breathtaking views.

At 9.5 km and almost 1000 meters of elevation gain, summiting Paget Peak will require some effort, but I promise it’s worth every step. If you want an easier option, the hike to the Paget Lookout is also glorious and has much less elevation gain and distance.

Or, to get a good workout, continue to the peak; it’s a steep grind up loose scree slopes, but you’ll feel a real sense of accomplishment once you reach the peak. Paget Peak took us around four hours round trip to complete, with a 30-minute summit break to take in the views!

Don’t forget to stop at Sherbrooke Lake on the way down – it’s just as blue as Lake Louise but without all the crowds!

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Hit Up the Mountain Biking Trails

Golden has some of the excellent mountain biking. There are over 185 km of cross-country trails with most around Mount 7. Then you have the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort with a lift-assisted downhill park. For bike rentals, make sure to check out Selkirk Ski and Bike.

Afterward, fuel up at Double Black, the fabulous coffee shop. Serving Kicking Horse Coffee at the base of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort.

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Get Wet on the Kicking Horse River

For those after some thrilling adventure who don’t mind getting wet, one of the best things to do in Golden is white water raft on the Kicking Horse River. This is a wild spot popular with kayakers for its Class II to IV rapids.

The Kicking Horse River takes rafters from the Canadian Rockies to the Columbia River confluence. The season typically runs from the beginning of June to mid-September, and tours can be booked with Glacier Raft Company, starting at $100 per person. They have half-day and full-day tours that vary in difficulty!

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Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Center

If you’re wondering what to do in Golden with kids consider checking out the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Center. Like the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary in Cochrane, this wolf center is a unique facility dedicated to raising awareness and conservation for the wolf.

The center is home to nine resident wolves, and guests can visit them, learn, and photograph on a 25-minute interpretive tour. Adults can also book 1.5 hour-long photography tour where they can walk with wolves without any fences, leashes, or boundaries. It’s a thrilling and unique experience everyone should partake in when visiting Golden.

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Meet Chester Jr.

You can meet bears in Golden, you can meet wolves in Golden, and – you can meet a buffalo in Golden, BC! Chester Jr., the Buffalo lives at Rocky Mountain Buffalo Ranch with Leo the Wonder. Chester is the chief bull with his heard of Buffalo.

Another fun thing to do in Golden for families is head here to learn about these amazing creatures and the history of the land. Kids are free to visit and adults are $15. There is one buffalo tour every day at 10:15 during the summer months! Find more information here.

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Paddle and Fish on the Columbia River

The Columbia River is a B.C. Heritage River and the largest river in the PNW, and the fourth-largest by volume in all of North America. The source of the river is Columbia Lake past Invermere, which flows through Golden and to Revelstoke.

Near Golden, the Columbia River is a popular place for locals to head and canoe, kayak, fish, and stand up paddleboard. There are plenty of fishing spots to set up – if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to catch Rainbow Trout, Walleye, and Whitefish.

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Hike to Gorman Lake

Escape the crowds you may have seen at Emerald Lake and Lake Louise and hike to a beautiful alpine lake where you will likely be the only one there.

Gorman Lake is stunningly blue and set among some goliath peaks that will take your breath away. To reach it, you’ll only have to hike 3.3 km (one way) and gain less than 300 meters from the Gorman Lake trailhead.

The only kicker is it’s at the end of the Dogtooth Forest Service Road, which is a rough road that should only be tackled by a high clearance vehicle.

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Golden Museum

One of the best things to do on a rainy day is visit the Golden Museum. This small museum is located just one block off Ain Street. It shares the history of the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Swiss guides who shaped Golden, BC, into what it is today. Admission is donation-based, and the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday.

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ATV Tour

I love Golden because you have quite a bit more freedom than inside the national parks, and visitors can enjoy doing activities like an ATV tour. While there are no ATV tours in Banff, Canadian Offroad Adventures in Golden offers half-day and full-day tours through dense forests and up high into the mountains.

