There is a saying amongst Fernie locals that goes “come for the winter, stay for the summer.” Fernie may be known for its epic skiing, but the summer is when this town truly shines.

Getting There

From Calgary: A 3-hour drive. Head south on Hwy 22 and then west on Hwy 3. For people who have done this drive in the winter, you will be surprised at how nice it is in the summer months without intense ice and wind.

From Vancouver/Western BC: Head East on Highway 3 until you hit Fernie! It is about an 11-hour drive from Vancouver.

From Montana/Idaho/Washington: Fernie is only a 2-hour drive north from Whitefish.MT (head North on Hwy 93) and a 4-hour drive Northeast of Spokane, WA (head north on Hwy 95).

Flying: You can fly into Calgary (3-hour drive) or Cranbrook (1-hour drive) airports. There is a shuttle service offered by Tunnel49 for both airports, but it is expensive, so it may be worthwhile to rent a car.

Where to Stay

In/Near Town:

There are several basic hotels in the town of Fernie, within walking distance of most activities, such as the Red Tree Lodge, Park Place Lodge, Best Western, and even a hostel (Raging Elk Adventure Lodge)

Outside of Town:

• The Stanford: on the river and had a large indoor waterslide
• Lizard Creek Lodge: located at Fernie Alpine Resort, which has direct access to the chairlifts and other resort activities. Condo style and one of the more upscale hotels in town
• Island Lake Lodge: The full luxury remote resort. Located up a long dirt road, you will find a stunning hotel nestled in the trees (note that you can take a day trip here in the summer, and it is well worth it, just check their opening calendar before you go).

Camping:

• Fernie Provincial Park – beautiful forested campground. It can fill up fast, so try to book early
• Fernie RV Resort – must have a camper to stay here, but it’s quite a nice RV park with lots of amenities. It is right near the river and within walking distance of town.
• Fernie Alpine Resort – they turn one of their parking lots into a campground. You can tent camp, but I would recommend a camper. Great mountain views, but no trees or typical campground ambience. First-come, first-served.

While it is convenient to have a car in Fernie, you can get around in other ways in the summer.

• Walking: If you stay in town, you can walk to downtown, to the river, to the grocery stores, to hiking trails, and more. You will not likely want to walk all the way to Fernie Alpine Resort if you intend to go there.
• Biking: This is the locals’ choice of transportation in the summer. You can get anywhere in town in about 5 minutes on a bike, and you can even bike directly to mountain bike trails within 10 minutes. The town itself is fairly flat. You can even bike all the way to the Ski Resort, though you will have to conquer a decent hill at the end of the ride (biking back to town is a lot of fun, though).
• Summer Shuttle: For the last few years, there has been a free summer shuttle that takes people around town and up to Fernie Alpine Resort from approximately 9 am to 5 pm. Check into this before you go, as it is not guaranteed to run every year.
• Rentals: If you want to rent a bike, visit GearHub. If you need a watercraft rental, check out Tunnel49

Where to Eat and Drink

Coffee: Rooftop Coffee Roasters is always my go-to. Miners Mud (just outside of town) also has a great outdoor area and pretty good coffee.

Breakfast: For a full sit down, eggs benedict and all, check out The Bridge Bistro. For a quicker bite, check out Big Bang Bagels.

Lunch: Big Bang Bagels is a good choice for lunch as well. Lunchbox does healthy wraps and smoothies. Chopstick Truck (just outside of maintown) does Vietnamese fusion and is super tasty, it is also only open in the warmer months, so don’t miss out.

Dinner: Nevados (Latin) is hands down my favorite restaurant in town (get Tacos and margaritas). Yamagoya (Japanese) is also very popular. The Brickhouse does more elevated pub food. If you want a very nice upscale dinner, check out Cirque at Fernie Alpine Resort (they have limited hours in the summer, so check before you go).

Drinks: The Fernie Taphouse is my favorite pub in town for drinks or dinner. The Fernie Brewing Company is worth the visit. Bramasole has an excellent backyard (rather than a back patio), and they also have great happy hour specials for wine and cocktails. The Bridge Bistro has the best patio in town, overlooking the river. If you want something super tasty, check out the Fernie Distillery; they have excellent cocktails (and a patio too!)

Things to Do

This is an outdoorsy town through and through, but even if you don’t want to go hiking or fishing, you can still wander through the cute downtown, hear some live music, and have a drink on a patio.

1. Go for a Hike

Hiking in the Rocky Mountains is a must-do activity. You can find a full list of hikes in Fernie here. I suggest checking out Island Lake Lodge hikes, Fernie Alpine Resort Hikes, and hikes near town, such as Mount Fernie and Castle Rock. If you are up for something more challenging, my personal favorite is Mount Hosmer.

Bear spray is encouraged, and be sure to make noise on the trail; wildlife is abundant here.

2. Go for a Bike Ride

Fernie has excellent mountain biking. You can buy a lift ticket and spend the day barreling downhill at Fernie Alpine Resort, or you can head towards the Provincial Park (Gorby and Lazy Lizard are grinds but very loved). Or you can bike directly out of your accommodation in downtown Fernie and head to the trails in Montane or Ridgemont. Montane is the perfect level of beautiful and cruisy, or you can try Swine Flu on Mount Proctor if you want something more challenging. Find more trail info on The Fernie Trail Alliance’s website.

