Kimberley

The Bavarian City of the Rockies — a charming mountain town with world-class skiing and a unique alpine character.

Kimberley is a mountain town in the East Kootenay, perched above the St. Mary River valley at an elevation of 1,113 metres — the highest city in Canada. It reinvented itself in the 1970s as a Bavarian-themed tourist destination after the Sullivan Mine, which had been the economic foundation of the community for decades, began its decline toward closure. The Bavarian theme — complete with a pedestrian Platzl, a giant cuckoo clock, and architecture inspired by the Alps — gives Kimberley a distinctive character that has proven surprisingly durable. Kimberley Alpine Resort is the centrepiece of the town's outdoor recreation offering. The resort has a vertical drop of 750 metres and receives excellent powder snow from the Purcell Mountains, with terrain that suits all ability levels. The ski area is compact and family-friendly, with a village atmosphere that makes it a popular destination for families and groups. The Kimberley Nature Park, one of the largest urban nature parks in Canada, encompasses over 800 hectares of forested hillside immediately adjacent to the town. The park has an extensive trail network for hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing, and the views from the upper trails over the Rocky Mountain Trench and the Rockies beyond are extraordinary. The Sullivan Mine Interpretive Centre tells the story of the mine that shaped Kimberley for nearly a century. The Sullivan was one of the largest lead-zinc mines in the world, and the interpretive centre provides a fascinating look at the industrial heritage of the region.