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Hike in Glacier National Park

Golden is nearby to so many national parks! Kootenay, Yoho, Banff, and even Jasper National Park aren’t too far away.

However, many people forget that Glacier National Park, situated between Golden and Revelstoke, is a natural beauty. There are fantastic hiking opportunities in the summer and some butt-clenching backcountry ski opportunities in the winter. Some of my favorite hikes are the Great Glacier Trail, the Asulkan Valley Trail, and, for an extra-long day, the Abbott Ridge Trail.

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See the World’s Largest Oar

If seeing the world’s largest oar is on your bucket list, you can see it Golden! Certified by the Guinness World Records, you can see the Largest Hand Paddle on your way to Invermere (see here). This oar is scaled up to 13 times and made of one western red cedar log over 60 feet!

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Stand Up Paddleboard on One of the Many Lakes

One of the best things to do in Golden in the summer is get out on the many lakes with a stand up paddleboard. There’s nothing quite like floating on an alpine lake with beautiful scenery all around you.

Some of the best lakes to take a stand up paddleboard near Golden are:

• Kinbasket Lake
• Gorman Lake (inflatable sup as it requires a hike in)
• Reflection Lake:
• Cedar Lake

Rivers to paddle on (best done with a guide):

• Kicking Horse River
• Columbia River
• Blaeberry River

For rentals and guides, it’s best to look at Higher Ground Sports, Alpine Rafting Guides, Golden Paddle, or Golden River Adventures.

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Day Trip to Revelstoke, Invermere, or Radium Hot Springs

Golden is only two hours away from beautiful Revelstoke and Invermere. The town of Radium Hot Springs takes about 1.5 hours. If you want to explore more of the Columbia Valley or get out of Golden for a bit, we recommend checking out these other great mountain towns.

One of our favorite things to do in Radium is relax in the Radium Hot Springs, while in Invermere we always enjoy mountain biking at Panorama.

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Dine at Eagles Eye Restaurant

Open year-round, dining at Canada’s highest restaurant will not disappoint. Perched atop the mountains at 2300 meters (7,700 ft), this is one of the best places to dine in Golden. Take the Kicking Horse Gondola up and you’ll find yourself right at Eagles Eye.

It’s best to head here for lunch so you can enjoy the stunning views around you. On a weekend day, we recommend making a reservation as this place is very popular!

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Hike on Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

Head up the Golden Eagle Express Gondola in the summer for sightseeing and hiking. From the top there are plenty of Alpine hikes available ranging from easy to hard. Some of the best ones are the CPR Ridge Trail, Terminator 1 Ridge, and Terminator Peak!

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Golden in the Winter

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Ski/Snowboard at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

British Columbia is well known for its legendary ski resorts, and Kicking Horse consistently makes the list. The mountain used to be serviced for heli-skiing only, but with the new addition of a massive gondola, a world of terrain has opened up to everyone. This Canadian ski resort is no beginner mountain with some crazy double black diamond cutes and bowls. Spending a day (or a week!) at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is one of the best things to do in Golden in the winter.

Over half the runs on the mountain are either rated as black or double black, and it’s well known for being an advanced and expert rider mountain. What makes the mountain even better is its location on the Powder Highway. Kicking Horse is known for getting epic snow dumps and being the ‘Champagne Powder Capital of Canada.’

However, with a gnarly mountain and little snowmaking and grooming capabilities, the mountain is prone to the weather. Hit it on the wrong day, and you may be met with bulletproof ice and moguls unless you head to the more difficult-to-access steep terrain. This is, unfortunately, what happened to us, but if you catch it on a powder day, you’ll find untouched tracks and deep powder if you don’t mind waiting in the one gondola line.

While crowds are far from what we witnessed, we have heard the legendary terrain draws a crowd on a powder day.  Single-day lift tickets for Kicking Horse start at $124.95, and it’s best to pre purchase online for the best deal.

