Parking
Kindersley Pass parking lot is on the south side of Highway 93S, 11 km east of Radium Hot Springs. Cross the highway to reach the trailhead.
Overview
About Kindersley Pass
Why go
- Open mountain views beyond the pass
- A clear high point at the Kindersley-Sinclair Col
Heads up
- 20 km round trip with a 1,250 m one-way climb
- The trailhead requires a Highway 93S crossing
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Kootenay map
Full mapElevation1,405–2,372 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
5 active Kootenay alerts
- CautionFour-person minimum on Sinclair Creek and Kindersley Pass trailsMentions this trailHiking parties on Sinclair Creek and Kindersley Pass trails must have at least four people because grizzly bears are in the area.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 Kindersley Pass, 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
Kindersley–Sinclair: Plan the Shuttle0:00 / 0:27
“You're coming up on the Sinclair Creek trailhead for the Kindersley–Sinclair route, a hard hike through alpine meadows to a high mountain saddle.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Kootenay Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- How a Cliff Becomes a Rock Pile
- Olive Lake: Both Boardwalk Lookouts
- Kimpton Creek: A Shaded Forest Walk
- Cobb Lake Trailhead: A Forest Lake Walk
- 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 Kindersley Pass
The commitmentKindersley Pass is a hard, 20 km out-and-back, usually an eight-hour mountain day.
Kindersley Pass is a hard, 20 km out-and-back, usually an eight-hour mountain day. The route is 10 km each way toward the Kindersley-Sinclair Col; Parks Canada lists 1,250 m of gain and 240 m of loss along the one-way climb. You retrace the same corridor on the way back, including the small descents you crossed on the climb. Pick this for a full day and a high alpine payoff, not a quick viewpoint stroll.
Beyond the passThe trail climbs through forest and avalanche paths.
The trail climbs through forest and avalanche paths. Kindersley Pass itself can be easy to miss among the trees; the broader views open between the pass and the col. Keep going toward the col if those open mountain views are the reason you came. The open slope also makes a strong picture: include the track cutting across it with the surrounding ridges behind.
Access, bears and dogsKindersley Pass parking lot is on the south side of Highway 93S, 11 km east of Radium Hot…
Kindersley Pass parking lot is on the south side of Highway 93S, 11 km east of Radium Hot Springs. Cross the highway on foot to reach the trail. Parks Canada applies a seasonal bear restriction here: groups of four or more must stay within 3 m, and each party should carry bear spray. Dogs are allowed on leash; check the current trail report for the restriction dates and conditions.
The loop is a different hikeThe Kindersley-Sinclair circuit joins this route to Sinclair Creek and needs a second vehicle…
The Kindersley-Sinclair circuit joins this route to Sinclair Creek and needs a second vehicle for the highway shuttle. It is a separate, longer itinerary; this entry follows the Kindersley route out and back to the col.
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.
