Paint Pots Trail

Paint Pots Trail is a gentle out-and-back from the Paint Pots parking lot to three iron-rich springs: 1 km each way, or 2 km (1.24 miles) round trip. You cross the Vermilion River, walk through forest, and emerge at open ochre beds where the springs stain the earth orange and red. It is a strong choice when you want a short walk with a distinctive payoff rather than another roadside view. The return walk is about 40 minutes; allow 45 to 60 minutes if you want to linger at the pools.

Start at the Paint Pots parking lot on Highway 93 South and follow the named trail to the springs. The short walk is an out-and-back: reach the pools, then return the same way. The official distance is 1 km one way. Some published estimates put the return closer to 2.1 km, but the mapped corridor closely matches a 1 km one-way walk. You do not need to add another trail to reach the springs.

The path leaves the lot on gravel and reaches a footbridge over the Vermilion River after roughly 260 metres. Pause on the bridge for a look at the water before heading on. The trail continues through forest on the far side, then opens into low, wet ground around the ochre beds. The last approach rises slightly to the springs. Some of the wetter section is on raised boardwalk, but the ground around it can still be muddy; expect a mix of gravel, natural tread and boardwalk rather than a dry, hard-surfaced stroll.

The route ends at three mineral springs surrounded by iron-stained earth. The open clearing lets you see the orange and red ground against grasses and the forest edge; one pool is vivid orange, while another can look greener. The bridge gives you a second, very different view on the same short walk. If you take photos, include the colored bank and pool edge together so the picture shows the ochre, not just a patch of water.

The color comes from iron-rich mineral springs that stain the surrounding earth. Ochre Creek has long been an important source of iron pigment for Indigenous people, and Ktunaxa and Secwépemc peoples have a traditional connection to these lands and waters. This is a geological feature and a cultural landscape; leave the ochre where it is.

Mud near the springs is the main tradeoff. The trail is gentle, but soft or slick ground can slow the final approach, including around the boardwalk. Dogs are allowed on this park trail when leashed and under control. Bring your own drinking water; surface water in the park may be contaminated and unsafe to drink.

The short Paint Pots walk finishes at the springs and returns to the parking lot. A separate 2.9 km one-way Vermilion River route connects the Paint Pots and Marble Canyon day-use areas. It passes through a mix of mature and burnt forest and is a longer inter-site walk, not a required part of this out-and-back.