1 Day Kootenay National Park Itinerary With Kids

Kootenay is one of the most underrated National Parks we’ve visited. In this Kootenay National Park itinerary, you’ll find unique hikes, cool roadside stops, and the need to know about the park. We loved our day in this park with an ORANGE trail, incredibly blue turquoise water, and a fun little wildlife encounter.

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What is Kootenay National Park known for? It’s known for incredible mountain views, beautiful contrasting colors of the bright blue waters with orange clay trails, waterfalls, and the opportunity for wildlife encounters. It’s sometimes overshadowed by it’s neighbor, Banff National Park, but this is the park to be at for stunning views and less tourists.

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One Day in Kootenay National Park Itinerary

This itinerary is based on if you’re coming from Banff or Golden. The drive times won’t be the same if you’re coming from a different direction. But the road goes straight through the park so these stops can be made in either direction easily. Check out the map at the bottom of this post to help you plan your trip.

Here is the perfect way to spend 1 day in Kootenay with kids!

Marble Canyon

Distance: 0.9 miles
Elevation: 137 ft
Stroller friendly? No

The first stop on your Kootenay National Park itinerary is Marble Canyon. This trail takes you along a beautiful turquoise river and over several bridges through a deep canyon. You’ll be able to look into Marble Canyon from above and see a waterfall at the end. Also, look for the red chairs on this trail if you want a photo opportunity! There are also some interpretive signs along the trail that will give you information on the canyon and how it was formed.

Paint Pots

Distance: 1.3 miles
Elevation: 183 ft
Stroller friendly? Partially

The paint pots is one of the most unique hikes we’ve ever been on. The trail takes you through the forest, over a bridge crossing the Vermilion River, and then along a boardwalk until you reach an orange trail. This trail is quite literally bright orange because of the clay that exists in this area of the park. Ending at the paint pots which are colorful pools that are bright shades of green and orange. We loved this hike!

Numa Falls

Distance: 0.4 miles
Elevation: flat
Stroller friendly? Yes

Numa Falls is more of a roadside stop than an actual hike, but it’s definitely worth the stop to see this raging river flowing through rock that the river has carved out. The rock formations are colorful (like the rest of Kootenay National Park) and unique. We also had a fun encounter with a raven here who was definitely eyeing us. Apparently, ravens can remember human faces! So maybe we’ll see this bird when we get to come back next time.

Stop for a Photo Opportunity at the Kootenay Valley Viewpoint

The Kootenay Valley Viewpoint is the perfect roadside stop to stretch your legs and take in epic views of the Mitchell and Vermilion mountain ranges!

Visit the Hot Springs: radium or Fairmont Hot Springs

You can’t spend a day in Kootenay National Park and not stop at a hot springs! We loved soaking in Fairmont Hot Springs after hiking with our kids. If you’re trying to decide if you should visit Radium or Fairmont Hot Springs, we’ve listed the two major differences below.

Fairmont Hot Springs:

About 25 minutes south of Radium Hot Springs
Campsites available to camp at the hot Springs or stay at the resort
Several different pools of varying temperature and depth
Similar prices between the two
Has a concession stand type food place with some basic meals, snacks, and ice cream

We were headed South back to the states so we drove a little further to stop at Fairmont instead of Radium on this trip!

Radium Hot Springs

Located inside of Kootenay National Park
Entry to Radium Hot Springs is first come, first served
Located right near town if you’re wanting to stay and explore a small town
Similar prices between the two

A Hike we Didn’t Love?

We did the quick hike to Sinclair Falls. It’s a 0.5 mile and 59 ft elevation trail that leads to a river and waterfall. The hike was fairly steep down with some steep drop offs, but the real problem was that we got ATTACKED by mosquitos as soon as we got near the river. The hike itself would have been nice if we didn’t have the mosquitos. So if you head for this trail – pack your bug spray!

Map of Kootenay National Park Itinerary

Frequently Asked Questions: Kootenay National Park

Where to Stay When Visiting Kootenay National Park

If you’re visiting multiple national parks on your trip, you can choose to base yourself in Banff, Alberta or Golden, BC and day trip to for one day in Kootenay National Park. However, if you’re only visiting Kootenay National Park, you can choose to stay at a campground inside of the park or in the town of Radium Hot Springs just outside the park.

If you’re planning a larger Canadian National Parks road trip, check out our guides to 3 Days in Banff with Kids and 3 Days in Golden, BC with Kids!

Where is Kootenay National Park?

Kootenay National Park is located near the eastern border of British Columbia, just south of Banff National Park. It’s easily accessible from Calgary as well as Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington.

Is Kootenay National Park Worth it?

Visiting Kootenay National Park is 100% worth it. It’s definitely an underrated Canadian National Park and we can’t wait to visit again. There are less crowds, beautiful views, and has a lot of family friendly hikes that are really unique.

What is so Special About Kootenay National Park?

There are so many things that make Kootenay National Park special. My favorite part of this park was the beautiful blue colors of the Vermillion River and the contrast with the orange color on the paint pots trail or the pink and purple flowers along the river. It was really a unique park and also has a lot to offer as far as mountain views and wildlife too.

What The Closest Town to Kootenay National Park?

Radium Hot Springs is a small town located just outside the park entrance. However, Banff is also only 30 minutes away which makes Kootenay National Park the perfect day trip from Banff.

How Long Does it Take to Drive Through Kootenay National Park?

The road through the park takes about an hour to drive from one end to the other. But plan for a longer drive with all the beautiful stops along the way!

How Far is Kootenay National Park from….

Banff to Kootenay National Park: 30 minutes
Golden to Kootenay National Park: 1 hour
Radium Hot Springs to Kootenay National Park: just a couple minutes
Calgary to Kootenay National Park: 1 hour 45 minutes
Cranbrook to Kootenay National Park: 1 hour 30 minutes

We hope you love this one day Kootenay National Park itinerary! We have a ton of other resources to help you plan your trip to the incredible National Parks of Canada. Check them out below!

two jack lake with reflection in the morning

bright blue waters of emerald lake in the morning canada

AND if you’re looking for an EPIC 7 Day Canadian Rockies Road Trip Itinerary – we’ve got you covered hitting 5 National Parks over 7 Days with kid friendly hikes and all the best stops.

1 Day Kootenay National Park Itinerary With Kids