Whether you live in Calgary or you flew in, we always recommend a quick light breakfast for driving days. Having a heavy meal can make travel tiresome. Fresh fruit and lots of water helps while behind the wheel.
The first stop is at Banff Hot Springs, which is honestly more of a pool than a Hot Springs, especially when compared to our final destination. Expect it to be packed on Weekends, this is the busiest tourist Town in Canada afterall. Here you'll find crystal clear water varying between 35°C - 40°C (95°F-104°F)
👉 Tip: You will need National Park Passes for any stops in Banff or Kootenay National Parks and these passes are exclusive to their respective Park.
Soak here as long as you want, but we recommend no longer than an hour if you want to take in a hike or two along Highway 93 to Radium Hot Springs via Banff and Kootenay National Park. Some of these hikes are short, 30 minute Adventures such as Marble Canyon, while others such as Ink Pots, require more time and consideration than a quick stop. Either way make sure you have the most recent copy of Back Road Map Books and plan your stops well in advance.
Our Top Quick Picks For Exploring Highway 93 through Kootenay National Park
▪️ Marble Canyon - This short 1.3km hike leads to a beautiful set of waterfalls and follows a deep canyon the entire way. It is moderately trafficked and has 55m of elevation gain. It is easy to determine how busy the trail is by the number of vehicles in the parking lot.
*Dogs are permitted, but please keep them on a leash, and as always practice Leave No Trace.
▪️Olive Lake - This is a very short walk from the parking lot to the small lake. Olive Lake is shallow and blue green in the sunlight. This spot is frequently closed due to bear activity, so check Parks Canada the morning of your journey. Use caution when visiting and carry bear spray.
Radium Hot Springs
Our next stop is Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia. This small quaint town is our favorite in the Kootenays. With almost everything situated on Main Street, Radium Hot Springs is easy to navigate, and offers many trails, look outs and opportunities for wildlife viewing, often right on Main Street.
The Hot Springs here is one of the best pools in British Columbia, but is very busy during the weekends. Capacity Restrictions during 2021 made for long lines, and wait times. We suggest calling ahead and inquiring about any Restrictions.
During the week we found the best time to visit the pools is either Tuesdays around 11am or Wednesday evening after 430pm, and the suggested maximum time spent in the pool is 2 hours.
The waters temperature is similar to Banff, averaging between 35°- 40°C, but the pool is warmest closer to the main building.
Our Favorite Radium Eats;
*Restrictions during 2021 have made for some Restaurants to be Take Out Only, call ahead of time.
Radium Hot Springs Overnight
👉 Tip: Depending on your preference, Crown Land Camping is plentiful along HorseThief Road west of Radium past the Saw Mill.
Camping
RedStreak Campground, Kootenay National Park
▪️ Hot Showers, Potable Water, Sani-Dump, Cell Service
▪️Requires Park Pass
▪️ RedStreak Trail direct 2.3km hike to Hot Springs
▪️Plan ahead, busy during Summer months
Hotels
Day 2
*if you didn't drive through
👉 Tip: Big Horn Cafe makes a great cup of coffee and their breakfast burritos is 10/10.
Continue your drive South on Highway 93 towards Cranbrook for 67km. Along the drive there are multiple places to stop for sweeping views of the Columbia Valley, and Columbia Lake, the headwaters of the Mighty Columbia River. Be sure to check out the hoodoos just south of Fairmont.
After driving for 45 minutes you'll see signs for WhiteSwan Provincial Park. Turn left onto the Provincial Park Road and proceed for another 18km to Lussier Hot Springs.
If you drove here on Day 1, go past Lussier Hot Springs to one of the 5 Paid Campgrounds, and setup your camping site before you visit the pools. You don't want to setup in the dark.
Spend a day here. The pools are usually busy, but if you arrive early, or just before dark, you may luck out with some private time. Enjoy the natural Hot Springs and the quiet serenity of the environment around you.
The Pools can get quite warm, so cool off with a dip in the River nearby. Swim suits are required as this is a popular family destination and is in a Provincial Park.
▪️Alcohol is not permitted.
▪️No dogs
▪️No Glass
▪️Leave No Trace
After a dip, check out the Provincial Park. There are several marked trails with varying degrees of difficulty thoughout the Park, as well as a hike to a much more secluded hidden gem known as Ram Creek Hot Springs.
This is a moderate 11.1km hike, with light traffic. Be sure to bring bear spray, water and food. Swm suits are optional here and we rarely see people here. Ram Creek Hot Springs is truly a private experience.
After you're Adventure is done and you need to drive home, there's three routes you can take depending on your time constraints.
▪️Highway 93 South ➡️ Highway 3 East ➡️ Highway 2 North (AB)
▪️Highway 93 North ➡️ Highway 1 East
▪️Highway 93 North via Golden ➡️ Highway 1 East
The last two options allow for you to visit both Radium and Banff again. 😉
👉 Tip: If you choose the third option, check out our board for Highway 1 National Parks Top Spots
👉 Quick Tips for travel in the East Kootenays
▪️This is bear country, plan and pack accordingly. Never approach, feed or pet any wildlife.
▪️There is absolutely no cell service from the junction of Highway 1 and Highway 93 until you reach Radium.
▪️Centax Gas Station South of Invermere has fuel deals on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
▪️Weather conditions can change suddenly, so pack an extra layer, especially if you are tenting.
▪️Use #kootrocks and #explorebc for more Instagram exposure.
▪️Poison Ivy grows actively around most Hot Springs in British Columbia, so be cautious when in sandles.
▪️Tourism is huge for the Kootenays, most of these spots have high times, so aim for times when most people would be eating or sleeping for the best experience.
▪️Take Pictures, Make Memories, but Leave Nothing.
