Our ziplines allow you to soar over Kokanee Creek Canyon and meander through the diverse forest ecosystem we call home.
A one-of-a-kind experience, Kokanee Mountain Zipline allows you to soar through the air, surrounded by awe-inspiring nature, mountain and lake views. It's an experience we never take for granted. Not only is the forest essential to our livelihood, but it is also home to many species of birds, wildlife, trees, and other flora. Learn about this place we call home and embrace nature ziplining above one of the most diverse ecosystems in the West Kootenays and BC.
Guide Quick Links
- See the Forest, Lake and Mountains
- Did You Know?
- Sustaining the Forest
- Eco-friendly Events in Nelson
- Apps and Online Nature Guides
See the Forest, Lake, and Mountains Through the Trees
Kokanee Mountain Zipline (KMZ) is located 2.2 kilometres from Kokanee Creek Provincial Park on the way to Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park. Our zipline is situated in the West Arm Development Forest and is one of the few places where you can experience adventure and the freedom of flight amongst nature in its true form.
Our Nelson zipline experience offers some the best views of Kokanee Glacier and the Selkirk Mountain range to the north and the Purcells to the east. Soaring high above, you'll gaze at the west arm of Kootenay Lake, with its distinctive white sand bars as well as West Arm Provincial Park, which extends to Whitewater Ski Resort.
Kokanee Mountain Zipline is located just an 8-10 minute drive from Kokanee Creek Provincial Park!
Did You Know?
- Kootenay Lake is the third largest natural freshwater lake in BC and measures 104 kilometres in length and 3.5 kilometres in width.
- The West Arm Demonstration Forest was developed in the 1980s to address more sustainable forest management and logging practices and is one of the most diverse forests in BC.
- Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park is more than 13,000 acres and is one of the oldest parks in BC.
- When zip lining across Kokanee Creek, you can observe rainforest terrain and wet-climate trees such as hemlocks, cedars, and Douglas firs to the west, and dry-climate trees such as four-foot diameter Ponderosa pines to the east.
Our launch pads and platforms are in the trees so that you land and leap off the same tree while sailing over the tree canopy.
- Our longest and highest zipline travels 1,150 ft. (351m) and 300-plus feet (91+m) over Kokanee Creek Canyon.
- Our resident female black bear, Yeti, gave birth to cubs in 2018. We like to keep a safe distance from our ursine friends and can usually rely on our trusty canine mascot, Wicket, to keep the bears at bay.
- You can fly along with more than 200 species of birds, including osprey, bald eagles, blue herons, western meadowlarks, purple finches, and more than a dozen species of owls.
- Your pets are welcome but must be looked after or kept in your vehicle with the windows down when you’re on the lines.
Take a stroll through Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park.
Sustaining the Forest
As responsible Nelson tourism operators, we like to practice what we preach when it comes to keeping the forest in pristine condition. Before any work on our ziplines begins, we have a team of biologists conduct an environmental analysis and build a mitigation plan so that there is no impact on species such as birds, mammals, amphibians, fish, reptiles, and invertebrates.
We also remove invasive species along our road access to prevent them from spreading via car traffic, and hydra seed with a local seed mix to keep species out of our valuable forest environment.
In 2016, we supported the West Kootenay EcoSociety with our inaugural Community Day.
We ensure our footprint through the woods leaves a minimal impact on the environment.
Eco-Friendly Events in Nelson
Learn about this ecologically diverse area at the number of eco-friendly events and activities in Nelson and area. Know where your food comes from by meeting and buying from the very people that grow and make it. Nelson is home to two community farmers’ markets, operated by the West Kootenay EcoSociety, while Kaslo has a Saturday market, where you can shop for locally grown produce, ready-to-eat products, and handcrafted wares. You can also learn how locals are saving the planet through a variety of services.
Special eco-friendly events taking place in 2019 include:
Kokanee Mountain Zipline Community Day
KMZ is giving back to the community with the fourth annual Community Day, May 27. Enjoy a day on our Nelson zipline with a 50% discounted rate, with all proceeds going to Kootenay Emergency Response Physicians Association (KERPA). The barbecue will be on, and fun is guaranteed.