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Enjoy the Fresh Powder on a Snowmobile

People travel from Canada and the United States just to go snowmobiling in the Columbia Valley. There are some seriously epic places to take a sled, with bottomless powder everywhere. Unlike Banff or Yoho, there are plenty of places around Golden that are not in a national park, meaning there are few restrictions on snowmobiling and engines.

You can bring your own sled to Golden if you have one or rent one with Golden Snowmobile Rentals. They also offer guiding services to show visitors the area, which we highly recommend if it is your first time out.

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Go Nordic Skiing at the Dawn Mountain Nordic Center

Just near Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is the Dawn Mountain Nordic Center. There are over 33 km of groomed trails that weave in and out of the forest with peek-a-boo mountain views at many turns.

We are by no means expert cross-country skiers and found many beginner-friendly trails perfect for us! Nordic Skiing is the ideal to do in Golden in the winter when you only have a short time to get out, as some trails can be completed in under an hour. Or you could easily spend all day here.

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Have a Meal in an Igloo

Reposados is one of Downtown Golden’s newest restaurants and is the first place you should head after enjoying all the things to do in Golden. Established by two local Golden women, Reposados was born when they realized Golden, BC, was missing a little spice.

They bring a fresh and unique twist to traditional tacos and only use the freshest produce to create mouth-watering dishes. Everything is made fresh daily, and you can truly taste it when you take a bite of a burrito here. We were initially drawn here because of the healthy-sounding menu, and now we eat here every time we visit Golden!

Reposados is located right in the heart of downtown; it’s pretty hard to miss. Although their indoor dining is small, they have a great outdoor seating area with domed seating in the cooler months! These are the best igloos in Golden and actually stay pretty toasty in the winter with the help of a few heaters. There are only two igloos, so it’s best to make a reservation!

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Catch the Freeride World Tour

The Freeride World Tour, or FWT Pro, is an annual series of events held around the world between January and March every year. This competition features the best of the best in freeride skiing and snowboarding and is where the best athletes worldwide compete for gold. The events happen at famed ski destinations, including Verbier, Fieberbrunn, and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort.

The event happens every winter, typically on famous Kicking Horse zones like Ozone or T2. As long as you have a lift pass and can ski yourself to the event space, watching the event is free. Although you can watch it live on YouTube or TV, we can speak from first-hand experience that watching world class skiers and snowboarders rip down a huge mountain face in person is much more exciting.

Watching men and women throw 180s, 360s, and huge air off massive cliffs is our kind of Super Bowl. The event usually happens in Golden in mid-February, but pay attention to the dates on the Freewide World Tour page. If watching live event like this is interesting to you, we recommend planning your trip to Golden around the dates listed. FWT will announce a weather window, and then choose the best day in that weather window to hold the event!

If you want our full winter guide to Golden, see here!

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Where to Stay in Golden?

We’ve visited Golden multiple times, and we always stay at different places each time. There are so many hidden gem accommodation options in the area. Unlike staying in Canmore or Banff, many more private BC cabins and chalets are available due to looser rental units’ restrictions. We’ve stayed at all the following options and loved all of them!

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Recommended Golden Restaurants

• Reposados: Golden’s hippest new restaurant is right downtown. They have great outdoor seating and serve up absolutely delicious burritos, tacos, and bowls – fantastic for vegetarians and vegans too!
• Jitas Cafe: Unassuming small cafe open for lunch. Fair prices and good for a quick bite!
• Ethos: For a cup of Joe, Ethos is the place to go. They serve up anything from chai lattes to traditional black coffee.
• Wandering Fern Coffee: A pop-up coffee stand that turned into a full shop in Downtown Golden with delicious coffee.
• Cedar House Restaurant: Cedar House leans more towards fine dining in Golden, in a beautiful and serene setting.
• Whitetooth Mountain Bistro: We had a fantastic meal at Whitetooth Bistro. They cater to any dietary needs and have everything from Italian to Asian cuisine.
• ELEVEN22: You’ll likely need reservations here as it’s not very big and is super popular with locals and visitors. ELEVEN22 dishes up modern food with fresh ingredients.

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Map: Golden Activities

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