Kootenay National Park
One of Canada’s Great Mountain Parks Updated June 2022
Visit one of Canada’s great Rocky Mountain National Parks. I will begin the tour from the town of Radium in the south. If you have just toured Yoho National Park (described in my previous post), you can turn south, travel through Kootenay National Park, and then back to the town of Golden in a circular loop. You can also begin the tour from Lake Louise and other places to the west, but the sights will be in the reverse order than I will describe here.
Town of Radium Hot Springs
The town of Radium Hot Springs has hotels, grocery stores and other facilities that will meet the basic needs of travellers.
Radium also has campgrounds. I recommend the Red Streak Campground in the park. It is an excellent place to see Mountain Sheep. There are free showers, and some sites have power. As this site is in Kootenay National Park, you need a park pass to camp here.
Visitor’s Centre
It is always a good idea when visiting any National Park, to begin with a stop at the Visitor’s Centre. It is located on the main highway in Radium and is not in the park as it is the Visitor’s Centre for both the park and the town. Here you can get maps, brochures, and information about the park, accommodation, etc.
Austrian Village
The short drive between the town and the park is like a little Austrian Village. There are Austrian theme hotels and an Austrian restaurant. It is a pretty little area. If you are staying in hotels instead of camping, this is a nice place to stop for a day or two.
Park Entrance at Sinclair Canyon
After stopping at the Visitor’s Centre and getting your park pass, turn right at the junction of highways 95 and 93 to the north and drive past the Austrian hotels to enter the park.
The dramatic access to the park is through Sinclar Canyon. Drive through the canyon and then stop at the parking lot on the left to walk back for a closer look and some photo opportunities. Watch for Bighorn Sheep in the area.
Radium Hot Springs
One of the highlights of Kootenay National Park is Radium Hot Springs. There are both hot and cold water pools. You don’t want to miss this fantastic, relaxing dip in the natural hot water spring.
There is a nice hike from here back to Sinclair Canyon. You can cross the highway at the canyon and hike back on the other side. The trail begins at the back of the parking lot across the road from the hot springs. (Take the short road going uphill behind the parking lot). After your hike, you can loosen up in the hot springs. A great way to spend a day. (To get to the hot springs, use the tunnel under the road at the end of the parking lot.)
If you are staying at Red Streak campground, there is a hiking trail to the hot springs that takes about one hour.
My Thatched Hut Travel Tip
If you only go as far as the hot springs and then back to the town of Radium, you do not need to purchase a park pass. A park pass is required for the campground and any sightseeing past the hot springs.
Kootenay Valley Viewpoint
Stop here for a few minutes for a beautiful view of the Kootenay Valley.
Paint Pots
The Paint Pots are iron-rich mineral springs that bubble up and make an orange creek running down the hill. The Native Americans and early settlers used the orange mud to make paint. Hike along the creek to the orange and green pools at the top. Very interesting.
Marble Canyon
The hot springs and Marble Canyon are the two best tourist attractions in the park. You can see where, over the years, the stream has worn a deep canyon into the mountainside. There is a nice trail along the canyon with several little bridges where you can peer down into the depths and curves of the canyon. Really worthwhile. The trail is uphill but relatively easy.
Continental Divide
At the park’s northern border, you will cross the Continental Divide. The highest point in the mountains is where the water on one side flows to the Pacific, and water on the other side goes to the Atlantic. From here, turn left on Highway 1 to go to Golden, right for Lake Louise, or you can turn around and go back to Radium. Drive slow; you never know what you might see along the highway.
My Thatched Hut Travel Tip
If you are travelling through the National Park without stopping, you do not need to pay the access fee. However, if you stop to see any of the attractions, go hiking or camping, or for any other reason, you will need a park pass. You can buy a daily pass if you are here for one or two days. If you are spending a lot of time in the Rocky Mountain National Parks of Alberta and British Columbia, you can save quite a bit of money by purchasing an annual pass. It is valid in all the Rocky Mountain National Parks. Get your pass at the visitor’s centre