Area
After a long day of enjoying the many activities that Radium has to offer, soak away your aches and pains in the 40°C (104°F) therapeutic, odorless mineral hot springs. It is located within the boundaries of Kootenay National Park, considered to be amongst the finest in the world. Unlike some Hot Springs, these waters are free of odorous sulphur.
Radium Hot Springs
Radium Hot Springs is a village of approximately 800 people situated in the East Kootenay region of British Columbia. The village is named for the hot springs located in the nearby Kootenay National Park. From Banff, Alberta, it is accessible via Highway 93.
Radium is located 16 km north of the tourist town of Invermere, and 105 km south of Golden, British Columbia. It is located at the junction of Highway 95 and Highway 93, in the Columbia River valley, between the river and Kootenay National Park.
The hot springs were named after the radioactive element when an analysis of the water showed that it contained small traces of radon which is a decay product of radium.
Wildlife in the area includes mule deer, grizzly bears, black bears, Mountain goats and Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep.
British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada. The province’s name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858. Its Latin motto is Splendor sine occasu (“Splendour without Diminishment”). British Columbia’s capital is Victoria, located at the southeastern tip of Vancouver Island.
British Columbia contains seven of Canada’s national parks:
- Glacier National Park
- Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
- Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site
- Kootenay National Park
- Mount Revelstoke National Park
- Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
- Yoho National Park
British Columbia also contains a large network of provincial parks.
Much of the province is wild or semi-wild, so that populations of many mammalian species that have become rare in much of the United States still flourish in British Columbia.
Given its varied mountainous terrain and its coasts, lakes, rivers, and forests, British Columbia has long been enjoyed for pursuits like hiking and camping, rock climbing and mountaineering, hunting and fishing. Consistent with both increased tourism and increased participation in diverse recreations by British Columbians has been the proliferation of lodges, chalets, bed and breakfasts, motels, hotels, fishing camps, and park-camping facilities in recent decades.
Kootenay National Park
Kootenay National Park is located in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, covering 1,406 km2 (543 sq mi) in the Canadian Rockies, and forms part of a World Heritage Site.
From glacier-clad peaks along the Continental Divide to semi-arid grasslands of the Rocky Mountain Trench, where cactus grows, Kootenay National Park is noted for its diversity of landscapes, ecology and climate. The 94 km Banff-Windermere Highway (93 South) takes you through the park along the Vermilion and Kootenay rivers and through the narrow gorge of Sinclair Canyon to the famous Radium Hot Springs.
While the park is open all year, the major tourist season lasts from June to September. The park takes its name from the Kootenay River, one of the two major rivers which flow through the park, the other being the Vermillion River. The park’s main attractions include the Hot Springs, Olive Lake, Marble Canyon, Sinclair Canyon and the Paint Pots. The hot springs offer a hot springs pool ranging from 35°C to 47°C (95°F to 117°F). Because of the relatively small width of the park (five miles on each side of the highway), many of the park’s attractions are situated near the road and are wheelchair accessible. Just outside the park’s south-western entrance is the town of Radium Hot Springs.
The Paint Pots are a group of iron-rich cold mineral springs which bubble up through several small pools and stain the earth a dark red-orange colour. The Paint Pots were a major source of the ochre paint pigment for a number of First Nations groups prior to the 20th century.
Kootenay National Park of Canada offers opportunities to experience the Rocky Mountains, learn about their natural and cultural heritage, and connect with nature.
A short drive through Kootenay National Park east of Hwy 93 from Radium Hot Springs will bring you to several good picnic sites and swimming spots, including Sinclair Creek, Olive Lake, Kootenay River, Dolly Varden, Hector Gorge, Wardle Creek, Numa Falls, Paint Pots, Marble Canyon, and Tokumm Creek.
Lake Windermere
Nestled in the scenic Columbia Valley with the Rocky Mountains to the east and the Purcell Mountains to the west, Lake Windermere is actually a very large widening in the Columbia River. It’s one of the largest and warmest lakes in the region and has an average depth of only 4.50 meters.
