Creston

The Valley of the Swans — a fertile Kootenay valley town famous for fruit, wildlife, and the warmest winters in the BC interior.

Creston sits in the broad, flat Creston Valley at the southern end of Kootenay Lake, where the Kootenay River fans out across a fertile floodplain before entering the lake. It is one of the warmest and sunniest communities in the BC interior, sheltered by the Selkirk and Purcell mountains and blessed with a climate that supports orchards, vineyards, and market gardens that would be impossible further north. The Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area is one of the most important wetland habitats in western Canada. The managed wetlands along the Kootenay River floodplain provide critical nesting and staging habitat for hundreds of thousands of migratory birds, and the area is internationally recognized for its biodiversity. Tundra swans stop here in enormous numbers during spring and fall migration — the sight of thousands of swans on the valley floor is one of the great wildlife spectacles in BC. The Wildlife Centre offers excellent interpretive programs and guided tours. The Creston Valley is also a significant agricultural producer. The orchards here produce exceptional cherries, apples, and other tree fruits, and the local farmers' markets are a summer highlight. Columbia Brewery, home of Kokanee beer, has been brewing in Creston since 1959 and offers tours of its facility. The town itself has a pleasant, unhurried character with a good selection of shops, restaurants, and services. The surrounding mountains offer hiking, mountain biking, and backcountry access, and the Kootenay Pass on Highway 3 — one of the highest highway passes in BC — provides a dramatic gateway to the rest of the Kootenays.