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Welcome to this article about 17 must-do plans, things to do and what to see in Kootenay National Park. A must-see in Canada, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Discover, through our own experience of 21 days of travel through the Canadian Rockies, everything you can do in Kootenay National Park.

Once the tasks of doing the eTA visa On the official website of the Government of Canada, hire the travel insurance required, review the validity of our passport, buy the adapter plug that we will need, buy a SIM card for having internet on mobile in Canada, reserve the tours and activities from the trip and pack your bags with what you need, leaving the unnecessary at home. We can now leave for Canada and its impressive landscapes!

On our route through the Canadian Rockies, this is our 5th National Park explored. We visited Kootenay National Park after visiting Mount Revelstoke National Park y Glacier National Park and just before embarking on the visit to the 6th national park of the Canadian Rockies: the Waterton Lakes National Park.

El Kootenay National Park (pronounced “kutny”) It is named after one of the great rivers that runs through it, the Kootenay River. In fact, apart from the Kootenay National Park, There is a whole very large region from the southeast of the province of British Columbia in Canada which is also called The Kootenays or Kootenay Country. Also named after the Kootenay River, this region should not be confused with the National Park, which is a protected natural area.

In this article we will focus on Kootenay National Park, but there will also be some extra nearby destinations within the Kootenay region that I will explain to you in case you are interested.

About us

Where is Kootenay National Park?

Kootenay National Park is located in the Eastern British Columbia Province of Canada, touching Alberta, to Banff National Park and Yoho National Park.

Despite being located in British Columbia, it follows the so-called Mountain Time, which is none other than Alberta's time, 8 hours behind Spain.

The closest towns to this National Park are Radium Hot Springs in the south, Golden y Lake Louise to the north and Banff villagee in the East.

TIP FOR HAVING INTERNET IN CANADA: Internet in Canada is essential, although coverage outside the towns leaves something to be desired, I can tell you that in advance! We use a card with unlimited data Holafly and it was great for us. You can buy it with a 5% OFF through this link.

How to get to Kootenay National Park

On our trip we arrived in Canada at the Toronto airport and from there we connected with a flight to Calgary. From Calgary you can reach Kootenay National Park by 1,5h y 128 km driving along the TransCanada Highway. A super well maintained road that is open all year round.

Actually Calgary, if you are going to visit the Canadian Rockies, is the best airport to enter Canada, the closest without a doubt.

The best way to get from Calgary to Kootenay National Park is by private rented vehicle. There are no regular public transportation options to this natural park in Canada.

Discovery Pass to access Kootenay National Park 

To access Canada's National Parks you must have a pass which must be placed in the vehicle's interior rearview mirror at all times.

There are day passes and single national park passes, or if you are going to be like us for more than 7 days and through different National Parks in Canada, the one you have to buy, which is much more cost effective, is the annual pass called Discovery Pass. 

De There are different Discovery Passes with different prices.If you are traveling alone there is one for $75 or if you are traveling in family or group other than $151 or if you are retired the price is $64. They are only valid for one vehicle.

With the Discovery Pass, we can also access more than 80 destinations of Canada's National Parks and Historic Sites, plenty of museums and interesting sightseeing options to see in Canada.

How to visit Kootenay National Park?

The best way to visit Kootenay National Park is to stay in Radium Hot Springs for some 2 nights and from this base visit everything we show you below in this post.

Kootenay National Park has something very common to almost all natural parks in Canada: everything is accessible from a single wide and comfortable road, although with 0 mobile coverage. Although, despite there being no coverage within 100 km of the road, as many signs indicate, the road has signposted landline emergency telephones.

Its great attractions are not only the Radium Hot Springs, but also has places like the Olive Lake, Marble Canyon, Sinclair Canyon and the Paint Pots that are essential to see in Canada.

 Also, if you like cool hiking trails, here you will find the Stanley Glacier Valley Tour, one of the mythical ones of Kootenay National Park.

Where to stay in Kootenay National Park 

To comfortably visit this vast Rocky Mountain National Park, we recommend that you base yourself in one of the 36 accommodations that Radium Hot Springs has.

In our case we stayed in the public camping of Radium Hot Spring in one of its plots, since we made this trip through Canada by motorhome.

AN IMPORTANT TIP: Don't travel to Canada without a good travel insurance, avoid big problems. It is one of the first requirements that they tell you on the Canadian government website along with the processing of the And so.
We recommend you the Iati Star We hired this insurance after a good comparison and study of the different ones on the market. It is the only one that exceeds one million euros of coverage. Without a doubt, it is the best for North America, where breaking a leg costs you €150.000, as happened to a friend of ours in the USA. Another positive thing is that Iati has an app for virtual visits.
I leave you here a link where you have a 5% off for any Iati travel insurance.