Lake Windermere is a very popular vacationing spot, especially for residents of Calgary, which is a 3-hour car drive to the Rocky Mountains, turn south on Highway 95 in Radium Hot Springs.
Lake Windermere is very heavily used for motor-boating, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, fishing and other recreational activities. On summer days there are often up to 200 power boats on the lake at the same time! Windermere Lake was once known as Lower Columbia Lake, and will be seen as such on older maps of the area.
Warm sunny days and crisp Rocky Mountain evenings. Ruffles on the lake and sunset on the Purcell Mountains. Laze the day away under a maple tree at the Windermere Beach. Pack up a picnic and let the kids loose in the playground, shake out your towel and come for a dip — the Windermere Beach focuses on fun! Just a leisurely walk from the Town Center.
The region is popular with hikers and home to the Columbia River Wetlands, which is North America’s largest intact wetland and a designated site under the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands. The Invermere Airport houses the non-profit Canadian Rockies Soaring Club which welcomes dozens of student pilots and private owners in the summer months and provides glider rides to the general public. The local area is also a popular destination for other non-motorized forms of flying including hang-gliding and paragliding with a launch site at nearby Mount Swansea.
Activities
This beautiful village boasts almost every recreational activity one can think of. Radium Hot Springs and the surrounding area is known as a golfer’s paradise with 17 golf courses within a short driving distance, considered some of the best in the province. We offer accommodation, golfing and dining in an affordable package deal. Let us take care of your holiday all the way.
- Golf — 17 golf courses within a short driving distance
- Mountain biking and biking trails
- Hiking and backpacking trails
- Mini golf
- Go-karts
- Paintball
- Bumper boats
- Petting zoo
- Trail rides
- Canoe and kayak trips
- Fishing
- Bird watching
- Rock climbing in the surrounding mountain ranges
- Paragliding and hang-gliding from the peak of Mount Swansea, one of the best mountain soaring sites in the world
- Soaring and glider rides with the Canadian Rockies Soaring Club
- Motor-boating, sailing and windsurfing on Lake Windermere
- Swimming — at the hot springs pools, Lake Windermere beaches, and picnic and swimming spots in Kootenay National Park
- White water rafting
- Spa and massage
- Wildlife viewing — wolf, coyote, cougar, lynx, wolverine, deer, mountain goat, big horn sheep, grizzly and black bear
- Visit the Wolf Centre at Panorama Mountain Village
- Quietness to relax
Other popular tourist destinations, such as Banff and Lake Louise are located only an hour and a half away along the Kootenay Parkway, one of the most scenic drives in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Driving south on Hwy 93/95, Fairmont Hot Springs is 30 minutes from Radium, or driving further is White Swan Lake, where there is another hot springs hidden away from regular tourists. One more off the beaten track destination is Bugaboo Glacier (north on Hwy 95), a must for adventurous tourists. Alpine and Wetlands hiking and backpacking trails are available in Kootenay National Park, Bugaboo Provincial Park and numerous BC Forest recreation areas.
Advance reservations are recommended and can be made by contacting the Radium Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce at 1-888-347-9331, e-mail: info@radiumhotsprings.com.
Packages
Fun ATV Tours
Fun ATV Tours, booked through ToyhaulerRentals.com.
Flying Packages
Flying Packages, booked through Kyototours — phone 250-342-1492.
Spa Packages
Spa Packages, booked through Kaylabugmiss — phone 250-342-9868.
Columbia River Tours
Columbia River Paddle specializes in canoeing and kayaking with a relaxed, easy paced approach in the spectacular setting of the Columbia River Valley. A unique way to discover the lakes and rivers in the Columbia Valley. Tours run late May to late October.
Rafting Packages
Rafting Packages with Kootenay River Ranch — white water rafting in the Kootenay River Valley.