The East Kootenay
Around Cranbrook
Trails, a mountain, a railway path and three heritage sites within reach of the resort.
St. Eugene sits in the middle of the East Kootenay, with the Purcells on one side, the Rockies on the other, and towns, trails and heritage sites within an hour's drive. This page lists what the resort recommends and what we could verify, with distances only where a source gives them.
Walks and hikes the resort recommends
| Walk | Length and time | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| Eager Hill | 1.4 km, about 20 minutes | A former forest-fire lookout with an open view of Fisher Peak and the Steeples; a picnic table at the top |
| Isadore Canyon (Chief Isadore Trail and Bee Line Climb) | 4.51 km loop, about 1.5 hours | 360-degree views of the Rockies and Purcells; moderately hard; dogs welcome |
| Wycliffe Buttes | 2 km, 130 m up | Rockies to the east and Purcells to the west; an easy grade |
| The Hoodoos (Columbia Valley) | 20–25 minutes to the top | Hoodoos 395 feet high over Columbia Lake and Dutch Creek |
| Fisher Peak | 5 km, 6 to 9 hours, 1,292 m gain | The summit seen from the resort; for experienced hikers only |
The resort asks walkers to check the forecast, pack properly and learn about the local wildlife before setting out. Along the way, it says, you may see Lewis's woodpeckers, ospreys and Rocky Mountain elk. The Isadore Canyon trailhead is at the rest-area pullout on Highway 3/93/95, across the highway from the Eager Hill hike.
Cycling
The NorthStar Rails to Trails path follows an old railway line for 26 km between Cranbrook and Kimberley. It is paved, with washrooms, picnic tables, benches and bike repair stations along the way, and transit connects to several of its starting points. The trails on Eager Hill are for mountain bikes.
Heritage
The resort points visitors interested in the region's industrial history to three places: Kimberley's Underground Mining Railway, the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel in Cranbrook, and Fort Steele's heritage town. The Ktunaxa Interpretive Centre in the Mission Building is the place to start, though. It has its own page: the Interpretive Centre.
On the water and in the saddle
The resort describes the area as having 309 lakes and 1,183 rivers, with summer stocking from the Kootenay Trout Hatchery, and the St. Mary River runs past the resort. Trail-riding outfits work across the region, and Cranbrook's tourism office lists them. For more of a thrill, the resort mentions guided white-water rafting, ATV tours and heli-tours in the South Kootenays.
More golf
The resort says seven courses lie less than 24 minutes apart in the area, which makes it a base for a week of golf rather than a weekend. Its Pro Shop takes requests for custom golf packages.
Where this comes from
Walks and hikes and nearby activities, read 15 November 2026.