Rossland is a small mountain city in Southern British Columbia, Canada. Rossland was built in the 1890s as a gold mining town, and has become a lovely city of 3,700 people (2016). Rossland sits inside the crater of a dormant volcano in the Kootenay Range. It has become well-known for its excellent ski and mountain bike trails.

Understand

Downtown Rossland

Rossland was named by a miner, Ross Thompson, who staked a claim in 1890. He had tried to call the city Thompson, but he was advised that there was already a town with that name.

• Tourism Rossland website

Get in

By plane

Rossland does not have its own airport, however there are a few regional airports nearby that offer relatively easy access to Rossland either by road or by shuttle.

• West Kootenay Regional Airport is owned and operated by the city of Castlegar. Castlegar Municipal Airport is 36 km from Rossland and offers regular service from Vancouver and Calgary.
• Kelowna International Airport is the largest Canadian airport that has access to shuttle service to Rossland.
• Spokane International Airport is the closest and only airport in the USA which has access to shuttle service to Rossland.
• Trail Regional Airport is just south of Trail and is the closest airport to Rossland. Allowing easy access to local public transit Trail Regional Airport is one of the best options for travellers looking to reach Rossland on a budget. The airport offers direct service from Vancouver.

Airport shuttle

• Red Mountain Express Shuttle. In the winter, on behalf of Red Mountain Resorts, Adrenaline Adventures operates a shuttle from all four of the above airports, however they operate on a reservation-only basis.

Get around

Rossland is a small enough place that everything can easily be reached by foot, however be prepared to deal with some steep hills. Alternatively, traffic is light enough that driving throughout the town is quite painless. Keep an eye open, however, as the locals jaywalk quite frequently. Watch out for rogue mountain bikes as well.

By public transit

BC Transit (West Kootenay Transit System), toll-free: +1-855-993-3100. Offers bus routes in the region, including Monday to Saturday service connecting Balfour, Castlegar, Fruitvale, Nelson, Rossland, Slocan City, and Trail. Route 46 travels between Rossland and Trail (24-27 minutes). (updated Mar 2022)

By taxi

• Cedar Taxi, ☏ +1 250-521-0511. (updated Jul 2022)

See

• 1 Rossland Mining Museum & Discovery Centre, 1100 Highway 3B, ☏ +1 250-362-7722. Artifacts and photos from historic Rossland and an underground tour of the old Le Roi Gold Mine that last operated in 1929. The town's official visitor centre is also here. Mine tours run from May to August. The museum has winter hours. There is also a "Ski Wing" at the museum. (updated Apr 2023)

• There are a number of fine old historic buildings in Rossland including the Old Firehall, the old Bank of Montreal building, the Rossland Post Office, the Miners' Hall and the Court House. The Court House was designated a Canadian National Historic Site in 1980. Have a look at these buildings during your walk around town. A Walking Tour brochure is available from the visitor centre (at the Rossland Mining Museum & Discovery Centre). Back in 1897, there were 4 banks, 42 saloons, a couple of newspapers and a population of 7000, during the height of the mining activity in the area.

Do

Rising above the weather at Red Mountain

If it's not skiing season, then it's biking season in Rossland.

• Hiking and mountain biking
  • There are lots of trails suitable for hiking and mountain biking. The Kootenay Columbia Trails Society (KCTS) maintains many trails in the area and posts a map of trails it maintains on its website.
    • 1 Seven Summits Trail. This 31 km long trail from the south trailhead to the north trailhead is one of the more well known trails in the area. It follows a ridge-line in the Rossland Range. Hikers and mountain bikers use the trail. For mountain bikers, it is known as an IMBA "epic trail." Usable from mid-July to late September. One the trails maintained by KCTS. (updated May 2023)
  • 2 Revolution Cycle, 2044 Columbia Ave, ☏ +1 250-362-5688. Rents and sells bikes, accessories, and clothing. Also is a good place to learn about the opportunities for biking and to get a trail map (talk to Tyler). (updated May 2023)
• Cross-country skiing
  • 3 Nancy Greene Provincial Park (about 25 km from Rossland near the junction of Hwy 3 and 3b). Cross-country skiing. (updated Apr 2023)
  • 4 Paulson Cross Country Ski Trails, castlegarnordicski@gmail.com. (updated Apr 2023)
• 5 Red Mountain Resort, 4300 Red Mountain Rd, ☏ +1 250-362-7384, toll-free: +1-800-663-0105, info@redresort.com. Downhill skiing. One of Canada's best and most famous ski resorts. 5 lifts, 2900 vertical feet, 83 marked runs and deep Kootenay power snow, large adjacent cross-country area. On a powder day, the runs on Red and Granite Mountains will be busy but 4 big lifts plus a T-bar and a Magic Carpet for the kids will keep things moving.  
• Redstone Resort Golf Course, 953 Redstone Drive, ☏ +1 250-362-9141, toll-free: +1-877-362-4555, redstoneresortmarketing@gmail.com. An alpine golf course open to the public (updated Jul 2024)

