We are in the Canadian state of British Columbia and are driving through the Kootenay National Park. The natural beauty here is overwhelming, the lakes sometimes as blue as the sky itself, on other days they color deep jade green. It invites to many stops. Kootenay National Park is known for the diverse landscape, ecology and climate. The Banff-Windermere Highway (93) forms the tourist route through the park. The road follows the Vermilion and Kootenay River and takes you through the Sinclair Canyon to the famous mineral baths of Radium Hot Springs. Other attractions are the Marble Canyon with its white-gray walls and the Paint Pots, colored pools. Just before Fernie we arrive in Fort Steele Heritage Town. This is a living museum. There are demonstrations and theater shows and you can take rides on the steam train or horse and carriage. Fort Steele is located fourteen kilometers north of Cranbrook on Highway 93/95.

We stay in Fernie. After the great fire in 1908, the center of Fernie was almost completely rebuilt and most buildings date from that time. The City Hall (1905) is one of the buildings that did survive the fire and was used to shelter victims and survivors of the fire. The Holy Family Catholic Church, a brick structure in the shape of a cross, the Court House, a castle-like building and the Fernie Heritage Library, a paradise for book lovers, are special to visit. Guided tours of the mines where Fernie existed are also possible
thanks. It is possible to do a tour through the coal mines all summer long. The tours start from the visitor center of Elkford or Sparwood and last approximately one and a half hours. Before the walk in the underground corridors, an explanation is given about the past of the mine. The trip
ends at a vantage point high above the mines.

In this 4-star route you drive on beautiful good roads, through a breathtaking environment, the Sinclair Pass, a long mountain range, too many to list them all. A coffee tank stop is planned in Invermere, where you will get off Highway 93.

History:
William Fernie, a major player in the coal industry, founded Fernie in 1898. The town still earns income from the mining industry, but after the first ski hill was opened in 1963, Fernie has also become a popular holiday destination.

Fernie was hit by a major fire in 1904 and 1908. The fire of 1908 destroyed the city in 90 minutes. After this, Fernie was completely rebuilt. There is a legend that the city is cursed by an angry Indian and that the fires are the result of his revenge.