Salmo calls itself the “Hub of the Kootenays” because it lies at the junction of two main highways. It is a friendly village with a population of 1,120. The main industries are logging and tourism.

The pretty town features heritage wooden buildings from the 1920s and 1930s and there are local attractions that keep visitors coming all year round. Salmo, Erie and Ymir were small mining towns that grew up along the right-of-way of the historic Nelson/Fort Shepherd Railway during the gold rush years of 1896 and 1897. Gold, silver, lead, zinc and tungsten were mined in the surrounding mountains and Salmo grew as a centre for supplies and entertainment. The Salmo/Ymir area has many exceptional forest based recreation opportunities. The logging roads that have been carved into the mountains provide access into the backcountry for snowmobiling and cross country skiing. The local ski area has great downhill skiing/snowboarding. Other fantastic winter activities to pursue in Salmo include backcountry skiing, snow shoeing, dog sledding and winter fishing.