Kootenay NP

According to plans, my second destination on my Canadian journey, after a quick stop to Lundbreck Falls on the way (in the first picture below), was Kootenay NP. The idea was to arrive and relax in Radium Hot Springs before spending a full day driving through the park with several stops on the way to Banff. A wildfire in Verdant Creek though was the unexpected factor to take into account and a constant issue for several days since, depending on wind direction and weather conditions, smoke was visible and sometimes a problem even in the nearby Banff NP.

Luckily I was able to drive through the park (because of visibility issues the road had been closed several times in the previous days) and the park wardens provided precious advices on where to go the day I was there according to smoke conditions. At the end of the day, I was in Banff after a morning in the smoke and a wonderful afternoon exploring Marble Canyon and the Paint Pots in the Northern area of the park where I got to see picture perfect sceneries and astonishing colours.

I haven’t seen much of Kootenay NP, but judging from the smoke-free views I got, it is one of the best for sure. And as I mentioned in a previous post, I even got to see my first bighorn sheep, so I can only be positive about my experience.