Invermere

Located in the Canadian Rockies and situated alongside Lake Windermere, one of the warmest bodies of water in the Kootenay valley, is the town of Invermere where life is all about afternoons at the beach, boating on the lake, exploring art galleries and downtown shops. As well, golfing, fishing for trout and hiking to the Lake of the Hanging Glaciers which takes you through lush forests, up steep switchbacks, past several awesome waterfalls and into alpine meadows is an amazing day trip although best left for the avid hiker. Easier trails also provide spectacular views. West of Invermere, in the heart of the Purcell Mountains, is Panorama Mountain Village where the focus is on adventure throughout the summer and winter.

In addition to the beautiful natural landscape, the region also has a rich culture. It is home to the Windermere Valley Pioneer Museum, as well as the Pynelogs Cultural Centre. The museum exhibits hands-on history of life in the region. While the Cultural Centre is used primarily as an art gallery.

Rowers on Lake Windermere near Invermere, BC.

Location

Located at the northern end of Windermere Lake on Hwy 93/95 in the Kootenay River Valley. Invermere is just 19 km (12 mi) south of Radium Hot Springs and 19 km (12 mi) north of Fairmont Hot Springs. The city of Cranbrook is 134 km (83 mi) to the south and the community of Golden just 120 km (75 mi) to the north.

A Step Back in Time

Invermere was established in 1810 as a trading post. It originally went by the names Copper City and Canterbury before settling on the name Invermere, a Scottish name derived from the words ‘Inver’ (“out of the mouth”) and ‘mere’ (“lake”).