Radium Hot Springs

Radium Hot Springs is a village of about 800 people (2016) in the East Kootenays. It is famous for its hot pools.

For visitor information you can visit:

Understand

The village is named for the hot springs located in the nearby Kootenay National Park. The hot springs were named after the radioactive element when an analysis of the water showed that it contained small traces of radon which is a decay product of radium. The radiation dosage from bathing in the pools is inconsequential; approximately 0.13 millirems (1.3 ÎźSv) from the water for a half-hour bathing, around ten times average background levels. The air concentration of radon is about 23 picocuries (0.85 Bq) per litre which is higher than the level (4 picocuries per litre) at which mitigation is necessary at residences; but is also inconsequential (about 0.7 mrem or 7.0 ÎźSv for a half-hour bathing) from a dose impact perspective.

Get in

Radium is at the entrance to Kootenay National Park, at the intersection of Highways 93 and 95. It is 3 hours from Calgary, and 3 hours north of the American border. It is 9 hours east of Vancouver.

Get around

By bus

See and do

  • 🌍 Kootenay National Park (east of town, Highway 93 travels through the park). Features hot springs and scenic geography formed by glaciers.
  • 🌍 Radium Hot Springs, 5420 Hwy 93 (just north of Radium in Sinclair Canyon at the entrance of Kootenay National Park), ☏ +1 250-347-9485. Mid-May to mid-Oct: 9AM-11PM; otherwise: Su-Th noon-9PM and F Sa noon-10PM. Radium's most famous attraction. There is a hot pool and a cool pool for swimming. $7.50/adult, $6.50/youth(3-17), $6.50/senior.
  • 🌍 Bugaboo Provincial Park (accessible via a 50-km dirt road from Brisco, 27 km north of Radium on Highwy 95). Open for the summer (exact dates depend on snowfall). A wilderness park, great for climbing (rock or ice) or hiking. Backcountry camping is permitted at Boulder Camp and Applebee Dome, near the Conrad Kain Hut. You can also stay in the Hut at a fee of $22/person or $44/family. Reservations can be made at +1 403-678-3200 through the Alpine Club of Canada. This is a wilderness park, no supplies are available. Please pack suitably, and take appropriate safety precautions. Backcountry camping fee: $5/person.
  • 🌍 Old Coach Trail. 4.7-km trail off Main St. From the Visitor Centre car park, walk down Main Street West towards Invermere (past the library and an art shop), then follow the trail. At the gate there is an information board and trail maps (also available online) highlighting features of interest at the numbered posts. At the other end, there is a car park about half way between Radium and Invermere.

Eat

Sleep

Go next

Routes through Radium Hot Springs
Kamloops ← Golden ← N ←  W  E  → N → Kootenay N.P. → Banff
Banff ← Kootenay N.P. ←  N  S  → Invermere → Cranbrook
END ← Golden ←  N  S  → Invermere → Cranbrook


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