Parking
Kootenay Crossing on Highway 93 South is the documented start. A dedicated trailhead lot, capacity, and overflow parking were not verified.
Overview
About West Kootenay Trail
Why go
- A long, low-grade walk with little net climbing.
Heads up
- Long return, with published one-way distances differing by about 2.7 km.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Kootenay map
Full mapElevation1,175–1,262 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
5 active Kootenay alerts
- 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
- ClosureSinclair Canyon construction closures and delaysRepairs to the Sinclair Creek Rock Tunnel and rehabilitation of the retaining wall at Sinclair Canyon require construction closures; expect alternating single-lane traffic on Highway 93S and…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Kootenay Tour Guide
Your drive to West Kootenay 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 area
From Underground to the Hot Pool0:00 / 0:32
“Radium's hot water rises from about two and a half kilometres underground. Before it reaches the bathing pool, it's collected in an underground sump room, then pumped into the pool.”
Plays on the road 1.2 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Kootenay Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The River’s Long Way Round
- Hector Gorge Viewpoint: The Wider Valley
- A Pika’s Winter Food Store
- The Songbird Underwater
- 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 West Kootenay Trail
What you are signing up forWest Kootenay Trail is a long out-and-back from Kootenay Crossing to the park boundary.
West Kootenay Trail is a long out-and-back from Kootenay Crossing to the park boundary. Following the mapped forest road, it is about 10.1 km each way, or 20.3 km (12.6 mi) round trip; allow about seven hours with stops. The line has roughly 60 m of net climb, so this is a long valley walk rather than a steep ascent. Earlier descriptions give 12.8–13 km one way, which would make the return closer to 25.6 km. Confirm the distance before committing to the full route.
The fire-road corridorThe trail heads northwest from Kootenay Crossing and follows an unpaved forest road to the…
The trail heads northwest from Kootenay Crossing and follows an unpaved forest road to the western park boundary, then returns the same way. On the mapped line, elevation rises from about 1,175 m to a 1,262 m high point before easing down toward 1,235 m at the boundary. The available descriptions do not establish notable crossings, a viewpoint, or a built destination, so plan for a long, low-grade road walk rather than a specific lookout.
Access and preparationKootenay Crossing on Highway 93 South is the documented start.
Kootenay Crossing on Highway 93 South is the documented start. A dedicated trailhead lot, its capacity, and the route’s current maintenance status could not be verified. The route is absent from current hiking-condition information; that does not establish a closure, so check access with Parks Canada before setting out. There is no cell service in Kootenay National Park; carry offline navigation and enough time for the return. Dogs must stay 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.
