Radium Hot Springs BC

Radium Hot Springs BC would be our last place to visit in Canada.  To get there we drove Hwy 93S through Kootenay National Park.  This park, designated in 1920, has a diverse geography, from glacier peaks to grasslands.  Part of the route had seen forest fire (in fact there was an active fire as we drove through, although we never saw flames; only the slight smell of smoke in the air).

Radium Hot Springs, the town, is located just outside the park boundary.  It has an alpine village feel, with restaurants serving Austrian, Bavarian and German style foods.  A wandering herd of bighorn sheep call the town home; we only saw one, but sometimes the entire herd is seen resting along the highway

And there are the hot spring pools located at the edge of town. From early settlers and travelers, to today's tourists, many have stopped to visit and soak in the mineral rich waters.   Other attractions are golf, whitewater rafting, hiking, and cross-country skiing in winter.

One day we toured the town of Invermere, just south of Radium.  Setttled on the shores of Lake Windermere, the little village hosts quaint shops and galleries, cafe's and coffeeshops. One could stroll around town, wade along the shores of the lake, or even rent kayaks or canoes...in winter, there is even ice fishing.

As we headed south toward the border, we drove through the Columbia Valley, where the Columbia River has it's beginnings in the wetlands around Canal Flats.