Kootenay National Park
Kootenay National Park
4.5
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4.5
241 reviews
Excellent
168
Very good
56
Average
10
Poor
4
Terrible
3
MarkColwell
Hamilton, Canada64 contributions
Aug 2020
Spent the day hiking, swimming and fishing here. There is beauty all around you and space to find quiet. Prepare a lunch, options are very limited but there are multiple paces to enjoy and incredible view while having space to breathe. You need a park fishing license but the river is loaded with trout.
Written 31 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amanda
Edmonton, Canada196 contributions
Jul 2020 • Couples
Juniper Trail is a gorgeous hike of moderate intensity. We parked near the hot springs and walked down to the “starting point” past the canyon, this way after completing the trip we would end up where we parked. The beginning is all downhill where you get to see the beautiful Sinclair Falls. You can proceed to the rest of the trail where it’s an uphill hike from there. The trail is well cleared and it zig-zags up so the incline is easier. Once you’re at the top you can see over Radium. I was sad to see it end so quickly as its a very enjoyable hike! Throughout the hike it looks as though there are shortcuts, please don’t take them as it hurts the integrity of the soil and plant life, there are also signs posted regarding this!
Written 2 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lorea T
Langley, B.C.32 contributions
Jul 2021
I always get overwhelmed when something is so beautiful. This park is a must do. There are frequent pull outs for picture taking and rest stops. When you go through the rock walls in the beginning there is a parking lot immediately to the left. Stop and go back and take a picture.
Written 10 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pipes
Maple Ridge B.C.15 contributions
Jul 2020
Kootenay National Park is one of the overlooked parks in the Canadian Rockies. That being said it is a bit quieter and less crowded. We have stayed at the campsite above the hot springs and have always enjoyed the walks/trails in that area. This trip we concentrated on Marble Canyon and spent a 1/2 day exploring this amazing spot. Cool looking water and an incredible waterfall at the top of the trail. You can do a short hike down to the pots from this location also. All in all a great spot to explore.
Written 31 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anne B
St. Albert, Canada21 contributions
Jul 2024 • Friends
We hiked the Rockwall Trail from Floe Lake to Paint Pots over 5 days staying in 4 different campgrounds. We were very impressed with the upkeep of the trials. The campgrounds provided bear lockers to store food as well as clean pit toilets. We encountered members of the Parks Canada staff both biologists and workers maintaining the trails. It was a challenging 54 km hike with lots of elevation gain. Hiking through this area is best in groups of 2-4 because of the presence of grizzly bears. Talking and singing on the trail helps keep the bears away. Always carry bear spray and know how to use it.
Written 17 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
goochypapa
Yarrow, Canada91 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
We stayed at McLeod Meadows campground for 3 nights and will not be coming back but will look at Red Streak campground instead.
For being a campground in a national park McLeod Meadows is a disappointment. You arrive and everything is rundown. Nothing is cared for here. Picnic tables are worn out, bathrooms are subpar and most other buildings look dilapidated or have graffiti on them. This campground should be invested in more but instead it’s forgotten and left to rot away. Pretty disappointing.
McLeod Meadows does have a beautiful river running by it with a nice mountain backdrop and that’s about it.
For being a campground in a national park McLeod Meadows is a disappointment. You arrive and everything is rundown. Nothing is cared for here. Picnic tables are worn out, bathrooms are subpar and most other buildings look dilapidated or have graffiti on them. This campground should be invested in more but instead it’s forgotten and left to rot away. Pretty disappointing.
McLeod Meadows does have a beautiful river running by it with a nice mountain backdrop and that’s about it.
Written 26 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
vacationspecialist4
Vancouver, Canada73 contributions
Sept 2020
We had a good 5 days in Radium and we visited Kootenay National Park and explored it for the first time. Have driven through before but this time stopped and did some hiking. We had to choose which days we hiked because we were there when the smoke from the U.S. Fires was bad. We hiked the Stanley Glacier trail which was very good. Also walked up to Marble Canyon. Our only complaint with the trails on these hikes is that they are not well signed. We have hiked a lot in Switzerland and their trails have lots of signage telling you how far you have to go in distance and time. On the Paint Pots Trail after you have crossed the Bridge the sign there does not mention which trail to walk along to the Paint Pots someone had scratched on the sign which trail to take this is poor parks management. Numa Falls are great falls to stop and look at.
Written 30 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KellyNagle
553 contributions
Jul 2020
10/10!!!
An approximately 20km round trip hike with extremely underrated status. Park at Floe Lake parking lot, but go where no one else is - across the street to Hawk Creek/Ball Pass Hike. Rated difficult due to overall length and 850m elevation gain, but would be fairly “easy” for experienced hikers.
Variety:
Fire burned forest in 2003 - regrowing.
