Just 13 kilometres south of Lake Windermere, Columbia Lake is considered the headwaters of the Columbia River, the largest North American River to empty into the Pacific Ocean. Lake Windermere is a widening of the Columbia River which flows north from here another 270 kilometres or so before turning south to continue its journey south and west to the ocean.
Just over 13 kilometres in length, about 2 kilometres in breadth at its widest point and with an average depth of just over four metres, Lake Windermere is the centre of a tourist mecca which also includes
Radium Hot Springs to the north and
Fairmont Hot Springs to the south. The largest town in the area,
Invermere, surrounds its northern edge while
Windermere, just a few kilometres south, lies on its eastern shore.
Though the area has also become a winter sports mecca, the largest influx of tourists (primarily from the Calgary area) to the lake is in the summer, swelling the population of Invermere many times over. The largest park on the lake is
Kinsmen Park & Beach in Invermere. As of 2012, in the winter the lake boasts the
World's Longest Skating Trail, at over 30 kilometres in length. One of Canada's largest outdoor curling bonspiels is held on the lake each January. A great many annual events, including the Invermere Music Festival, Loop the Lake, Mountain Mosaic Festival of the Arts, Easter Egg Hunt at Kinsmen Park, Kinsmen Fishing Derby, CV Rockies Pond Hockey Championships, Invermere Bonspiel on the Lake, Snowflake Festival, Snow Golf Tournament and the Columbia Salmon Festival take place on or around the lake.
Essentially all water sports are available on the lake, from kayaking and canoeing to fishing, boating, paragliding, water skiing, swimming, sun bathing and diving. Numerous tourist facilities and accommodations are available up and down the Columbia Valley.
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