Kootenay National Park Route Recommendation

The visit to Kootenay National Park that we would recommend would be to dedicate at least 1 day to enjoy the Radium Hot Springs, take the route of Sinclar Canyon which leaves from the same town to the west entrance or from the hot springs parking lot and is approximately 5 km and two hours long. And finally, on this first day, do a piece of the 93 road and visit the Olive Lake and the Kootenay Valley Overlook which is very close. Also, if you still feel like more trekking, there is one just before reaching the viewpoint that leaves to see the Cobb Lake.

For Day 2. If you are visiting, I would say that the best thing would be to start the day by visiting the Valley of Stanley Glacier or Boom Lake, a good 10-12 km trek. Then go down highway 93 until you reach Radium Hot Springs again and stop to see the Marble Canyon, Paint Pots, Numa waterfalls, go trekking to Dog Lake if you still have the energy and have a picnic in the Kootenay River Day Use Area before heading to our overnight spot again.

What to see in Kootenay National Park: 17 must-sees

Next, I will explain to you, based on our experience, 17 plans and visits that we believe are the best things to see in Kootenay National Park and its surroundings.

Hike through Sinclair Canyon, where Kootenay National Park begins

Sinclair Canyon is a narrow canyon that can be seen from the entrance road to Radium Hot Springs. It is one of the points that mark the entrance to Kootenay National Park.

A canyon that can be visited on a route 5 km round trip, about two hours walking with 350 m of easy gradient.

The exit of this route is from the parking from the West Gate of Kootenay National Park, very close to the entrance to Radium Hot Springs.

Radium Hot Springs village and its hot springs, a “must” see in Kootenay National Park

The largest town in Kootenay National Park is Radium Hot Springs and it is the essential place to stop to stock up on supplies at its stores and also to visit the Kootenay National Park Visitor Centre.

Remember, if you go with children, ask for the booklet Explorer educational program. Upon completion, you will be given a badge that will be a great souvenir of this National Park.

After visiting the town it is essential to go swimming in the Radium Hot Springs (location), to the thermal baths that gave this town its name.

Some thermal pools, in our opinion, much better than BanffThe thermal baths are much larger and also have a small cold pool and an outdoor Olympic pool as well.

It closes at 22pm and there is a family pass for $56 for 4 people in the family.

Olive Lake, the olive-colored lake

Driving along the Kootenay Windermere Hayway Highway, the 93, we continue moving past Radium Hot Springs and 12 km away we will see Olive Lake. We can stop at the picnic area parking lot and from there take a small marked route of half a kilometer there and back which is a small interpretive trail along the shores of the small and calm lake.

Right here very close, on this stretch of road, we could see Our first Canadian bear. What a treat! We saw it up close, calmly crossing the road. It was 7 in the morning, I don't think that later on with the traffic they would be seen so well and calmly.

Cobb Lake, an easy route

From the cart we can park where the Trail to Cobb Lake starts, a 5,2 km round trip route with 155 meters of elevation gain through a forest and a stream until reaching the small Cobb Lake.

Valleyview Overlook

Parking at Valleyview Overlook Along the road we can reach the best views of the valley.

Kootenay River picnic area to dip your feet in icy water

Next to the river, which gives its name to Kootenay National Park, and in a beautiful area, we find for park and have a picnic. From there there is good access to the river and it is a beautiful place to spend some time, put your feet in the water or eat a good picnic.

Dog Lake

From Mc Leoc Meadows Campground or the Dog Lake Picnic Area Parking Lot 28 km from Radium Hot Springs, on the road, we can make a 5km route there and back until you see Dog Lakee. A route that will take us across two bridges and an ancient forest, enjoying views of the Daer and Mount Harkin mountains at all times.

Numa falls, accessible waterfalls 

We continued along the road towards Kootenay and found This parking lot, where just 2 meters away we can see some beautiful and peaceful waterfalls, the Numa Falls. The clear emerald color of the Kootenay River continues to enchant us as it passes through these waterfalls.

Paint Pots, a different place in Kootenay National Park

Another must-see in Kootenay National Park is the Paint Pots, deposits and pools of ochre and reddish colour, rich in minerals and iron that give a different colour to the earth in this area. For years, ochre-coloured paint was extracted from here.

They can be seen quickly in a short tour of 4 km go and come back from the stationionization of the Paint Pots along the road.

Before you get to them, you'll cross a bridge over the Kootenay River, then some wooden walkways, but you'll have to continue to the end of the path to really see the original, large Paint Pots themselves.

