Parking
Start at the Sinclair Creek parking lot on the north side of Highway 93 South, 12 km east of Radium Hot Springs.
Overview
About Sinclair Creek Trail
Why go
- Alpine meadows and open views around Kindersley-Sinclair Col
- Can link to Kindersley Pass with a second vehicle
Heads up
- Climbs 1,005 m in 6.2 km one way
- Rough switchbacks cross several avalanche paths
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Kootenay map
Full mapElevation1,489–2,374 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
5 active Kootenay alerts
- CautionFour-person minimum on Sinclair Creek and Kindersley Pass trailsMentions Sinclair Creek, referenced in this guideHiking 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 Sinclair Creek Trail, 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
- Olive Lake: Both Boardwalk Lookouts
- How a Cliff Becomes a Rock Pile
- 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 Sinclair Creek Trail
The route and payoffSinclair Creek Trail is a hard, 12.
Sinclair Creek Trail is a hard, 12.4 km out-and-back from the Sinclair Creek parking lot into alpine meadows near Kindersley-Sinclair Col. The climb is 6.2 km one way with 1,005 m of gain; allow about six hours for the return. Pick it for a demanding valley hike and big high-country views, not an easy stroll.
The creek and steep climbFor the first 1.5 km, follow the left side of Sinclair Creek to a bridge, then cross.
For the first 1.5 km, follow the left side of Sinclair Creek to a bridge, then cross. About half a kilometre later, steep switchbacks begin. The trail gets rough and crosses several avalanche paths, so this is where the climb asks for steady footing as well as fitness.
Above the treesThe forest opens into alpine meadows with a view west toward Kindersley Summit.
The forest opens into alpine meadows with a view west toward Kindersley Summit. Continue up the valley for the open views around Kindersley-Sinclair Col. This is a high-country walk, not a summit route; turn around when the climb or conditions call for it, then retrace the same trail.
Linking to Kindersley PassYou can pair Sinclair Creek with Kindersley Pass as a point-to-point hike, but that needs a…
You can pair Sinclair Creek with Kindersley Pass as a point-to-point hike, but that needs a second vehicle for the Highway 93 shuttle. For the out-and-back, start at the north-side parking lot. 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.