Nelson Downtown Local Market
Open every Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the newly revitalized and pedestrian-friendly Hall Street in Downtown Nelson. The market operates from June 12 to Sept. 25.
Cottonwood Community Market
Tucked away in the beautiful Cottonwood Falls Park in the east end of downtown, the Cottonwood Market runs every Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. from May 18 to Oct. 12.
Nelson MarketFest
Eat and dance the night away at this twice-annual event, July 26 and Aug. 23 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The 200 and 300 blocks of Nelson’s Baker Street will be closed to traffic and filled with market vendors selling everything from clothes, pottery, to prepared foods. Enjoy live music on the Falls Street stage and live performing artists, painters and more on the Stanley Street stage.
Kaslo Saturday Market
Visit this small town farmer’s market on the shores of Kootenay Lake. Just a short drive from our zipline in Nelson, the Kaslo market is hosted by the Friends of Kootenay Lake Stewardship Society Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Front Street Park, June 8 to Sept. 21.
Explore the different markets to pick up some local goodness.
RedFish Fest
Celebrate the return of the Kokanee salmon to Kokanee Creek Nature Centre, Aug. 25. Free guided channel tours will be offered throughout the day to both Kokanee Creek Provincial Park campers and visitors, along with music, food, kids activities, vendors and more.
Balfour-Harrop Rescue Society's Rubber Duck Race
4th Annual Rubber Duck Race
Pick your lucky duck in the Balfour-Harrop Rescue Society’s annual Rubber Duck Race on Saturday, July 27. This fun event for the whole family takes place on the spawning channel at Kokanee Creek Provincial Park. Proceeds go towards the Water Rescue Service for the West Arm of Kootenay Lake and Queens Bay.
Helping Kids Get Engaged with Nature
Students of all ages can learn about the forest, lakes and streams and the importance of wildlife habitat protection when visiting KMZ and through other nature programs offered locally and provincially.
Kokanee Creek Nature Centre
Located just across Highway 3A from KMZ, the Kokanee Creek Nature Centre in Kokanee Provincial Park features displays and offers in-class nature programs for school groups in May and June as well as one-day nature camps every Tuesday and Thursday in July and August. Operated by the West Kelowna EcoSociety, learn about the salmon that spawn in Kokanee Creek and about local flora and fauna that call this diverse area home. Nature Centre hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily from June 30 to Labour Day.
Follow the Forest Path
Besides ziplining, your kids can get back to nature in and around Nelson with the outdoor programs offered by the Forest Path. Kids can deepen their nature skills in a beautiful natural playground at Nelson’s City Park and on a north shore property just 15 minutes away from KMZ. Both three and four-day day camps are offered to children ages 3 to 12 throughout summer.
Get a Passport to Nature
Children and youth can learn about and enjoy nature close to home through NatureKids BC’s programs. Open to youth 5 to 12, this volunteer-led nature club holds monthly Explorer Day adventures throughout the province, including Nelson. Club members can acquire a Passport to Nature, which allows them to record six outdoor adventures, both Explorer Day outings and other organized outdoor events such as zip lining! Send in your completed passport for the chance to win certificates and a special prize.
A family fun way to explore Mother Nature's many wonders.
Apps and Online Nature Guides
Become a WildSafe Ranger
Be bear aware and learn to live alongside nature by becoming a WildSafe Ranger. Operated by WildSafe BC, the program complements the kindergarten to Grade 9 BC science curriculum and fosters “a basis for an intuitive relationship with and respect for the natural world; connections to their ecosystem and community, and a sense of relatedness that encourages lifelong harmony with nature.”
The WildSafe BC site also offers activity sheets, which you can download, as well as several educational nature videos available for viewing.
For the Birders in Your Family
Learn about the avian species that call Kokanee Glacier Park and KMZ home with the Audubon downloadable bird guide app. Information on more than 800 species of North American birds is available at your fingertips.
If You Go Out in the Woods
Curious of what a cougar paw print looks like or what type of tree you are sailing over when visiting KMZ? MyNature offers a series of apps that provide a comprehensive field guide to animal track identification as well as trees, wildflowers and national parks.
Looking for family-friendly things to do in Nelson? Kokanee Mountain Zipline offers an exciting day out in nature for all ages (must be 50 lbs. and over). Book your adventure today.