Kootenay National Park in British Columbia, Canada - map, photos and visitor information

Kootenay National Park follows Highway 93 South through British Columbia's Canadian Rockies. A drive through the park can include a canyon walk, mineral springs and views of forest returning after fire. Longer trails reach alpine basins, but their season is much shorter than the highway's.

Highlights along the Kootenay corridor

• Marble Canyon: Bridges cross the narrow gorge and reveal the water below.
• Paint Pots: Iron-rich springs color the ground on a short walk with important Indigenous connections.
• Olive Lake: A lakeshore boardwalk provides a brief stop near the Radium end of the park.
• Stanley Glacier: A longer hike enters a mountain basin. Separate guided fossil hikes explore the Burgess Shale.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Mountain weather and roadside stops

Carry warm layers, extra food, drinking water, a first-aid kit and bear spray. Snow can fall in any month. Choose a hike that suits the least experienced person in your group. Parks Canada advises against hiking snow-covered trails at or above treeline during the avalanche-prone period described above.

Do not depend on mobile reception along the highway or in the interior. Four signed emergency phones connect to Parks Canada dispatch year-round. Redstreak Campground has cell coverage during its operating season, but no Wi-Fi. Download maps before leaving town.

Sinclair Canyon bridge work is scheduled through October 2026. Traffic may alternate through one lane, with peak delays of up to 45 minutes. Some sidewalks and trail connections are closed. Check the construction notices before choosing a walk near the canyon.

Protect wildlife, fossils and water

Keep pets on a leash. Store food and scented items securely when camping. Leave rocks, fossils, plants and cultural objects where they are. Stay on established trails and do not approach wildlife for a photograph.

The aquatic closure covers canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, inflatables and fishing gear. Swimming remains permitted under the published rules; the closure does not prohibit every activity near water. Clean, drain and dry equipment that contacts water. Read the aquatic restrictions before planning a water activity.

Camping and guided-trip reservations

Redstreak, Marble Canyon and McLeod Meadows campsites are reservable during their operating seasons. Camping requires a park entry pass and a camping permit. A fire permit is required for a permitted campfire. Check restrictions before lighting one.

Use the Parks Canada Reservation Service for available campsites, backcountry permits and guided Burgess Shale hikes. A frontcountry booking does not cover a backcountry itinerary or a guided fossil trip. Confirm the correct program and season before paying.

Maps, location, and access

Highway 93 South runs 94 km through the park. From Radium Hot Springs, join it at Highway 95 and drive toward the southwest entrance. From Banff, take Highway 1 to Castle Junction and turn onto Highway 93 South. The highway is maintained year-round, but severe weather can cause temporary closures.

The visitor center is at 7556 Main Street East in Radium Hot Springs. The highway corridor has signed pullouts, day-use areas and trailheads. Use the official maps and trail guides to choose individual stops rather than navigating to one general park pin. Fill the fuel tank and obtain food before entering; there are no fuel stations, food services or public transit within the park.

Nearby parks by road

• Dry Gulch Park: Continue south from Radium on Highway 93/95. The park lies 4.5 km south of town and provides another campground option when open.
• James Chabot Park: Follow Highway 93/95 toward Invermere, then take the Invermere access road. This day-use park sits at the north end of Windermere Lake.

Choose a walk or a mountain trip

For a short stop, the Olive Lake boardwalk is 0.3 km one way. Paint Pots is 1 km one way, while the Marble Canyon route is 0.9 km one way. Allow time to return along each route; these figures are not loop lengths.

The ordinary Stanley Glacier trail is 4.9 km one way. The guided fossil program has its own 10 km itinerary and takes about seven hours. Do not treat either as a short roadside walk. The Rockwall is a 54.1 km backpacking route that needs a planned itinerary and overnight permits.

Dog Lake Loop and Numa Creek are listed as closed. Check current hike descriptions and trail-report links before setting out. Radium Hot Springs pools offer a different type of stop near the southwest entrance. Confirm their separate admission and operating schedule.

Services along the highway

The visitor center has modern restrooms. Day-use stops elsewhere commonly have dry toilets; winter access to toilets does not mean that paths are cleared of snow. Emergency phones are at Marble Canyon, Simpson River, Kootenay Crossing Operations and Kootenay River day-use area.

During the camping season, Redstreak offers serviced and unserviced sites, showers, flush toilets and oTENTik units. Marble Canyon and McLeod Meadows have unserviced campsites and flush toilets. These campground services should not be assumed available after seasonal closure.

Contact the park with the trail or facility name and your access requirements before travel.

About Kootenay National Park

Indigenous connections and park creation

The park occupies traditional Ktunaxa and Secwepemc lands. River valleys formed travel corridors, and ochre from the Paint Pots area had cultural importance. The national park was established on April 21, 1920. Its creation excluded Indigenous people from places to which they had longstanding ties. Current park work includes collaboration with Indigenous communities.

Animals across changing habitats

Elk, wolves, cougars, grizzly bears and black bears live in the park. Redstreak Campground also supports endangered badgers. Watch for animals from a distance and drive carefully near campgrounds and roadside habitat. Forest recovery after wildfire is part of the landscape, rather than evidence that a burned area has no ecological value.

Contact and trip questions

Contact Kootenay National Park at [email protected]. The seasonal Parks Canada visitor-center telephone is +1 250-347-9505, available May to mid-October. General Parks Canada information is available at +1 888-773-8888. The visitor center address is 7556 Main Street East, Radium Hot Springs, BC V0A 1M0.