Trail
Around Trail
Photo: Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · British Columbia · 14k people
Trail
Locals say West Kootenay · “Silver City”
Small-town heart, big-mountain soul.
Trail Smoke Eaters orangeKootenay pine greenSmelter silver
Welcome to the West Kootenay, where the mountains meet the river and the community is as warm as the summer sun. Whether you're here for the powder, the trails, or just the friendly faces, you'll find a place that feels like home.
Clubs for Trail
No clubs for Trail yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Trail. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Trail. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre Local history and mining exhibits in a historic building.
- Gyro Park Riverside park in Trail with playgrounds and picnic spots.
- Trail Memorial Centre Home arena for the Trail Smoke Eaters and community events.
- The Museum of Trail Displays on the city's smelting and hockey heritage.
- Columbia River The river that runs through the valley, central to outdoor life.
- Salmo Museum Small local museum in the village of Salmo.
- Outdoors Skiing at Red Mountain
- Outdoors Hiking on Rossland trails
- With kids Skate at the Trail Memorial Centre
- With kids Visit the Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre
- Evenings Après-ski at Red Mountain
- Evenings Live music at local pubs
- Locals love Ski hills
- Locals love Mountain biking trails
Through the year
- Shambhala Music Festival July Electronic music festival held near Salmo each summer.
- Silver City Days May Trail's spring community celebration with parade and events.
- Rossland Winter Carnival January A winter weekend of games, races and family fun.
- Red Mountain Opening Weekend December Kickoff of ski season with festivities on the hill.
- Rossland Mountain Film Festival March Showcase of outdoor adventure films at local venues.
West Kootenay has a continental mountain climate with cold, snowy winters and warm, dry summers. The valley can be foggy in winter, but the mountains get plenty of sun. Best: Summer and winter are prime: warm, dry days for hiking and biking, and reliable snow for skiing.
Talk like a local
- “The Smoke”
- Trail's nickname, from the Smoke Eaters hockey team.
- “Red”
- Red Mountain Resort, the local ski hill.
- “The Kootenays”
- The broader region, often used as a point of pride.
- “Pow”
- Fresh powder snow, essential for skiing.
Getaways
Local flavour
Teams
- Trail Smoke Eaters BCHL
Also rooting for Vancouver Canucks (NHL), BC Lions (CFL), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS), Toronto Blue Jays (MLB)
Eat and drink
- Cornish pasty
- Kootenay craft beer Local breweries in Rossland and Trail offer distinctive mountain-style ales.
- Ski-town comfort food Hearty meals like chili, burgers, and poutine served at base lodges and pubs.
Where people go
- Red Mountain Resort A renowned ski hill with deep powder and challenging terrain.
- Mountain trails and the Columbia River Hiking, biking, and river recreation are central to the outdoor lifestyle.
- Community hockey rinks Hockey is a passion, with local rinks hosting games and public skating.
Heritage and traditions
Trail and the West Kootenay are proud of their mining and smelting heritage, small-town resilience, and world-class outdoor recreation, from the ski slopes of Red Mountain to the Columbia River.
This time of year in Trail
- Fall colours Autumn The larch trees turn gold in October, drawing photographers.
Say it like a local: “The Gulch” — A local area in Trail, possibly a ravine or gully.
Festivals
- Festa Italiana June Celebrates Trail's Italian heritage with food, music, and community.
- Golden City Days September Rossland's heritage festival honouring the gold rush era.
Landmarks with a story
- LeRoi Mine A gold mine from the 1890s that sparked Rossland's boom.
- Rossland's historic downtown Heritage buildings from the gold rush era, now home to shops and cafés.
Food traditions
- Italian-Canadian homemade sausage and pasta Brought by Italian immigrants who worked in the mines and smelter.
- Huckleberry pie Made from wild huckleberries picked in the surrounding mountains.
- Sourdough bread A mining-era staple that remains a local favourite.
- Smelter workers' lunch pails A tradition of hearty packed lunches, often including pasties.
Music and arts
- Local folk and bluegrass music Informal jams and small concerts in Rossland and Trail.
A little history
- 1890s Rossland gold rush
- 1896 Trail smelter opened
- 1961 Trail Smoke Eaters win World Championship
- early 1900s Construction of Columbia River bridges
Rivalries
- Trail Smoke Eaters vs Nelson Leafs Hockey rivalry between the two Kootenay towns.
- Red Mountain vs Whitewater Skiers compare the local hill to Nelson's resort.
- Game day Trail Smoke Eaters hockey games
- Game day Red Mountain ski racing
- Outdoors Huckleberry picking
- Outdoors Cross-country skiing
- With kids Huckleberry picking
- With kids Sledding
People here speak with a typical Canadian accent, peppered with mining and outdoor terms. You'll hear references to the smelter, the Silver City, and powder days.
Only here
- The world's largest zinc smelter operates in Trail.
- The Trail Smoke Eaters are the only hockey team with that name.
- Rossland is known as the 'Golden City' for its gold rush past.
- Red Mountain is famous for its deep powder skiing.
New here? A few tips
- Embrace the winter: it's long and snowy, but that's when the skiing is best.
- Try a Cornish pasty from a local bakery—it's a regional staple.
- Learn to ski or snowboard; Red Mountain is a community hub.
- Get ready for small-town life: everyone knows everyone, and community events matter.
- Be prepared for mountain weather—layers are essential.
Make this page better
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Nearby
Every areaWest KootenayBritish ColumbiaWhere mountains meet orchards and hot springs.NelsonBritish ColumbiaWhere mountains meet the lake and art thrives.Bonners FerryIdahoGateway to the SelkirksPend OreilleWashingtonHome to the wild Pend Oreille and the Selkirk high country.SandpointIdahoLife at the edge of the lake and the sky.East KootenayBritish ColumbiaWhere the mountains meet the skyPentictonBritish ColumbiaWhere sun-soaked orchards meet the lake's edgeCranbrookBritish ColumbiaMountain air, small-town heart.
Trail. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.