This stunning mountain village in B.C. is known as ‘the little Switzerland of Canada’

Road trip season will be here before you know it, and there’s no place better to set your sights than the quaint mountain village of Kaslo. Situated on the doorstep of Kootenay Lake and the Kootenay Rockies, the charming village has had a fascinating transition through history, starting with its 19th-century mining roots.

An entirely wooden town

When the town was first incorporated in 1893, residents boasted that it was the “neatest wooden town in B.C.,” according to Visit Kaslo. Despite the huge fire risk, Kaslo didn’t get its first fire alarm system or telephone until 1896, though it didn’t come soon enough.

After a series of threats to burn the town down, Kaslo finally fell prey to a fire in 1894, which destroyed almost an entire block of Front Street. Four months later, nearly half of Kaslo was flooded, giving residents little time to recover.

The “little Switzerland of Canada”

Despite its rocky start, Kaslo has earned the title of the “little Switzerland of Canada” for its towering, snowy peaks, pristine beaches, and self-contained community. Despite rising in popularity with international visitors, Kaslo retains its small-town charm.

Today, you can explore Kaslo’s mining history at a museum underneath a coffee shop, revealing what it was like living in a place once known as the “mining metropolis of the world.”

Visitors can also explore a number of beachside and forested trails, or opt for a stroll down Kaslo’s historic downtown, which is lined with Victorian-era buildings. This includes the short but scenic trail to Fletcher Falls, a small but powerful creekside waterfall with a moss-lined grotto.

Among Kaslo’s quirky landmarks is the world’s oldest intact sternwheeler – a steamboat driven by a single paddle wheel that sits on the western shore of Kootenay Lake.

How to get there: Drive nine hours from Vancouver via Crowsnest Highway/BC-3 E.

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