Golden

Golden sits at the confluence of the Columbia and Kicking Horse Rivers, a Trans-Canada Highway town uniquely close to five national parks and one of the highest vertical drops in Canada.

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort's gondola climbs to alpine terrain with one of the highest vertical drops in the country, and the Kicking Horse River below draws whitewater rafters from across the country each summer, alongside the newer Golden Skybridge suspension walk.

Highway 1 and Highway 95 meet in Golden, putting Yoho, Glacier, Mount Revelstoke, Banff and Kootenay National Parks all within a short drive, a concentration of protected wilderness unmatched almost anywhere else in Canada.

The town's economy blends forestry, tourism and transportation, and housing spans riverside acreages to in-town family homes, drawing buyers who want mountain access to rival Banff or Whistler at a fraction of the price.