Calgary to Fernie, British Columbia: Weekend Family Getaway

Fernie is a small town is southern British Columbia, 70km west of the Alberta border. The town is known for having an annual accumulation of 30 ft of snow during the winter months. While Fernie attracts double its population in the winter thanks to its ski hills, it’s actually a bustling place to visit in the summer. Calgary to Fernie is a 3 hour journey and it is a perfect weekend getaway to enjoy with the family.

How to Get To Fernie

Due to it’s proximity to Alberta, there is an over abundance of day trippers and weekenders waiting to explore the area. The easiest and most affordable way to get to Fernie is by driving, but here are other options in case you don’t have access to a car.

By Car:

If visiting from Calgary, head south on Hwy AB-2 towards Nanton and turn right (West) on AB-533. Follow this road until you reach Chain Lakes Provincial Park. Turn left (South) onto AB-3 and continue past Crowsnest Pass for another hour until you reach Fernie.

By Air:

Alternatively, the closet airport to Fernie, which is located 1 hour away, is in Cranbrook, British Columbia (YXC). Daily flights from Calgary are frequent, however are quite expensive, ranging from $300-$500 CAD

By Bus:

A third option is to take a bus from Calgary. Mountain Man Mike’s provides a bus service between various towns in Alberta and British Columbia. The average price from Calgary to Fernie costs around $130 CAD (one way).

Accommodations

In the winter, Fernie doubles its 5000 population during the ski season, so there is not shortage of accommodations. These can range from Airbnbs, camping, hostels, hotels and lodges.

I stayed at the Fernie Fox on the main road in town. This 3 star hotel was comfortable and was within walking distance to many local restaurants. Each room had Wifi, a mini fridge and microwave.

Additional Places to Stay

Fernie Stanford Resort

Red Tree Lodge

Snow Valley Lodging

Places to Eat

Fernie has a wide selection of food options. I’m by no means a foodie, but I do enjoy trying quaint little local places along the way. Here are some great options you can try during the weekend.

Big Bang Bagels

• Location: 502 2nd Avenue, Fernie, British Columbia
• Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 8am – 4pm

Choose from a selection of 16 different flavours of freshly made bagels and bagelwiches. This place is great for grabbing a coffee or breakfast on the go. Ordering online is also now an option.

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Graffito Pizza

• Location: 502A 8 Ave, Fernie
• Opening Hours: Wed-Sun 4pm-9pm

Don’t allow yourself to pass by the location of this tiny trailer located on the corner entrance of a residential neighbourhood. It may be easy to miss as it seems like you area heading away from the main road and other stores. Graffito offers fresh made wood fired pizzas. Seating areas and a porta potty are also nearby.

The Chopstick Truck

• Location: 1390 McLeod Ave Fernie
• Opening Hours: Mon- Sun 11:30am-7:15pm

This family run food truck is located right off the main road in Fernie. There are several picnic tables and gardens to enjoy your lunch/dinner. Enjoy Vietnamese dishes such as vermicelli bowls  and bao bun tacos.

Bridge Bistro

• Location: 301 BC-3, Fernie
• Opening Times: Mon-Sun 9am-9pm

This riverside restaurant has options for every meal. There is a wide selection of dishes including European and North American cuisine.

Hiking Trails in Fernie

Rail Trail

• Distance: 6.9km
• Elevation Gain: 130m
• Map here
• Style: Out and back

Trailhead Location: Head south out of Fernie on HWY 3. Turn right on Mt.Fernie Park Road (across from the Fernie Stanford Resort). Continue through Mount Fernie Provincial Park until you come to a gate. Most days, this gate will be closed and parking is located on the left hand side.

Continuing on the road would take you to Lake Island Lodge. Access to this road is restricted unless you are a guest, except for Sundays during which it is open to the public.

From the parking lot, follow the sign saying “Rail Trail” to the start of the forested hike.

This easy hike is primarily through a wooded forest and passes through some old growth areas. The path is a mix of rooted trails with bridges and boardwalks, with the occasional rail road spike purposely place on the path or in a tree stump.

The trail also runs parallel with the road leading to the lodge, so do not expect to have a silent voyage through the trees. If you choose to extend the hike, the path will eventually lead to the Old Growth Trail. The 4.8km out and back trail also ends near the Lake Island Lodge.

Thanks to the minimal elevation gain and well defined path, this is a great hike for kids. The tree canopy is also quite dense and provides plenty of shade even hot sunny days.

Montane Blue Loop

• Distance: 8km (map says 6.9km)
• Elevation Gain: 225m
• Map here
• Style: Loop

Trailhead Location: Head south on Cokato Road and left right on Castle Mountain Drive. At the next intersection, turn right on Estate Drive. There is a gravel parking area past the row of townhouses at the end of the street. This large forested area is bordered by neighbourhoods on the North and West sides so there is street parking in various areas.

This route is very popular with mountain bikers, so be cautious of your surroundings. Many sections of the trail are narrow and winding, which doesn’t provide much notice for a fast approaching bike.

We did observe very good biking etiquette during the hike, as they would all let you know they were coming long before you could see them, and would also let you know how many in their group were still coming up behind.

Montane Blue Loop is just one path within the Large Castle Mountain Hiking area. There are many routes all criss crossing and overlapping with one another.

While the Montane Blue is clearly marked at major intersections, it wouldn’t take much to accidently veer off in an unintended direction. Montane Hut in particular has approximately 5 or 6 paths stemming away in every which way.

It took us 3 separate attempts before we wound up on the correct trail continuing the Montane Blue. It’s strongly recommended to have a map and rough familiarization with the area before venturing in.

Note: Although we didn’t come across any wildlife, there was a fair bit of bear scat along the first part of the trail, leading towards Montane Hut. There were some sections, particularly close to the beginning of the hike when it was earlier in the morning, where we didn’t see many other people.

Once it gets later in the morning, the area fills up with people and while the chances of a wildlife encounter still exist, there are so many people around that it feels much safer.

Surveyor’s Lake

• Admission: free
• Parking: plenty of spots available
• Washroom Facilities: Set of porta potties near parking area
• Amenities: Playground and camp ground nearby
• Nearby trails: Surveyors Lake Loop

Location: This lake is located 35 minutes southwest of Fernie. Continue along HWY 3 south towards Elko. Turn left on Kikomun Newgate Rd/Teepee Creek Rd and follow the road down for another 7.6km. Turn left on Kerr Road an follow the signed pointing towards Surveyors’ Lake. There are two parking areas, one for camping and the other is for the lake.

This small lake has 2 separate beaches and is open to almost every type of non-motorized watercraft. Kayaks and other boats can be rented for a reasonable fee, if you are unable to bring your own.

It is also home to painted turtles, which will make appearances by sticking their heads out of the water from time to time. There is no lifeguard stationed here so those with children would need to keep an extra close eye.

There is a hiking trail that loops the perimeter of the lake, as well as toilets, a playground and a picnic eating area closer to the parking lot.

If you are looking for more family friendly weekend adventures and hikes in and around Alberta, check out some additional resources below.

Drumheller: Family friendly hikes, weekend getaway

Calgary: Unique experiences, walking guides

Rocky Mountains: Easy hikes, hikes near Banff

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