Revelstoke Things to Do

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Rogers pass, and here we stopped at the Centre.
The Rogers Pass Centre is Glacier National Park's main interpretive centre, having all types of natural exhibits, books and souvenirs. There were taxidermy Animals, so I saw a Mountain Lion here, but never one in the wild.
The facility, tells the stories of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Trans-Canada Highway and the route through the Rogers Pass.

Our drive through Rogers pass, was the 1st time we had encountered snow sheds, built to protect us from avalanches.
Between Revelstoke and Golden, expect 10 metres of annual snowfall. With the steep mountainsides, avalanches are frequent. In winter, the Canadian military fires howitzer shells at the mountain peaks and ridges to trigger small avalanches before the snow accumulates to dangerous levels.
Rogers Pass is home to the largest mobile avalanche control program in the world.

The Rogers Pass Centre is open all year, with shorter opening hours in Winter.

In Australia and especially Queensland, where I live, we have "big things" sort of tourist attractions.
Of course we had heard of "Smokey the Bear", but we never expected to come across a larger than life one by the side of the road!

This, 9metre tall, wooden Bear, was built in 1967.

He was declared a guardian symbol of our forests.

The plaque at the statue reads:
In Memory of PETER W. WATTS
In 1967 Pete built SMOKEY entirely by hand. At that time he operated this property as a tourist attraction known as "WEIRD WOODS". Pete passed away in 1994 at the age of 57 and this plaque is with love from Barb, Kelly and Kent who watched his dream become a reality."

I loved the entrance to Grizzly Plaza. ......Grizzly Bears, and they were done, so they looked 3D, clever!
All the shops were closed by the time we made it here, didn't matter, I like window shopping, especially in another country!

We were a little early in the season for the free live entertainment every evening.
Bands, theatre productions, even Magic! Every Saturday morning is a farmer's market and Bazaar, and during the year, special events are held in this Mall.

The Courthouse Walk

The tour of the Courthouse Walk takes approximately 45 minutes and features many of the City's key historical buildings and landmarks. The walk begins in the heart of downtown Revelstoke and then ventures toward Revelstoke's "Lower Town", the original townsite established in 1885. Highlights of the tour include Revelstoke's neoclassically designed Courthouse, the Anglican Church and manse, and the exceptional Queen Anne style residence at 1221 First St. West. To view the map of the Courthouse Walk, please click on the link below.

Map of the Courthouse Walk

The Mackenzie Walk

This walking tour focuses mainly on the downtown which is rich in the history of the City's commercial development. In the 1980's the City of Revelstoke took part in a major revitalization program where most of the original buildings located in the downtown core were restored. Some of the main attractions on this tour include the Art Moderne City Hall, the Art Deco Theatre, and the beautifully restored late Victorian home at 815 MacKenzie Avenue. To view the map of the MacKenzie Walk, please click on the link below.

Map of the MacKenzie Walk

The Selkirk Walk

Beginning in the Selkirk neighbourhood and ending at Grizzly Plaza, the Selkirk Walk highlights many historical sites - all with their own story to tell. This picturesque tour contains many excellent examples of Revelstoke's historic streetscapes, the uniquely designed residence known as the "Pink Castle", and the recently designated heritage house at 217 Fourth Street East. To view the map of the Selkirk Walk, please click on the link below.

What a surprise to see this monument during my walk from motel to the city centre !

The majestic Revelstoke Court House was built in 1912 by the local construction firm of Foote and Pradolini. The neoclassical façade, designed by architect Thomas Hopper, has a massive portico supported by Greek Doric marble columns. These columns were imported from the state of Georgia. The massive granite blocks for the foundations were quarried in British Columbia in the Lardeau. The copper-covered dome rises 30 feet above the roof and is crowned with a six-foot tall lantern. The building was completed in 1913 at a cost of $164,000.

Architect Thomas Hooper designed Revelstoke's granite-faced COURTHOUSE (1912), finishing the building with brick and marble trim and a high copper dome.
Other noteable buildings, the Holten House (1897) and Pradolini Mansion (1908), characterize outstanding Victorian residential design.

The museum houses the beautifully restored CPR locomotive "Mikado P-2K 2-8-2" one of the largest steam engines ever used on CPR lines. If you ever wondered what it would feel like to be a railroad engineer, sit down at the throttle of the museum's new Diesel Locomotive Simulator.
And there is more original rolling stock out in THE YARD, including a caboose, snowplow, flange car and maintenance equipment.

In a community steeped in the history of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the REVELSTOKE RAILWAY MUSEUM tells the story of the building of the railway and the people who made it a reality. Railway engineers continue to volunteer their time for restoration and maintenance work and are pleased to talk about their lives on the rails.
Open throughout the season from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m..