where does the columbia river start

The Columbia River starts at Columbia Lake in the southern Rocky Mountain Trench of southeastern British Columbia, Canada, at about 2,700 feet (around 820 meters) above sea level.

Quick Scoop: Where the Columbia River Begins

Think of the Columbia River as beginning its long journey in a high mountain valley in Canada.

• It starts at Columbia Lake in British Columbia.

• Columbia Lake lies in the Rocky Mountain Trench, near the crest of the Rocky Mountains.

• The headwaters area (Columbia Lake and the adjoining Columbia Wetlands) is considered the river’s official starting point.

• From there, the river first flows generally northwest, then turns south into the United States on its 1,200‑plus mile journey to the Pacific Ocean.

So if someone asks “where does the Columbia River start,” the precise answer is: Columbia Lake in southeastern British Columbia, in the Rocky Mountains.

TL;DR: The Columbia River begins at Columbia Lake in the Rocky Mountains of southeastern British Columbia, Canada.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.