Many visitors assume that Balfour is only situated on the lower side of the highway. Not so! If you cruise the roads in upper Balfour, you will happen upon beautiful gardens, wonderful views of lake and mountains...and glimpses of history. The old Balfour School house is now the Balfour Hall and Community Grounds. After a short walk past the entrance to the Kokanee Glacier road, on the right hand side, you’ll find the remnants of the Busk Estate. There’s not much left other than...
If you want to explore around the Harrop-Procter area, a good place is West Arm Provincial Park, the site of a number of small isolated beaches. These are only accessed by water. The park has a number of areas for wilderness camping, great swimming and areas of old-growth forest.
There is a non-maintained hike that follows a heritage trail up Lasca Creek. You have to be well prepared for encounters with grizzlies who reside in the ideal bear habitat of Lasca Creek and West Arm...
Celebrate harvest time! The ninth annual Harrop Harvest Festival promises a memorable experience. Browse the displays of local artisans’ unique wares; groove to the musicians; indulge in an impressive array of delightful local foods. Games and contests, from best knitted socks to largest zucchini. Prizes galore and free admission.
Mark Sunday, September 19 on your festival calendar. The fun gets started at 10 am and continues until 4 pm.
Harrop is located approximately 31...
Harrop and Procter are located 31 kms (19 miles) north of Nelson. They are connected to the north shore of the West Arm of Kootenay Lake by a free on-demand cable ferry. The approximately 10 minute ferry ride takes you across the west arm of Kootenay Lake.
Altogether, just over 600 people live in these communities. Procter began as a fishing lodge opened by Thomas G. Procter in 1891. During the 1900s, the community prospered with sawmills and hotels. The CPR steamer, MV Nasookin...
On the first Saturday in September, the Balfour ferry landing is buzzing with anxious young fishermen. It’s the annual 15 & Under Squawfish Derby, and the excitement is building. The kids are registered in age categories at the Gill & Gift, where they receive free maggots, hooks, weights, etc., and there are even a few rods and reels lent out for the day. Off they go fishing off the docks, the shore and some in boats.
Squawfish are considered a coarse fish; they are not...
Discover Kootenay’s best kept secret – 18 holes of spectacular golf! Designed by Les Furber, this prestigious course comes complete with a driving range, putting green, a full fleet of rental carts, and a new clubhouse.
Players will find the front nine carved neatly through a forested region with sand and water hazards strategically placed; the back nine uses the mountains to provide elevation from tee to green and has a breathtaking view across Kootenay Lake to the...
- Launch your boat at Balfour wharf
- Take a fishing or sailing charter
- Get some duck food at Lang's and wander down to the beach to feed the ducks and geese
- Watch the ferry coming in and going out
- Go for lunch and do some shopping
- Play nine or eighteen holes at the golf course
- Hit a bucket of balls at the driving range
- Rent a boat
- Rent a kayak
- Ride the free ferry back and forth a few times as a foot passenger...
A small yet vibrant community, the Village of Balfour is tucked along and above the shores of Kootenay Lake. When you get near the junction of Hwy 3A and Hwy 31A, you are in Balfour country – much more than a few shops and restaurants at the ferry landing!
Balfour was originally a steamboat terminus for all the mining activities up and down Kootenay Lake. In 1889, a wealthy Englishman named Charles Busk, who envisioned Balfour becoming a centre for fruit farming and...
