Kimberley

Situated between the Purcell and Rocky Mountains in the Canadian Rockies is a four-season destination with the town of Kimberley at its heart. The area has an abundance of outdoor recreation to suit everyone with Kimberley itself, known as the Platzl,  the main hub for activities and shopping. It is a fully pedestrian-only zone with a distinctly Bavarian flavour and home to Canada’s largest freestanding cuckoo clock. Golfing, mountain biking and a variety of hiking, from casual day or half-day hikes within the community’s Nature Park, to day or multi-day backpacking trips up the St Mary Valley and other pristine valleys in the area. Visit Marysville Waterfalls, over 100ft high; take a wander through Cominco Gardens with thousands of stunning blooms; hop on the train in town or at the Kimberley Alpine Resort for a journey into the Sullivan Mine. In the winter there is Nordic skiing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and more.

Location

Located on Hwy 95A, 32 km (20 mi) north of Cranbrook, 39 km (24 mi) west of Fort Steele and 42 km (26 mi) south of Skookumchuk in south-eastern British Columbia and 407 km (253 mi) west of Calgary, Alberta.

A Step Back in Time

Kimberley began as a mining camp at the end of the nineteenth century. It was named by William Ridpath, a Spokane lawyer who hoped the camp would have the same luck as its namesake in South Africa. After the discovery of high grade ores nearby, Kimberley blossomed into a small mining town. Throughout the next century, the underground Sullivan Mine was developed, producing lead and zinc ore.

Kimberley was incorporated as a city in 1968, and officially became known as “the Bavarian City of the Rockies” in the early 1970s.