Seven Invermere & Area Walks and Photo Spots
- Wes
- Jul 21, 2020
- 4 min read
We love spending time in the Invermere area! It's a great place to explore with the family. Here is a list of some of our favourite spots to go for a walk, take in the beautiful views and snap some picturesque photos.
You can't miss it! You'll pass right through this amazing canyon coming in to Radium on Highway 93 from Calgary.
Sinclair Canyon is so cool to see from your car when you pass through. It's also easy to get up close and grab some photos because parking is right next to the canyon. Meaning, it's only a few short steps to stop and wander through and have a look.
Even if you're excited to get to your destination to get settled in, it's 100% worth the quick stop on the way through.
In addition to the canyon itself, there's also a small waterfall right beside the road and a nice lookout point a bit further down to take in the canyon, waterfall and surroundings.
It's a beautiful spot any time of the year. We never get tired of it!
If you're staying at Lake Windermere Pointe, you're only steps away from James Chabot Provincial Park and the Dragonfly Boardwalk.
This is a short stroll but it's nice that it's so close by to LWP and there is still lots to take in with the wetlands, Windermere lake, and maybe even a passing train.
The leading lines of the boardwalk are always great for capturing the kids being kids. Lots of stray sticks for wizard wands or pretend fishing rods and all the fun things kids like to imagine.
When the the boardwalk ends, you can continue on alongside the lake or even head out onto the lake if it's frozen. Depending on the time of year, you'll often see an array of ice fishing shacks in the winter or moored boats in the summer.
Wilmer Wetlands is a nice mild walk which was a great for our young family. If your kids like bugs, we have never seen so many ants and beetles.
Even though the walk is mostly flat, it still has a great view of the Columbia River Valley. We were even able to spot a huge Blue Heron.
Depending on which loops you take and how far you go, you'll find a few small hills but nothing Aria (2.5 years old) couldn't handle with a little help from Christine. As always, be careful getting too close to the edges, but if you keep your eyes open, you'll see an old smashed up car that seems to have taken a plunge.
Lower Bugaboo Falls was a bit more difficult than Wilmer Wetlands but is still another family friendly hike we enjoy.
Don't forget the bug spray on this one. We also always like to bring a bear bell and bear spray as a general rule / precautionary measure when in the woods.
We've only ever encountered a momma black bear and her cub when we were in Waterton a few years ago. I remember Maddox wanted to go over and walk with the bear but I was able to pick him up and slowly back away. Thankfully the bears weren't too interested in us but ever since that day, we like to bring it to be safe.
The hike is about 1.3 km each way, so 2.6 km round trip. The boys were fine for the whole walk. Aria and I had to adopt our policy of "if you walk all the way in, I'll carry you out".
5. Lillian Lake
Lillian Lake is always so calm when we've been there. Our kids could throw and skip rocks in the lake for hours.
It has a nice picturesque dock and various picnic table areas, so it's a great place for a picnic lunch.
Right across from the lake parking are some mountain biking trails. We haven't tried any of these out yet but are planning to bring the bikes on the next trip out to the area to give it a go.
During the winter months, the Toby Creek Nordic Club also maintains a path on Lillian Lake for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Confession... our timing wasn't great and we arrived when it was closed so we haven't actually been inside the library yet but it's on our to do list.
I love the modern contemporary design. The Radium Library is a great-looking facility with beautiful architecture and landscaping. We enjoyed our stroll around the area and peered in the windows excited for the day we can check it out.
7. Joe's House
As much as I love modern architecture, I also love old heritage buildings! Just seeing them stand the test of time, they instantly make you reflect on how the world has progressed and changed over the years. They also make you think about how people used to live versus how we live now.
I don't know exactly what it's called, what it is, or what it was, but we called it Joe's House because you'll find it tucked behind Joe's No Frills / to the right of the road leading to Eagle Ranch Resort.
We love adventuring in the Invermere area. Honestly, this list could could go on and on but these are seven of our current favourite spots. Check them out if you're in the area to make a capture of your own memories.
