Kootenay National Park

Kootenay National Park essentials

Kootenay National Park follows the 94-kilometer Banff-Windermere Parkway, crossing the Continental Divide between the Rocky and Purcell Mountains. This selection highlights the 55-kilometer Rockwall trail, famous for its massive limestone cliffs and alpine meadows. Key locations include the red rock walls of Sinclair Canyon, the turquoise waters of Floe Lake, and the Kootenay Valley Viewpoint, which offers expansive panoramas of the Mitchell and Vermilion ranges. The park’s history is anchored by the 1923 completion of the highway, the first motor road across the Canadian Rockies.

Kootenay National Park Essentials — Map

Qyd / CC-BY-SA-3.0

A

British Columbia Highway 93

Highway 93 is a north–south route through the southeastern part of British Columbia, in the Regional District of East Kootenay and takes…

B

Olive Lake

A small, spring-fed lake located near the summit of Sinclair Pass. A short boardwalk circles the jade-colored water, which serves as a habitat for brook trout and various bird species.

C

Kootenay Valley Viewpoint

Located along the Banff-Windermere Parkway, this overlook provides expansive views across the Kootenay River valley toward the Mitchell and Vermilion mountain ranges.

Tupungato / CC BY 2.5

D

Sinclair Pass

Sinclair Pass is a high mountain pass in Kootenay National Park between the Columbia and Kootenay Rivers to the northeast of present-day…

E

Continental Divide Monument

This monument marks the boundary between British Columbia and Alberta, as well as the border between Kootenay and Banff National Parks at the height of the Continental Divide.

F

Rockwall

A massive limestone escarpment stretching 55 kilometers through the park. Reaching heights of up to 900 meters, it forms the backdrop for the multi-day Rockwall Trail and several alpine lakes.

G

Floe Lake Camp

A backcountry campground situated at the base of the Rockwall cliffs on the shores of Floe Lake. Access requires a 10.5-kilometer hike with approximately 700 meters of elevation gain.

H

Kootenay Park Lodge

Originally established in 1923 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, this historic lodge at Vermilion Crossing offers cabin accommodations and services in the center of the park.

I

National Park

Located in the village of Radium Hot Springs near the park's west gate, this center provides maps, backcountry permits, and interpretive exhibits about the local ecosystem.