Ready for a quirky road trip destination? Nestled between the communities of Castlegar, Nelson, and Trail is the Village of Salmo, a former mining town founded during the gold rush of 1896. And it’s home to a wide range of attractions that might just surprise you.
Outdoor recreation
According to the town’s website, the community is tight-knit and offers visitors a variety of outdoor activities, ranging from hiking and biking to golfing and skiing.
Within easy walking distance of Salmo’s downtown core is the Salmo Municipal Campground, which reopens for the season in May. Visitors can also check out Eerie Lake and its surrounding rivers, which provide fantastic fishing (and ice fishing) opportunities year-round.
During the warmer months, visitors can check out a summer trail network next to the popular Salmo Ski Hill, which is best known for its excellent night skiing.
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Salmo is also part of the Great Northern Rail Trail, which covers around 48 km between Salmo and Nelson, according to the town’s website. During the gold rush era, the rail line served as a crucial connection between West Kootenay mining towns. However, all train traffic into the region ended in 1989, and 10 years later, all of the rails and ties were removed.
The famed trail is now a part of the TransCanada Trail system, allowing hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, and cross-country skiers to enjoy the scenery every season.
Unique town attractions
Finally, we come to some of the town’s quirkiest attractions, which include one of the world’s largest pennies. At eight feet tall, the giant penny was dedicated to Penny Power, a campaign to collect pennies and donate them to the government to reduce the national debt.
Salmo residents made their donations on Canada Day in 1995, and now, the impressive penny can be seen from Highway 6 North.
The town is also home to the world’s oldest phone booth, according to the Village of Salmo, which was made from a hollowed-out cedar tree from the Trout Lake area.
The booth is now located at the Sal-Crest Motel at 110 Motel Avenue.
So there you have it, BC! Lots of unique attractions await at this historic village.
SalmoÂ
Where: West Kootenays, BC
