Driving
times and distances to Nelson, BC
| CITY |
TIME |
DISTANCE |
TIME ZONE |
Spokane,
WA |
3
hours |
237
km/ 142 miles |
same
time |
Vancouver,
BC |
8
hours |
657
km/395 miles |
same
time |
Calgary,
AB |
7.5
hours |
624
km/374 miles |
one
hour ahead |
Kelowna,
BC |
4.5
hours |
338
km/302 miles |
same
time |
Fernie,
BC |
4
hours |
353
km/219 miles |
one
hour ahead |
Seattle |
7
hours |
686
km/424 miles |
same
time |
Rossland |
1
hour |
76
km/47 miles |
same
time |
Your Destination:
SNOWWATER- VALHALLA BASE
Junction of Highway 6 and 3A, 24 kms southwest of Nelson on highway 3A
Phone: 866-722-7669
250-359-7665
Road
Report
You can find updated road reports on the ministry of transportation’s
website http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/bchighways/roadreports/south.htm
www.drivebc.com 1-800-550-4997 toll free highways report
Lost?
If you are lost try to call as us 250-354-8238, 250-359-7665
or call toll free at 1-866-722-7669
Cell phone coverage may not always work in the mountains.
Nelson
Check out our links
page
to see where to stay and eat in and around Nelson area.
The
US Border
Remember, when you cross the border you may be held up
there for whatever reason. Firearms, alcohol, tobacco,
drugs, fruit and meat are a concern to them. We encourage
you to arrive a day early so that travel and border issues
do not effect your timeliness. Please remember that we
are a remote lodge and access is a organized and coordinated
event. Please see arrival details for information on where
and when we meet and on late arrivals.
Local
Border Crossings
If you know that you will be arriving into or leaving
from Canada after midnight you will need to cross at
the Paterson border, just north of Northport, WA. Otherwise,
crossing at Nelway is a more direct route to Nelson.
Paterson Crossing- Located
between Northport, WA and Rossland, BC. Hours: Canadian
and Us customs open 24 hours a day, daily. Phone # is
(250) 362-7341. It takes about 1 hr and half to get
to Nelson from here.
Nelway Crossing - Located
between Metaline Falls, WA and Salmo BC. Hours: Both
US and Canadian customs are only open from 8am to midnight,
daily, so make sure you leave enough time. Candian border
phone# is (250) 357-9940 and US phone # is (509) 446-4421.
You will be driving from Nelway to Salmo to Nelson (leave
at least an hour to get to Nelson).
Driving
directions from Spokane to Nelway border
1. From the airport, take I-90 east until you reach Hwy
2. (Newport Exit)
2. Head north on Hwy 2
3. Take a left on Hwy.211 and continue for 45 minutes.
4. Hwy 211 will merge with Hwy 20 north, which eventually
turns into Hwy 31.
5. Continue through Ione and Metaline Falls.
6. Cross the border into Canada at Nelway. (this border
closes at midnight and opens at 6 am).
7. When you come to the “T”, turn left onto
Hwy 3 West (at gravel pit).
8. At Salmo, turn right onto Hwy 3A for about 30 minutes
until you reach Nelson.
9.At Nelson follow HWY 3A to the 'Playmore Junction" at HW3A and 6, 24kms west of Nelson where our base location is found.
Driving directections from Spokane
Airport to Paterson border crossing
1. From the airport, take I-90 East until you reach Hwy
2 (Newport Exit)
2. Head north on Hwy 2 until it meets Hwy 395
3. Take Hwy 395 north all the way to Kettle Falls, going
through Chewelah and Colville.
4. Go north on Hwy 25 to Northport,
5. Keep going , left over the bridge another 7 km to the
Paterson border crossing.
6. Go north on Hwy 22 to Rossland and then Trail.
7. Turn left on to Hwy 3A to Castlegar and follow the
signs to Nelson. It is roughly an hour from Rossland to
Nelson.
8. At Nelson follow HWY 3A to the 'Playmore Junction" at HW3A and 6, 24kms west of Nelson where our base location is found.
Driving directions
from Vancouver to Nelson, BC
1. Take Hwy 1 east to Hope.
2. Take Hwy 3 to over the pass to Princeton, Ossoyos,
Rock Creek through Midway, Greenwood, Grand Forks, Christina
Lake, to Castlegar, over the pass.
3. From Castlegar take Hwy 3A to Playmore Junction, at junction of HW 3A and 6. These are the only traffic lights around.
On the right hand side of the highway you'll see our building with big Valhlalla and Snowwater signs up.
Driving directions
from Kelowna to Nelson, BC
1. Take Hwy. 33 east to Rock Creek (1.5 hrs) (turn left
at Costco).
2. Turn left ontl Hwy. 3.
3. Follow Hwy. 3 through Midway, Greenwood, Grand Forks,
Christina Lake, to Castlegar, over the pass.
4. From Castlegar take Hwy 3A to Playmore Junction, at junction of HW 3A and 6. These are the only traffic lights around.
On the right hand side of the highway you'll see our building with big Valhlalla and Snowwater signs up. This is 23 kms before Nelson.
Driving directions from Kelowna to Nelson, BC
Driving directions
from Fernie to Nelson, BC
1. Take Hwy. 3 west (follow signs for the Crow’s
Nest Pass Hwy.)
2. At Creston, stay on Hwy 3 and go west over the Kootenay
Pass ( a big hill!)
3. Drive to Salmo, where you turn right on Hwy 3A
4. Stay on Hwy 3A for approximately 30 minutes until you
reach Nelson.
5. Follow signs for the city’s downtown core.
*If the Pass is closed due to weather you will need to
take the Kootenay Bay Ferry. This is also a more scenic
route, although it is longer and there can be line ups
for the ferry (“the longest free ferry in the world!”):
1. At Creston, turn north onto Hwy 3A
2. Continue until you reach the Kootenay Bay ferry.
3. Get off the ferry at Balfour and take a left onto Hwy
3A
4. Follow HW 3A to the Playmore Junction, At junction of highway 3A and 6, where our base is located. This is roughly 23 kms west of Nelson.
