Kootenay National Park

Another of the great national parks in the Rocky Mountains that is overlooked by so many people. All the better for those who like to get away from the crowds and get even closer to nature. There are no services once you get into the park, so if you are coming from the west then your last chance to stock up on snacks and gasoline is the village of Radium Hot Springs.

Stanley Glacier Trail

This was my first big hike in Kootenay National Park and it was long, difficult, a little scary and absolutely wonderful. Walking on scree is always a challenge and a long slide down makes it a little more nerve racking, but the fact that you are actually trying to go up (depends on the direction you do the loop) makes it tiring. Depending upon the time of year you also have to cross a few waterfall streams, so you run the chance of getting wet feet. However, being able to walk up to, or at least very close to, the edge of a glacier that not many people have seen, and the little oasis by the glacier, makes this a must do hike.
The officially maintained trail is a 4.2km there and back (8.4km round trip) trail and does not include the scree or most of the elevation you see below. This still provides great views of the glacier and the waterfalls, and is something most of the family could complete.

Helmet/Ochre Junction Trail & Paint Pots to Marble Canyon Trail

What a beautiful day for a hike. Got to the trail-head early, not a cloud in the sky, very few people around. The plan was to do two separate hikes both starting at the parking lot; begin with the Helmet/Ochre Junction Trail, and after that the shorter Paint Pots to Marble Canyon Trail. What I found is that there was a small side trail from the Helmet/Ochre Trail that would take me over to Paint Pots to Marble Canyon Trail so it would give me a bit more scenery to see. Always a good thing as I prefer loop trails over the “there and back” type.

If you know the Helmet/Ochre Trail and look at the map below you will see that I went a little past the Ochre Junction but it was such an enjoyable day I had to keep going. I was tempted to turn this into a long loop but I’ll save that for another day, so I went up to an avalanche wash and just stayed there for a few minutes listening to the sounds of nature before heading back.

On the Paint Pots to Marble Canyon Trail you go through some recently burnt out areas, which always leaves me with a bit of a creepy feeling. However, now being mid-afternoon and having no cover it was HOT! Very glad I had packed extra water for the day. Marble Canyon really shows the power of water as it has cut through the rock over time. The canyon is right off the highway so it’s a popular tourist attraction and hence a little crowded, even on the weekday when I was there.

It was a long day and with the heat in the afternoon it was pretty exhausting but so many beautiful views. I consider myself so lucky to be able to do these hikes and enjoy my time out in such awesome scenery.

Floe Lake Trail

This can easily be a full day hike (or longer if you want to camp) but it is worth the effort. The trail is not busy but you do have lots of company. It’s hard to go 10 minutes without a Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (chipmunk?) popping out to say hello – please do not feed them. I did this trail mid-summer and I have never, in all my travels, seen so many wildflowers. For most of the trail purple is the colour but just before you get to the lake you are stunned by the colours and variety. It’s almost like a man made garden with everything laid out so perfectly. The only thing missing were some deer and this could have been the Hollywood set of some princess movie. Pictures do not do it justice!

Floe Lake is just so calming, I sat on a rock by the water’s edge and just listened to the lapping of the water for probably too long (I missed my trail completion check-in time and had some people worried – sorry!). [PSA: I often hike solo, if you do the same, please let someone know where you are going and what time you expect to be done.] There are camping spots by the lake and a Parks Canada Patrol Station and although a tough spot to get to, it would be a great place to camp. Bear lockers, outhouse, set camp spots make this a great spot for a night or two.

Dog Lake Loop Trail

I arrived early and was the first person on the trail for this short forest walk to Dog Lake. I was thinking that I might make a nice breakfast treat for any bears (yes, I carry bear spray), but it turns out that isn’t what I had to worry about. The mosquitoes quickly found me and had me scrambling to get the insect repellent out of my bag. So yes, I am scratching as I write this. 🙁
The main trail is a there and back, but if you are a little adventurous you can turn it into a loop. After Dog Lake the trail gets more overgrown and you spend much of your time looking where you put your feet as there are many roots to contend with.
If you want to get into even more adventure there is another trail that leads to an unnamed lake. However, there are numerous downed trees to try and navigate. As a bonus Parks Canada has a special team that has placed spider bridge threads every few feet at face level for you to walk through. They are very quick and stealthy at setting these up as even on the way back i walked into numerous threads. There is a camera trap setup on this part of the trail, no doubt for them to play back to watch people eat spider silk. I made sure to wave!

Simpson River Trail

The reviews I had read before doing this trail made me think twice about doing it. It’s a long trail with minimal elevation change however, in the summer of 2017 the Verdant Creek wildfire swept through and devastated the area. For many, they think this makes the trail “boring” or “depressing” but I look at it as a chance to see nature regrow. All these magnificent forests had to start from something and many of us have read the stories about how different types of plants and animals thrive at different times in a forest’s growth. This is a great chance to see the early stage of that development.
It may look dead to some but if you look closer you will see that nature is alive and doing well. The crackling cascade of the grasshoppers as they fan out in front of you. The dragonflies zipping through the metre high Fireweeds along the river edge. The buzz of the bees as they bounce from aster to aster and even the adorable Golden-mantled ground squirrels as they fly along the highway of downed trees. The raptors flying overhead would not be there if they could not find food. The prints in the mud of the large mammals like bear and deer. All signs that wildfires are part of the normal ecosystem in the forest and mother nature has a plan.

Hawk Creek to Ball Pass Trail

As with many other areas in the park, this area too has been subject to wildfires, but this area was hit in 2003 so there is much more regrowth than in the area of the Simpson River. Still lots of dead trees with many of them fallen, but there are plenty of new conifers, around 2m (6′) high.
The trail is a steady uphill but the terrain changes from new forest, to avalanche areas with lots of shale to fossil hunt in, to a few spots of untouched older forest. There are a few nice meadows when you get up to Ball Pass and if you time it right the flowers are magnificent. If I was a week sooner the flowers may have been in all their glory but they still lite up the floor. You think, this is nice, not a bad hike,but then you go over the last rise and WOW! There is front of you is Ball Glacier overlooking the valley and Shadow Lake. What an awesome view, pictures do not do it justice. Bring your lunch and just enjoy the few for a while, but bring a jacket as the wind can be pretty strong. I know they are cute but don’t feed the Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels that will be chirping at you. 🙂
Need another reason to bring a jacket? A burnt out forest offers no protection from the rain!

Cobb Lake Trail

The Cobb Lake trail is at the south end of the park and there are no real roadside signs directing you to it, so that makes this a nice hidden gem. Just southwest of the Kootenay Valley Viewpoint you will find a small parking area on the south side of the road. Officially, you can only turn in if you are coming from the south due to blind corners.
It is a relatively short trail that most able bodied folks could do, good for kids, but keep them close as bears are around. I came across two pretty recent bear scat deposits so make a little noise and enjoy this walk through a lush forest down to this small lake.

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Being next door to the more well known Banff National Park, means that Kootenay National Park does not get as many visitors. This means fewer people on the trails, leading to that wonderful feeling that you are one of the few that have got to see these natural wonders.

Get out and explore your local nature, leave no trace behind and thank your park staff.