Festivals

• Rossland Mountain Film Festival. A four-day film-festival that focuses on local talent. In mid- November. (updated Jun 2018)
• Rossland Winter Carnival. Advertised as Canada's Oldest Winter Carnival. It's held at the end of January and features (among other activities) bobsled races down the steepest residential streets in town. Some locals start building their sleds in late fall, all in an effort to celebrate life in the crater of an ancient volcano. 

Buy

The downtown area has several clothing stores and ski stores.

• 1 Ferraro Foods, 2029 Columbia Ave (downtown area), ☏ +1 250-362-5206. One of the best local grocery stores around. (updated May 2023)
• 2 The Gold Rush Bookstore, 2063 Washington St (downtown area), ☏ +1 250-362-5454. (updated May 2023)

Eat

• 1 Ying Cafe, 2032 Columbia Ave, ☏ +1 250-362-7075. Serves Chinese and Thai cuisine. (updated May 2023)
• 2 Gabriella's Restaurants, ​1919 Columbia Ave, ☏ +1 250-362-7547. Italian inspired cuisine (updated May 2023)
• 3 Alpine Grind Coffeehouse, 2104 Columbia Ave (On the corner, at the only light in town), ☏ +1 250-362-2280. 7:30AM-3PM. Come here for a breakfast or lunch that excels in quality and quantity. Almost no one can finish a meal to themselves- take home half for dinner. A variety of baked goods available. Relaxed atmosphere, great magazine collection. (updated Apr 2023)
• 4 Clanceys, 2042 Columbia Ave, ☏ +1 778-457-3333. Coffee shop with baked goods. Has free WiFi is available. (updated May 2023)

Drink

• 1 The Flying Steamshovel, 2003 2 Avenue, ☏ +1 250-362-7323. One of Rossland's original landmarks, The Flying Steamshovel is built on the site of the very first helicopter flight in North America. Underneath the bar there is also a cold beer and wine store. (updated Apr 2023)
• 2 Rafters Bar, 4300 Ski Mountain Rd (within Red Mountain Ski Resort's main lodge on level 3). Built of reclaimed timbers from a local mine. A great place for the apres ski crowd. (updated May 2023)
• 3 The Rock Cut, 3052 Highway 3B (between Rossland and Red Mtn Resort on Hwy 3B), ☏ +1 250-362-5814. Has a reputation for great wings along with your drinks and can often be open when other establishments are closed. (updated May 2023)
• 4 Rossland Beer Company, 1990F Columbia Ave, ☏ +1-250-362-2122. A local brewery. (updated Mar 2023)

Sleep

• 1 Rossland Lions Community Campground, 932 Blackbear Dr (Just off of Highway 22 south of the junction between Highway 22 and Highway 3B), ☏ +1 250-551-4751. Has 15 to 20 sites in a nice location. (updated May 2023)
• 2 The Flying Steamshovel, 2003 2 Ave, ☏ +1 250-362-7323. $90-110. (updated May 2023)
• 3 Mountain Shadow Hostel, 2125 Columbia Ave (south side of Columbia St towards the east end of downtown), ☏ +1 250-362-7160, info@mshostel.com. 8AM to 11PM. Check-out: 11AM. Located on the main street in downtown Rossland upstairs. Has both private rooms and dorms for a 40 person occupancy. Has kitchen, patio, pay laundary machines, good WiFi, and 5 common areas with TV (satelite & Netflix), pool table, and darts. Dorm $30, single/double room $70. (updated Mar 2021)
• 4 Casa Alpina Hotel, Junction of Hwy 22 & 3B (at southwest entrance to Rossland), toll-free: +1-800-663-0203. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. Quiet hotel rooms in a beautiful surrounding a few kilometres from Red Mountain Resort and downtown Rossland. All rooms, kitchenettes, and suites have cable television, refrigerator and wireless Internet access. Some are equipped with in-room coffee and A/C. Price includes complimentary continental breakfast. $80 avg. 

Connect

• 1 Rossland Library, 2180 Columbia Ave, ☏ +1 250-362-7611. Has Internet access. (updated May 2023)

Cope

• The nearest hospital is in Trail.

Go next

Routes through Rossland

ENDS at W E ←	W  E	→ Trail → Salmo
Castlegar ← Trail ←	N  S	→ → becomes → Kettle Falls → Spokane via