Columbia River Basin Wetlands
Golden, Radium, Invermere, Kootenays, British Columbia, Canada
( birdwatching, wildlife viewing )

Columbia Basin Wetlands is a large protected wilderness and wildlife habitat created as part of the Columbia River in the Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada. The wetlands is a popular destination for birdwatching and wildlife viewing. Tours are available in the Kootenay region for exploring the wetlands and its scenery.

The Columbia River is a Heritage River of Canada established in 1996 and then recognized again in 2005 as a International Ramsar Site - the Columbia River Basin Wetlands is one of the largest wildlife wetlands in North America. The wetlands portion of the river extends from Canal Flats to Spillimacheen.

The Columbia River covers over 26,000 hectares extending from the Rocky Mountains in the east to the Purcell Mountains in the west. The river flows over 1,600 kilometres and at times is as wide as 5 kilometres.

The Columbia Basin Wetlands is part of the Columbia River habitat region protecting sensitive grasslands, riparian areas, forest, marshes. bogs, alpine meadows and rocky cliffs The wetlands extends 180 kilometres and is 200 square kilometres.

Starting from the north end of Columbia Lake - the Columbia Basin Wetlands follows Highway #1 through the towns of Radium Hot Springs, Invermere and Golden.

The wetlands consists of bogs, marshes and plenty of sensitive habitat for many species of wildlife. The river and wetland is part of the migratory path for many bird species. In the fall and spring trumpeter and tundra swans stop at the wetlands as part of their migratory route.

The protected area is home to the second largest population of the Great Blue Heron in the west of Canada. Other birds in the area include mallard ducks, trumpeter swans, wood ducks, hooded mergansers, lewis woodpeckers, eagles, american dipper and buffleheads.

The wetlands is also home to wildlife like the Grizzly and Black Bear, wolves, badgers, painted turtles, moose, coyote, beaver. otter and elk.

How to Get to Columbia Wetlands:

Columbia River is best accessed from Highway #1 in the communities of Radium Hot Springs, Invermere and Golden.