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Balfour
The Village of Balfour is located 33 km (21 miles) north of Nelson
on Hwy 3A and 35 km (22 miles) south of Kaslo
on Hwy 31. The small communities of Harrop-Procter
are directly across the West Arm of Kootenay Lake from Balfour.
Recreational
Destination
Balfour has been settled for a number of years dating back to the
late 1800's as a sternwheeler terminus and landing to help serve
the mines located on Kootenay Lake. Balfour is now an outdoor recreational
destination for golfers and for people wanting to fish for Kokanee,
Bull and Gerrard trout in Kootenay Lake.
Kootenay
Bay-Balfour Ferry Landing
The main meeting and business areas of Balfour is situated at or
near the Kootenay Bay-Balfour Ferry Landing. Here you can find the
Old World Bakery for a coffee and internet usage, the Dock 'N' Duck
Pub & Grill, which has a great lake view from a beachside deck
and Lang's Marina, which also has a restaurant including take-out
and available slips or fuel for boats.
Other
Businesses
Other businesses in Balfour located at the ferry landing include
Gill and Gift which specializes in fishing gear and helps sponsor
the Bill King Memorial Derby held on the May long weekend plus Blue
Sky Clothing Company, an import clothing store for women. Then,
on Hwy 31, there is the Balfour Superette, a general store that
includes a liquor outlet and post office.
Balfour
Golf Course
There is also a great golf opportunity in Balfour at the 18-hole
Balfour Golf Course located just above the ferry terminal. The Les
Furber-designed course features beautiful views of Kootenay Lake
and the surrounding mountains. The Balfour Golf Course also features
a good place for something to eat that includes breakfast, lunch
or dinner at the Osprey Mountain Grill.
Eagle
View Golf Course
For your short golf game, try the par-three Eagle View Golf Course
situated at Kootenay Lakeview Lodge. The course has a challenging
putting area for practice and makes a good starting point for young
adults and children or anyone who is just learning how to play golf.
Toad
Rock Motorcycle-Only Campground
If you happen to be riding a motorcycle to Balfour, make sure to
visit or stay at Toad Rock, Canada's first motorcycle-only campground.
Famous for the annual Toad Rock Motorcycle Rally that takes place
at the end of June and the 'No-Brainer' deal that comes with this
event, Toad Rock makes a great spot to camp if you're motorcycle
riding on Hwy 31.
North
on Hwy 31
Things to do in the Balfour area include travelling north on Hwy
31 for about 14 km (9 miles) and relaxing at Ainsworth Hot Springs.
Ainsworth has a large pool overlooking Kootenay Lake as well as
thermal pools in a cave. The Woodbury Resort & Marina, situated
just north of here, has a good location on Kootenay Lake for fishing
and features JB's Pub and Restaurant.
Cody
Caves
If you are planning to visit Ainsworth Hot Springs, try and visit
the Cody Caves Provincial Park located high above Ainsworth. The
guided tour price includes helmet, gloves and light rental is especially
great for small children to explore the fragile and magical environment
of a cave.
Gravel
Road
The 10 km (6 miles) steep gravel road up to the Cody Caves is located
3 km (2 miles) north of Ainsworth towards the Woodbury Resort and
Marina on Hwy 31. The rough road is generally travelled only in
July and August; also, take caution for heavy equipment and logging
trucks using it.
Inland
Ferry Service
In order to continue driving on Hwy 3A down the east side of Kootenay
Lake to Creston you have to take a 30-minute
free ferry trip. The inland ferry is operated by Western Pacific
Marine and has two ferries, the M.V. Balfour and the larger
vessel, M.V. Osprey 2000 which travel to the landing at Kootenay
Bay on the east side of Kootenay Lake.
Harrop-Procter
The Harrop-Procter area is situated at the tip of the West Arm of
Kootenay Lake across from Balfour. To access either of the two villages
of Harrop or Procter you have to take the five-minute Harrop-Procter
ferry across the West Arm. The ferry landing is located 7 km (4
miles) south-west of Balfour on Harrop Ferry Road.
Accommodations
Throughout the Balfour area, you can find a number of marinas, campgrounds
and resort accommodations. These include the Balfour Beach Inn,
the Birch Grove RV Park & Marina, the Kootenay Lakeview Lodge
and Kokanee Creek Provincial Park.
Information
on Balfour
Accommodation
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