Creek crossing on log bridge.
Valley views of awesome mountains both ways.
Scree path across avalanche paths.
Evergreen forest.
Sub alpine meadows.
Millions of wild flowers of at least 50 different types.
Waterfalls.
Marmots, toads, birds, deer tracks, chipmunks.
Sun and snow.
Lake which you can wade across (or go around.)
Avalanche viewing across sweet vista.
Glacier.
Almost no other people.
A WOW for both of us who have day hiked much of Banff, Jasper, BC coast.
Dog friendly.
If you enjoy the long trail less travelled, you might like to tackle this.
An approximately 20km round trip hike with extremely underrated status. Park at Floe Lake parking lot, but go where no one else is - across the street to Hawk Creek/Ball Pass Hike. Rated difficult due to overall length and 850m elevation gain, but would be fairly “easy” for experienced hikers.
Variety:
Fire burned forest in 2003 - regrowing.
Creek crossing on log bridge.
Valley views of awesome mountains both ways.
Scree path across avalanche paths.
Evergreen forest.
Sub alpine meadows.
Millions of wild flowers of at least 50 different types.
Waterfalls.
Marmots, toads, birds, deer tracks, chipmunks.
Sun and snow.
Lake which you can wade across (or go around.)
Avalanche viewing across sweet vista.
Glacier.
Almost no other people.
A WOW for both of us who have day hiked much of Banff, Jasper, BC coast.
Dog friendly.
If you enjoy the long trail less travelled, you might like to tackle this.
Written 12 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brittany
Winnipeg, Canada3,229 contributions
Sept 2020
I visited Kootenay National Park in September 2020 for a day trip from Canmore (it was approx. a 45 minute to 1 hour drive), just over the BC/Alberta border, and hiked Stanley Glacier and Marble Canyon.
This was my first time venturing into Kootenay and it was a beautiful park! Stanley Glacier was a moderately difficult, 8.5 km hike (not including the loop at the end) that led through forest and opened up to amazing views of the mountains along the way. It was not a busy trail and I enjoyed it mostly to myself, with only a few other people on the way back.
Marble Canyon was a short drive from Stanley Glacier. It was a 1.5 km loop trail leading alongside the deep and narrow canyon and over a series of foot bridges. There were incredible views and photo opportunities and it was amazing to see this canyon. Again, it was not busy here at all and I visited during midday. Kootenay had gorgeous natural beauty and I liked that the park was quieter than Banff. Note that there is no cell service at all in the park so make sure to plan accordingly. There were outhouses at the trailheads for Stanley Glacier and Marble Canyon.
Would love to visit Radium Hot Springs during a future visit and explore more of the area.
This was my first time venturing into Kootenay and it was a beautiful park! Stanley Glacier was a moderately difficult, 8.5 km hike (not including the loop at the end) that led through forest and opened up to amazing views of the mountains along the way. It was not a busy trail and I enjoyed it mostly to myself, with only a few other people on the way back.
Marble Canyon was a short drive from Stanley Glacier. It was a 1.5 km loop trail leading alongside the deep and narrow canyon and over a series of foot bridges. There were incredible views and photo opportunities and it was amazing to see this canyon. Again, it was not busy here at all and I visited during midday. Kootenay had gorgeous natural beauty and I liked that the park was quieter than Banff. Note that there is no cell service at all in the park so make sure to plan accordingly. There were outhouses at the trailheads for Stanley Glacier and Marble Canyon.
Would love to visit Radium Hot Springs during a future visit and explore more of the area.
Written 2 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kenneth P
3 contributions
Sept 2024 • Couples
One of the most beautiful places to visit in Western Canada. The scenery on Highway 93 is breathtaking. The only downfall is that there is no phone service and gasoline stations for 105 km so be prepared prior to driving this highway. Well worth the time to visit.
Written 4 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It depends what you are planning on doing in the parks. There shouldn't be any restrictions if you're hiking or planning on staying overnight in the park. If you are looking for specific information about the park, here are the hours of operation:
Kootenay National Park Visitor Centre, located in the Village of Radium Hot Springs, is open from 9am to 7pm (June 14th to September 5th).
Tourism Radium also offers information services daily from 9am to 5pm.
Written 6 July 2018
chicagostylepizza
Canmore, Canada
how long does it take to drive through the park?
Written 18 August 2017
We enjoyed a three hour drive with many stops, including the painted pots and make canyon. Road was open and clear yesterday.
Written 19 August 2017
chicagostylepizza
Canmore, Canada
How long does it take to drive through the park?
Written 18 August 2017
It.depends upon how many stops you make. I took three hours but stopped many times to photograph the varied landscape. If you don't stop 1:45 hours end to end.
Written 7 September 2017
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