Fairmont Hot Springs
So you are looking for a mountain getaway that is not way off the beaten track, but also offers world-class golf, hot springs, fine dining and other amenities
Check this out. Fairmont Hot Springs, a full-service resort community located between Columbia Lake and Lake Windermere, offers breathtaking scenery with the Rockies serving as the backdrop.
Fairmont started humbly. Named after a Philadelphia, Pa. suburb (Fairmont), white settlement began in the area in 1888, with the naturally heated mineral springs the draw. It was an important destination point for travellers making their way between Fort Steele and Golden because of what it offered - a soothing break. By 1898 weary stagecoach travellers would make their way to the pools to enjoy the therapeutic values for the body and mind and a series of rustic operations catered to them. But it was not unt il the late 1950s that Fairmont began to garner much greater attention. In 1957, Lloyd and Earl Wilder and other local businessmen purchased a large amount of land and set to work on their ambitious development plans. The partners of Lloyd Wilder subsequently sold out and he became sole owner of the development which has remained in the family and is now run by his daughter Carol.
The focal points of the five-star resort are the lodge, with comfy rooms and various fine dining opportunities, as well as the adjacent hot pool facility. No bathing suit - no problem. The Wish Shop, next door to the pool ice cream/snack centre as well as inside the lodge, has all the items you need. The resort operates a spacious R.V. park in the summer and a fun family ski hill in the winter. Take the hike along the creek and check out the falls and lower springs pool. Careful, it is slippery by the water. You should also check out the orig inal site of the hot pools, just above the lodge. Trail rides and mini-golf are also available at the resort.
Just downhill is Mountainside Golf Course, a Fairmont Resort property, which offers up a challenge or two with its 18-hole sloping fairways and raised greens. Mountainside also features a pro shop and dining facilities. Across the highway from Mountainside and the resort is the Riverside Golf Resort with its well outfitted pro-shop, superb dining opportunities and friendly atmosphere of an old English-style pub, not to mention its award winning 18-hole course. The headwaters of the Columbia River meander through the 18-hole award winning course, which also offers practice facilities for your driving and putting. Fairmont shopping and services have improved greatly in the past few years.
Real estate information can be obtained at Marble Canyon and Rocky Mountain Realty, in the mall that also offe rs groceries, video rentals and other shopping opportunities. Adjacent to the mall is Wildside Gift Shop. Jeffer Esso at the north end of town is a great highway stop. Lodging options in Fairmont are numerous, whether you are looking for a motel room or campground site. There are a number of dining options from pizza to prime rib and plenty of friendly folks to make your stay enjoyable and diverse. Along with the lodge and Fairmont Vacation Villas, Fairmont also offers accommodations at Spruce Grove Resort at the south end of town. Fairmont is an easy drive to Invermere, Radium Hot Springs and other valley centres. The community also features an airport capable of handling aircraft as large as 737s.
Finally, always remember that you are on the edge of the Rocky Mountain wilderness - meaning you are sharing the land with its original inhabitants. Grizzly bear and cougar are among those original residents. We recom mend you read up on how to share this incredible space with our valued neighbours. The valley information centres (in Invermere and Radium Hot Springs) offer good literature on this subject along with a plethora of other informative items.
Business Information at
www.VisitFairmont.ca
