Parking
Park at Dog Lake Day-use Area, about 28 km north of Radium Hot Springs. There is no cell service in the park, so download directions before you leave town.
Overview
About Dog Lake Loop
Why go
- Two suspension bridges over the Kootenay River
- Old-growth forest and a lakeshore finish
Heads up
- The exposed bridges can sway underfoot
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Kootenay map
Full mapElevation1,124–1,260 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
5 active Kootenay alerts
- ClosureDog Lake Loop closedMentions this trailDog Lake Loop is closed; do not use this trail. Check current day-hike conditions before setting out.Official details
- ClosureWatercraft and angling prohibitedWatercraft and angling are prohibited on every waterbody in Kootenay National Park until March 31, 2027, to reduce the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS), including whirling disease.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Kootenay Tour Guide
Your drive to Dog Lake Loop, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Kootenay National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Kootenay audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Dog Lake Trailhead: Bridges and a Forest Walk0:00 / 0:22
“You're nearing the Dog Lake trailhead at McLeod Meadows, for a forest walk across two suspension bridges over the Kootenay River.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Kootenay Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- McLeod Meadows Campground: Camping by the River
- A Squirrel’s Cone Pile
- A Conifer That Drops Its Needles
- Kootenay River Day-use Area: A Riverside Break
- 49 audio storiesacross Kootenay’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Gray Wolf, Moose, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 38 trails, 29 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Dog Lake Loop
The full circuit, or a shorter lake walkDog Lake Loop is a 7 km circuit (about 4.
Dog Lake Loop is a 7 km circuit (about 4.35 miles) from Dog Lake Day-use Area to Dog Lake and back. It crosses two suspension bridges over the Kootenay River, winds through old-growth forest, and climbs about 195 m before descending to the lakeshore. Allow about 2.5 hours for the full loop.
If you want the bridges and lake without the longer circuit, the lake option is 2.6 km each way, or about 5.2 km round trip. Turn around at the lake rather than continuing around the loop.
The bridges and climbThe two suspension bridges cross the Kootenay River near the start.
The two suspension bridges cross the Kootenay River near the start. The trail then climbs more steeply through forest to a rustic bench at the high point before dropping toward the lake. The open bridges can sway underfoot, so they are the part to think about if you are uneasy on narrow spans.
At Dog LakeThe trail reaches the shore through reeds.
The trail reaches the shore through reeds. A short walk along the water opens a clearer view across the lake to the mountains; on calm water, the ridge can reflect in the lake. This is the best place to pause before taking the loop's separate return leg.
Access and practical detailsStart at Dog Lake Day-use Area, about 28 km north of Radium Hot Springs.
Start at Dog Lake Day-use Area, about 28 km north of Radium Hot Springs. There is no cell service in Kootenay National Park, so download your directions before leaving town. Dogs are allowed on leash.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Kootenay
41 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
31 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
22 sightingsMooseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
84 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
522 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
65 sightingsElkMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Kootenay. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
