B.C.’s Kootenay National Park is celebrating its 100th Birthday – Under Lockdown:
10 Reasons to Visit Kootenay National Park
(when it’s safe to travel again)
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By Carol Patterson
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B.C.’s Kootenay National Park was created for the car, so it’s ironic that as it reaches 100 years of existence, COVID-19 health advisories mean car travel to the park is discouraged. However, the pandemic won’t last forever, so here are ten good reasons to visit – when it’s okay to travel again.

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Some Background . . .

Canada’s Kootenay National Park was created 100 years ago to establish a highway between Banff National Park and Windermere, British Columbia. It’s a narrow park – only eight kilometers on each side of the road – but it was the first highway to cross the central Canadian Rockies and still provides the mountain backdrop for an epic road trip.

The park came out of the Banff-Windermere Road Agreement to swap land along the route for funds to build the road. The federal government and the Canadian Public Railway wanted to increase tourism through side trips from Banff, the provincial government needed a link to the Columbia Valley, and wildlife gained additional protection so it was a win all round.

Before settlers arrived, the land we now know as Kootenay National Park was part of the traditional lands of the Ktunaxa and Shuswap and many roads follow traditional routes of indigenous people. Sir George Simpson, Governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company, was the first recorded non-indigenous visitor to the area and several places in Kootenay National Park now bear his name.

Back in the day it would take a full day for a Model T to drive the highway; now you can cover the 94-kilometer drive in about an hour. But why rush when there’s so much to see?

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Ten Reasons to Visit Kootenay National Park (when it’s safe to travel again) . . .

– 1 –
Storm Mountain Lodge

The Lodge isn’t in Kootenay National Park but driving the Banff-Windermere Road means driving past it. Built at Vermillion Pass (1708 m.) and the highway’s pinnacle, the lodge was one of eight bungalow camps built by Canadian Pacific Railway to promote tourism. You can stay overnight in one of the cabins or drop in for lunch in the historic log lodge.

– 2 –
The Continental Divide

A sign marks the continental divide – the boundary between Alberta and British Columbia, and the northeastern edge of Kootenay National Park. It’s also the dividing line between two watersheds. You can balance on the point where water flows one way to the Pacific Ocean and the other to the Atlantic Ocean. There’s also a short hike – Fireweed Trail – that will introduce you to the role fire has played in the park.

– 3 –
The Stanley Glacier

Hike to Burgess Shale fossils that are older than dinosaurs (similar fossils in Yoho National Park have 24/7 security). You can join a guided hike or strike out on your own. The first four kilometers are relatively easy with some of the park’s best views but you’ll need to tackle rough terrain and elevation gain to reach the fossils.

– 4 –
Marble Canyon

This narrow slot canyon is popular with ice climbers, but in summer the emerald-green waters of Tokumm Creek are safely viewed atop the narrow gorge. Hike the relatively short trail (1.6km return) to the red chairs for a selfie.

– 5 –
Highway 93 Wildlife Crossing Structures

Parks Canada leads the world in the creation of road over- and under-passes for wildlife. They put their best foot/fin forward in the recent creation of new Kootenay Park highway bypasses. At Dolly Varden Day-use Area you can learn about underpasses and how fish cross the road (hint: they go under, not over).

– 6 –
Roadside Burns

Fire is a common visitor to the park, renewing forests and providing habitat for wildlife. In 2017 the Verdant Creek fire burned an area slightly larger than the size of Windsor, Ontario, but you’re unlikely to see an active fire when you visit. Instead, you might see wildlife enjoying the newly-created openings. Rare Northern hawk-owls patrol recently-burnt forests so look to the top of the trees too.

– 7 –
Olive Lake

At Olive Lake there is a short stroll (.5km) to a lake of stunning colour, although I’d call it more emerald than olive hued. It’s a great place to look for pretty-coloured warblers and in spring the mountain pass near Olive Lake is home to several grizzlies. You often see bears munching on ditch-side dandelions, but don’t linger. Parks Canada staff keep drivers moving to keep bruins safe.

– 8 –
Radium Hot Springs

Named for trace amounts of radium found in the water – and where bighorn sheep are often seen balancing on the cliffs above – the pools at Radium Hot Springs have been popular with travellers for centuries. In early days the mild radioactivity was touted as a therapeutic cure but it seemed the concentration was so insignificant as to be harmless. Now the top five ingredients include sulphate, calcium, bicarbonate, silica, and magnesium with temps a muscle-relaxing 37-40 degrees Celsius. The Aquacourt is a Classified Federal Heritage Building and the first major post-war building in the western national parks. It’s modern (for-the-era) design was a departure from the rustic style popular before then.

– 9 –
Sinclair Canyon

One of the best views in Kootenay National Park is seen without getting out of the car. The sweeping walls of Sinclair Canyon squeeze west-bound motorists out into the Village of Radium Hot Springs and provide a barrier to the movement of bighorn sheep. Every year sheep are killed by vehicle collisions, so drive carefully. Take time to park near the west park gate and hike down to the bottom of the canyon. Keep an eye out for American dippers (the bird species, not the humans) in the river below the waterfall.

– 10 –
The Stoddard Creek Sheep

If you haven’t seen bighorn sheep driving through Kootenay National Park there’s a good chance you’ll see them strolling through the Village of Radium Hot Springs. The Stoddard Creek herd is often spotted on golf courses where they enjoy wide sight lines and reduced chances of predation by cougar. Habitat restoration is underway to lure bighorns back into Kootenay National Park. If you visit in the fall, check out the Headbanger Festival.

Parks Canada has a guided audio tour to help you enjoy this historic highway. It’s temporarily unavailable (along with our holiday freedoms?) but check back with them to download stories and recommended stops for your next trip.

Bighorn Sheep in the Village

Hot springs in Canada