Kettle River Range, Mountain range and National Recreation Trail in British Columbia and Washington State
The Kettle River Range is a mountain range stretching north to south along the Canada-United States border, reaching elevations around 2,200 meters with a mix of open grasslands and dense forests. The terrain supports varied ecosystems across its slopes and valleys.
The range experienced intensive mining activity from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s, with over 200 mines extracting gold from the region. This era shaped the economic development and human settlement patterns across the mountains.
Indigenous communities established settlements throughout the Kettle River Range, utilizing the natural resources for hunting, gathering, and maintaining traditional practices.
The Sherman Pass Scenic Byway provides a driving route across the range, while the Kettle Crest National Recreation Trail offers extensive hiking opportunities. Both routes are readily accessible for different ways of exploring the region.
The region hosts the largest gray wolf population in Washington State, sharing this habitat with lynx, bighorn sheep, and various bear species. These predators inhabit one of the few remaining wild spaces in the inland Northwest.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
