Come and See Kicking Horse Mountain Resort’s Spectacular Wildlife
There’s plenty of wildlife to see at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. From elk and deer sightings in the village, to a grizzly bear refuge and wolf centre.
Although the chance of viewing wildlife during your stay at Kicking Horse Resort is quite high, there are a couple of places where you can have almost guaranteed encounters with some of the local animals at local interpretive centres.
In addition to these top-notch facilities, keep a watch for deer and elk during your stay and as you approach Golden and Kicking Horse from the east, you will likely see the resident bighorn sheep population.
Kicking Horse Wildlife Refuge
During the summer months, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is home to the world’s largest enclosed and protected Grizzly Bear Refuge.
The resident grizz, Boo was orphaned as a cub and has settled in at Kicking Horse. Visitors can see him play, forage, swim and snooze in his wild environment. Guided tours are offered hourly throughout the summer months. For a more in-depth experience, join the private Ranger Assist Program and spend 2 hours with one of Boo’s keepers and assist with feeding and the chance for one on one conversation with a bear specialist. This is an experience not to be missed for any bear enthusiast.
Details
Season: June 28 to September 1
Tours: Offered hourly from 10-4, 7 days/week (no tour at 1pm)
Ranger Assist Program: This 2hr tour starts at 9am, daily and must be booked in advance.
www.kickinghorseresort.com/purchase/summer-lift-tickets/
1-800-SKI-KICK
Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre
Come learn about these mysterious animals at this interpretive facility just outside of Golden.
The staff at the centre offer 20 minute interpretive talks throughout the day right at the perimeter of the wolf enclosure. Watch the wolves moving throughout the enclosure and learn many interesting facts about them. Why do they howl? Do they really howl at the full moon? Why are they so important for our ecosystem?
The centre also offers a photography program for professional and amateur photographers to help you capture spectacular photos of the wolves. Even if photography is not your passion, these tours offer a great opportunity to hike alongside one or two wolves and get close to these wonderful animals.
Details
Hours: Open year-round from 12 noon to 4pm and extended hours through the summer.
Tours: Photography tours require advance booking and a 50% deposit. No bookings required for the 20 minute interpretive talks.
www.northernlightswildlife.com
1.877.377.WOLF
PLANNING A VACATION TO KICKING HORSE?
We have a selection of vacation rentals in Kicking Horse and Golden to suit a variety of needs. Call our highly knowledgeable Destination Experts who can answer any questions you may have about the wildlife at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, or our selection of accommodations.