Whether you live in Calgary or you flew in, we always recommend a quick light breakfast for driving days. Having a heavy meal can make travel tiresome. Fresh fruit and lots of water helps while behind the wheel.
The first stop is at Banff Hot Springs, which is honestly more of a pool than a Hot Springs, especially when compared to our final destination. Expect it to be packed on Weekends, this is the busiest tourist Town in Canada afterall. Here you'll find crystal clear water varying between 35°C - 40°C (95°F-104°F)
👉 Tip: You will need National Park Passes for any stops in Banff or Kootenay National Parks and these passes are exclusive to their respective Park.
Soak here as long as you want, but we recommend no longer than an hour if you want to take in a hike or two along Highway 93 to Radium Hot Springs via Banff and Kootenay National Park. Some of these hikes are short, 30 minute Adventures such as Marble Canyon, while others such as Ink Pots, require more time and consideration than a quick stop. Either way make sure you have the most recent copy of Back Road Map Books and plan your stops well in advance.
Our Top Quick Picks For Exploring Highway 93 through Kootenay National Park
▪️ Marble Canyon - This short 1.3km hike leads to a beautiful set of waterfalls and follows a deep canyon the entire way. It is moderately trafficked and has 55m of elevation gain. It is easy to determine how busy the trail is by the number of vehicles in the parking lot.
*Dogs are permitted, but please keep them on a leash, and as always practice Leave No Trace.
▪️Olive Lake - This is a very short walk from the parking lot to the small lake. Olive Lake is shallow and blue green in the sunlight. This spot is frequently closed due to bear activity, so check Parks Canada the morning of your journey. Use caution when visiting and carry bear spray.
Radium Hot Springs
Our next stop is Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia. This small quaint town is our favorite in the Kootenays. With almost everything situated on Main Street, Radium Hot Springs is easy to navigate, and offers many trails, look outs and opportunities for wildlife viewing, often right on Main Street.
The Hot Springs here is one of the best pools in British Columbia, but is very busy during the weekends. Capacity Restrictions during 2021 made for long lines, and wait times. We suggest calling ahead and inquiring about any Restrictions.
During the week we found the best time to visit the pools is either Tuesdays around 11am or Wednesday evening after 430pm, and the suggested maximum time spent in the pool is 2 hours.
The waters temperature is similar to Banff, averaging between 35°- 40°C, but the pool is warmest closer to the main building.
Our Favorite Radium Eats;
*Restrictions during 2021 have made for some Restaurants to be Take Out Only, call ahead of time.
Radium Hot Springs Overnight
👉 Tip: Depending on your preference, Crown Land Camping is plentiful along HorseThief Road west of Radium past the Saw Mill.
Camping
RedStreak Campground, Kootenay National Park
▪️ Hot Showers, Potable Water, Sani-Dump, Cell Service
▪️Requires Park Pass
▪️ RedStreak Trail direct 2.3km hike to Hot Springs
▪️Plan ahead, busy during Summer months
Hotels
Day 2
*if you didn't drive through
👉 Tip: Big Horn Cafe makes a great cup of coffee and their breakfast burritos is 10/10.
Continue your drive South on Highway 93 towards Cranbrook for 67km. Along the drive there are multiple places to stop for sweeping views of the Columbia Valley, and Columbia Lake, the headwaters of the Mighty Columbia River. Be sure to check out the hoodoos just south of Fairmont.
After driving for 45 minutes you'll see signs for WhiteSwan Provincial Park. Turn left onto the Provincial Park Road and proceed for another 18km to Lussier Hot Springs.
If you drove here on Day 1, go past Lussier Hot Springs to one of the 5 Paid Campgrounds, and setup your camping site before you visit the pools. You don't want to setup in the dark.
Spend a day here. The pools are usually busy, but if you arrive early, or just before dark, you may luck out with some private time. Enjoy the natural Hot Springs and the quiet serenity of the environment around you.
The Pools can get quite warm, so cool off with a dip in the River nearby. Swim suits are required as this is a popular family destination and is in a Provincial Park.
▪️Alcohol is not permitted.
▪️No dogs
▪️No Glass
▪️Leave No Trace
After a dip, check out the Provincial Park. There are several marked trails with varying degrees of difficulty thoughout the Park, as well as a hike to a much more secluded hidden gem known as Ram Creek Hot Springs.
This is a moderate 11.1km hike, with light traffic. Be sure to bring bear spray, water and food. Swm suits are optional here and we rarely see people here. Ram Creek Hot Springs is truly a private experience.
After you're Adventure is done and you need to drive home, there's three routes you can take depending on your time constraints.
▪️Highway 93 South ➡️ Highway 3 East ➡️ Highway 2 North (AB)
▪️Highway 93 North ➡️ Highway 1 East
▪️Highway 93 North via Golden ➡️ Highway 1 East
The last two options allow for you to visit both Radium and Banff again. 😉
👉 Tip: If you choose the third option, check out our board for Highway 1 National Parks Top Spots
👉 Quick Tips for travel in the East Kootenays
▪️This is bear country, plan and pack accordingly. Never approach, feed or pet any wildlife.
▪️There is absolutely no cell service from the junction of Highway 1 and Highway 93 until you reach Radium.
▪️Centax Gas Station South of Invermere has fuel deals on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
▪️Weather conditions can change suddenly, so pack an extra layer, especially if you are tenting.
▪️Use #kootrocks and #explorebc for more Instagram exposure.
▪️Poison Ivy grows actively around most Hot Springs in British Columbia, so be cautious when in sandles.
▪️Tourism is huge for the Kootenays, most of these spots have high times, so aim for times when most people would be eating or sleeping for the best experience.
▪️Take Pictures, Make Memories, but Leave Nothing.