Let our adventure park zipline inspire you to see more of our local environment.
When you’re flying over our 2,400-foot cross-canyon zipline course, the biggest highlight is the stunning view of the majestic old-growth Douglas fir and pine forests. If you’re looking for more things to do around Nelson BC this summer to tack on to your ziplining adventure and get closer to nature, we want to spotlight the Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park just north of us.
What is Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park?
Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park is a beautiful park north of Nelson that encompasses Kokanee and Woodbury Glacier, feeding into over thirty lakes across the park. Surrounded by cliffs and rockslides, the park contains some of the most scenic mountain countryside of southern British Columbia.
Established in 1922, the park was established with several conservation efforts, including conserving grizzly bear and mountain goat habitats and representing the ecological resources of the Selkirk Mountain ranges. As one of the oldest parks in the province, many of today’s well-beloved hiking trails were originally built for miners hauling ore and supplies.
From Kokanee Mountain Zip Lines, you can easily reach the provincial park by driving north on Hwy 31, 10km past Ainsworth, and up Woodbury Creek for 13km until you reach the trailhead.
Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park Operations
There are four main operational aspects to the park: Kokanee Glacier Cabin, Kokanee Glacier Backcountry, Silver Spray Cabin, and Woodbury Cabin.
All three cabins are reservable for camping, though only the Kokanee Glacier Cabin (which sleeps up to 20 in the summer) is open year-round. Both Silver Spray Cabin (sleeps 10) and Woodbury Cabin (sleeps 8) have camping seasons starting July 1 and going through October 8 this year. Regardless, these campsites can be the perfect way to experience this historic provincial park for extended days, giving you the option to see the beauty of Nelson at your own pace.
The Kokanee Glacier backcountry offers thirty backcountry hike-in campsites in the park (though no facilities are provided) at $10 per night per adult ($5 for youth under 16). While this option can be a more affordable option over the cabins to spend the night in the provincial park, keep in mind that these wilderness sites do require backcountry permits for use.
Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park Activities
Whether you’re staying overnight or simply visiting for a few hours, the biggest draws to this BC tourist attraction are hiking and fishing.
With 85 km of hiking trails, there is a range of hikes suitable for hikers and climbers of different skill levels – whether that’s the 2.5km Gibson Lake Trailhead Loop Train (contains views of surrounding peaks and old mine-workings) or the 7km, 5 hour-long, Woodbury Creek Trailhead to Silver Spray Cabin Trail (a steep trail with flower meadows and rich mining history sites), or any of the many in-between trails.
If coming to the park to fish in Gibson Lake, keep in mind that a fishing license is required, and only non-motorized boats are permitted to utilize the provided boat launch.
Interested in more cool camping spots? Check out our guide: Nelson BC Camping Spots You Can’t Afford to Miss This Summer.
Kokanee Mountain Ziplines gives kids and their families a bird’s eye perspective of the wilderness around them. Plus, it’s a complete rush for that little adventurer inside of all of us. Visit zipkokanee.com to book a tour.