If mountain biking isn’t for you, but you still want to ride, there is a great path that goes along the river (partially paved, partially compact gravel/dirt) and around town. Any kind of bike will do on this path.

3. Go Fly Fishing

Remember all of the perfectly beautiful scenes in “A River Runs Through It”? Well, that is what fishing in Fernie is like. You see people carrying their fishing poles down to the river all day, every day in the summer. The rules are quite strict to conserve the natural environment. Rules such as catch and release only, no barbed hooks, and a required fishing permit. To find more info, get your permit, or book a guide visit Elk River Guiding Company in person or online.

4. Float the River

We love floating on the river, but be sure to be safe. Be sure to bring water, a safe flotation device, and sunblock.

I recommend floating from the bridge on the north end of town near Canadian Tire to James White Park. The river can be dangerous and unpredictable beyond this stretch. The other great bonus of this stretch is that you don’t have to have a car (though it does help). If you are staying in town, you can walk to the bridge, drop into the river, then walk back into town from James White Park. This could add 20 to 40 minutes of walking onto your day, so make sure you are prepared for that if you choose to go carless, and bring shoes!

5. Visit a Nearby Lake or Hang by the River

Most of the swimmable/paddleable lakes are a 30 to 45 minute drive from Fernie, so you will definitely need a car if you plan to visit one. My personal favorites are Surveyors Lake (one of the earliest lakes to warm up), Norbury Lake, and Grave Lake, though there are plenty more to choose from. If you want to go cliff jumping, hike into Silversprings Lake. If you want to go boating, check out Lake Koocanusa.

If you just want to pop down by the river in Fernie and hang out, you can find little spots all over the place, but the most popular spot is at Dogwood Park Boat Launch. Walkable/bikeable from downtown, but there is also abundant parking.

6. Take the Kids to the Splash Park

Outside of the Aquatic Center, there is a free-to-use spray park. It is a lot of fun for kids (and adults) on a hot summer day. It is a quick and easy way to cool down.

7. Take a Chairlift Ride

Head up to Fernie Alpine Resort for a variety of activities.

You can, of course, head up there to bike or hike, but you can also head up Elk Chair and play at the Forest Grove Playground, or visit Nature Bob’s and learn about fossils. You can head up Timber Chair on the weekends and get a cool drink and listen to live music with epic views.

Check out Fernie Alpine Resort’s website for opening hours, ticket pricing, and events.

8. Go White Water Rafting

White water rafting is a fun and popular activity in Fernie. Check out Canyon Raft or Tunnel49 to book a trip.

9. Catch Some Live Music

Live music is king in the summer in Fernie. Every Wednesday evening in July and August there is live music, drinks, and food trucks downtown at Station Square.

Most weekends, you can find Live Music at Lost Boys at the top of Timber Chair at Fernie Alpine Resort.

If you happen to be here in August, you will see Annex Park transform into Wapiti Music Festival. Grab tickets early because they do sell out!

There are frequently live music and other small events happening around town. Check out the Fernie Calendar of Events here.

10. Go Golfing

I admit, I am not much of a golfer, but every time I am at the Fernie golf course, I am blown away by how pretty it is. The mountain views are abundant, and you often see wildlife on the course. My friends and family who are golfers say it’s a great course. Find more information and book a tee time on their website.

11. Have a Meal or Drink at Island Lake Lodge

Or go for a hike!

Island Lake Lodge is gorgeous and serene. Drive through the provincial park and keep going up a winding dirt road until you emerge into a clearing with a beautiful wooden lodge. There are lots of hikes here (see hiking above), and there are also two restaurants. The Bear Bistro, with a large patio, is more casual and open during lunchtime, whereas the Tamarack Dining Room can be booked for a fine-dining dinner.

Definitely worth the dusty drive.

Be sure to check their website for opening hours because they often close for part of the week for private events.

12. Visit the Farmers Market

The Fernie farmers market is definitely a small-town market. It takes place at Rotary Park on Sundays throughout the summer. Though there aren’t rows and rows of goods to wander through, it still makes a lovely outing.

There is another market on Saturdays at Baynes Lake, which is south of Fernie. It is about a 30-minute drive, but it could be a great place to start your day before heading to a lake in the area.

13. Go Cliff Jumping

A short (but steep) hike will lead you to SilverSprings Lake (the trailhead is about a 25-minute drive from Fernie in Elko). The water is cold, but it is a lot of fun. Please take care when jumping, watch out for obstacles, and ask others where to jump.

14. Visit the Brewery

Mentioned above under drinks, this one deserves its own category. Located in the more industrial part of Fernie, you will find the booming brewery. Take your bike, get a flight, and enjoy on the patio. Hit the Deck is a personal and local favorite.

15. Play Disc Golf

In James White Park, there is a full disc golf course. It is forested and serene. You can rent a set of discs from GearHub, but you can also buy one from Edge of the World, Canadian Tire, or almost any sports shop in town. “Lizard Range Disc Golf Course” in Google Maps will get you to Hole 1.

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Enjoy Fernie! I first moved to Fernie in 2018, and I love it here. I hope you love it too!