Originally a prosperous CP Railroad lumber town operating 18 lumber camps and a tie mill in the early 1900s, Yahk today is a picturesque and friendly community situated where the Yahk River meets the Moyie River, 40 km east of Creston.
Yahk is a small, but very active community, with an elementary school, a post office, two general stores, motels, a hotel and pub, restaurants, private and provincial campgrounds and a local newspaper.
Yahk is a convenient stopover town for travellers northbound to the BC Rockies or southbound to the United States and the communities of British Columbia to the west.
Population: 400
Location: Yahk is located on Highway 3/95 just 9 miles (15 km) from the Canada/United States border at Kingsgate Crossing, 25 miles (40 km) east of Creston and approximately 44 miles (70 km) southwest of Cranbrook.
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When in Yahk, you just have to stop and acquire your I’ve Been to Yahk and Back T-shirt.
Cross the rail tracks from the highway and look for a workmen’s bunkhouse and several other buildings along Main Street, a bit of history from earlier days.
At its prime, Yahk had two hotels, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) detachment, a liquor store and various businesses. The first hotel, built in 1912, still operates today under its original license.
The stretch of Hwy 3 between Creston and Yahk is on Mountain Standard Time year-round. During summer, when most parts of the province move clocks one hour ahead to daylight-saving time, Creston, Kitchener, and Yahk make no changes. Their Mountain Time is already the same as Pacific daylight-saving time.
Fishing: Stroll to the east of the town to the Moyie River, where fishing is good for rainbow trout and dollly varden.
Those who like to picnic at riverside should stop at the Ryan Rest Area on the Moyie River, just east of Yahk Provincial Park on Hwy 3.
Set up your tent at the pleasant little campground in Yahk Provincial Park, on the banks of the Moyie River, just north of the British Columbia/Idaho border.
Gilnockie Provincial Park, located 5 km north of the US border between Moyie Lake and Elko, protects some of the oldest fir and larch stands in the region. The park also provides habitat for elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer, moose, grizzly bear and the threatened northern leopard frog and Columbia red-tailed chipmunk. Facilities at the park are limited to a day-use picnic area, and recreational activities include wilderness camping and fishing.
Highway 3/95 follows Moyie River north to Moyie Lake. Moyie Lake Provincial Park occupies the north end of Moyie Lake, a large scenic lake on the eastern fringe of the Purcell Mountains. If you like cool, secluded picnics beside a welcoming lake on a hot summer day, this is the spot. When you want to explore after the tent is set up, there’s a marsh with a fascinating community of plants and animals, plus the forested Meadow Trail. Fly-casting and trolling for trout and other fish are also fun here; the lake has a boat launch. The park is besides Hwy 3, 12 miles (19 km) south of Crankbrook.
Golf: Nearby Creston offers two golf courses: The Creston Golf Club provides a wealth of excellent golf on rolling fairways and quick, undulating greens. Professionally designed and immaculately maintained, the par-72 course offers golfers 18 challenging and beautiful holes playable from a number of tees ranging from 5,300 to 6,500 yards, with views of the Creston Valley, Kootenay River, Purcell and Selkirk Mountains. The Creston Golf Club is located on Mallory Road, three miles south of Creston off Highway 21. The Canyon Heights Golf Course in the community of Canyon offers a par-3 golf course and an 18-hole putting course. Golf Vacations in British Columbia.
The largest city of the Rocky Mountain region, and the sunniest place in British Columbia, Cranbrook, 64 km beyond Yahk, is located in the Columbia Valley, offering the best of city and country. The vistas of snowcapped mountain peaks, lush green valleys and crystal clear lakes are sure to take your breath away.
Located 33 km north of Yahk, Moyie is exceptionally pretty, overlooking Moyie Lake and boasting some character buildings. A slag heap, an old graveyard, and mine structures are reminders of the town’s history – the 1907 fire hall still stands.
Nestled between the Selkirk and the Purcell Mountains, Creston presides over a broad and fertile river valley, where the Kootenay River comes home to Kootenay Lake. Also known as The Valley of the Swans, the Creston Valley is a breathtaking combination of snow-capped mountain peaks, waving fields of grain, deep clear lakes, quiet mountain streams and wide-open spaces. Creston is located 13 km north of the BC/Idaho border.
Circle Tour: See the best of the area on the Okanagan and Kootenay Rockies Circle Tour. Travel the sunny interior of British Columbia, north through the Okanagan to Sicamous, following Highway 1 into the mountains of the BC Rockies. From Golden, head south through the Columbia Valley to Creston, and west through Boundary Country and the Southern Okanagan to complete the loop. Circle Tours in British Columbia.
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Come and spend a day, a week or a month in one of our one or two-bedroom cabin-like units overlooking the beautiful Creston Valley. After a quiet night’s rest in your suite, take in the lovely view from your balcony while drinking your complimentary cup of coffee or tea. Keep your eyes open for the variety of birds that make their homes in the large cedars.
To make your stay even more memorable, order a “Pamper Package for Two” which includes flowers, chocolates, fruit, wine and a mini breakfast to be enjoyed at your leisure. This package must be ordered when booking.
Valley View Motel is located on a quiet, treed hillside beside the Creston Museum, one block from Highway 3, and only one block from the mall, shops and restaurants. Let us make your stay in Creston comfortable and enjoyable. Wir Sprechen Deutsch.