Marble Canyon, a must see in Kootenay National Park

If there is a place you cannot miss in Kootenay National Park, it is Marble Canyon. A beautiful canyon with turquoise waters between impressive rocks sculpted by the water. For me it is one of the most beautiful places in the world. must-see places in Canada if you go to the Canadian Rockies.

To walk the trail of this canyon you must first park next to the road in its access parking lot. Then you have to do the easy marked walking route of about 2 km and 32 m of elevation gain.

The canyon looks like something out of a book, deep, steep and with impossible shapes between the rocks. You will cross different bridges to see it from different perspectives, don't miss any of them!

Continental Divide, where the waters divide

At this point, with bgood parking, we will find a place of great environmental importance. It is a mere stop with information signs. We are at the continental divide, a longitudinal landmark that indicates the change in the direction of the natural flow of water. 

All water systems such as rivers, streams and creeks to the eastEast of this line flows into the Pacific Ocean. All water systems to this one here flows into the Atlanta Ocean. 

Route to the Stanley Glacier Valley

This is one of the legendary high-end routes in Kootenay National Park.

La The route to the Stanley Glacier Valley is 12 km round trip with about 600 meters of elevation gain. which accumulate especially at the beginning of the trail. It is classified as a route of high difficulty, especially due to the initial gradient and a more complicated section of the final trail.

Either way, even if you don't complete the entire route, the views of this historic shrinking glacier are beautiful.

Boom Lake, Banff National Park but on the same highway 93

Parking in This roadside parking lot of a picnic area We found the trail to visit the beautiful Boom Lake. A beautiful emerald lake where to access it we have to walk 5 km (10 there and back) where the walk to get there is constantly steep, which makes it challenging if it is hot and you are not in shape.

Bathing in the Natural Mineral Hot Springs Pools at Faimont Hot Springs

At Fairmont Hot Springs, 38 km south of Radium Hot Springs, we find a small town with a small ski area in winter and other hot springs important in Kootenay National Park. In fact, this hot spring is the largest in all of Canada.

Here you can even find natural thermal pools with free access area between beautiful rocks. These are thermal pools that you have to go to on foot. Park at the thermal pools that you pay for above and there take the gravel road to the right towards the RV Park, on a path that goes to the river and passes under a pedestrian bridge. Then you will find a path that goes down to the river and zips to the other side of the river. You will begin to hear the waterfall. You have to go to the waterfall that is the one that feeds the thermal pools and there they are. They are not super hot, but quite hot.

Visit the Fairy Chimneys, Hoodos of Fairmont Hot Springs

Another attraction of Fairmont Hot Springs is its fairy chimneys or the so-called hoodos. Curious sandstone rock formations that create landscapes like from another planet. You can park here to take the short Duth Creek Hoodoos trail to see the fairy chimneys.

Columbia Lake

Following Highway 93, very close to Fairmont Hot Springs we find a very large lake, Columbia Lake, a beautiful lake that is already part of a provincial Natural Park called Columbia Lake Provincial, but it is worth even if you just take a look at it. Columbia Lake Overlook which is on the same highway 93.

At the end of the lake we will find again the beautiful Kootenay River that continues running south towards Canada to touch the USA.

Fort Steele Heritage Town

1,5 hours from Radium Hot Springs and further down from Columbia Lake, but on Highway 93 towards the US, we find Fort Steele Heritage Town I didn't want to forget to mention it. An open-air folklore museum that the whole family loved. 

There are lots of buildings you can visit, actors and activities. We even went on a horse-drawn carriage ride where they explained the history of this town, which was abandoned for fear of flooding.

A museum that takes you back to 1898 in a small old town full of historic buildings and Canadian history. For a change from so many natural parks, if you like this type of museum we encourage you to visit it. 

We went because it is on the way to Waterton Lakes National Park, our next destination. So if you go there, it is an ideal and essential stop.

Location.

Kootenay National Park Map of what to see

Below, I leave you the map of What to see in Kootenay National Park that I created to plan our route. It contains both the places to see and the parking lots. In it you will find the 17 must-sees described above and some more that may be of interest to you.

Conclusions on Kootenay National Park

At this point, after reviewing everything we experienced in Kootenay National Park, we can only recommend a visit.

Is UOne of the quietest, least crowded and most beautiful of the Canadian Rocky Mountain National Parks that we have visited.

The waters of the Kootenay River themselves are quite a spectacle due to their great beauty and its hot springs at Radium Hot Spring are a must-see in Canada in any case.

If you visit Kootenay, Remember to live it intensely to fill yourself with good memoriess. We did it and we will never forget it! From the long hikes, to the hot springs, to seeing our first bear in Canada and seeing wild deer up close, we will always be reminded that Kootenay National Park is all about life and natural beauty.

Good route, friends!