After a short hike at Marble Canyon, Toni and I resumed our drive on Highway 93. We drove for a while until we saw a sign: Wildlife ahead. Slow down now. We slowed down immediately and stopped by the roadside next to a cement barrier protecting the wildlife from traffic. A family of mountain goats were grazing behind the barrier. This is a popular place for mountain goats since there are natural salt licks in the area. I couldn’t resist and had to take some photographs. The mountain goats were panting from the heat and were oblivious to my presence. Though there were no problems when I took photographs, tourists must be aware of cautions concerning wildlife especially when their young are close by. It’s advisable to stay approximately 50 feet or more away from wildlife. Thankfully, I was using a 70-300 Nikkor zoom lens that allowed me to take photos from a safe distance.
Wildlife in Kootenay National Park, BC on the road to Radium Hot Springs,BC
We made our way back to the car and drove quite a distance before arriving in Radium BC. It was early afternoon. There was so much to see on the way there. The spectacular scenery went on for miles and there was a different geological feature with each turn of the curvy highway as we got closer to Radium. Toni told me she had traveled Highway 93 in the winter on the way to Fairmont Hot Springs. Though it was icy in spots, the drive was worth it since the amazing scenery was like driving in a winter wonderland.
My current visit to Kootenay National Park was at the invitation of Parks Canada for Guarantee RV. This BritishColumbia.com link about Kootenay National Park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains gives a wealth of information about the Park including the spectacular Continental Divide which straddles the Alberta-British Columbia border.
The Continental Divide in North America also known as the Great Divide, represents the line that separates the watersheds of the Pacific Ocean from those of the Atlantic Ocean. Rain and snow that drains on the east side of the Continental Divide flows towards the Atlantic Ocean whereas the precipitation that drains on the west site ends up in the Pacific Ocean. The Continental Divide starts from the Seward Peninsula in Alaska through northwestern Canada as it runs along the crest of the Rocky Mountains (Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park) to New Mexico. Then it follows the crest of Mexico’s Sierra Madre Occidental. In South America, the Divide lies along the Andes. Antartica is the only continent that doesn’t have a Continental Divide.
As we approached the entrance to the Village known as Radium Hot Springs, informally known as Radium, there were two huge rock structures which framed the access to Radium. It was a signature natural design if I had ever seen one. Just past this entrance on the right were more rock structures with a natural spring splashing and swirling off the rocks. We decided to take a stroll back to this entrance after we finished signing in to the Village Country Inn. But first, we had to stop by the Radium Hot Springs Visitor Centre for more information and maps. On the way to the Centre, we passed a sign as we entered the Village with this message: THE MOUNTAINS SHALL BRING PEACE TO THE PEOPLE. The message was so appropriate for the area because this was the feeling Toni and I had as we left Calgary behind and drove into the fabulous Canadian Rockies.
Located in the beautiful Columbia Valley, the Village of Radium Hot Springs is known for its parks, camping, golfing, hiking, skiing, wildlife viewing, horseback riding, fishing, snowmobiling, and the rejuvenating Radium Hot Springs. Wildlife wanders the streets as they spend most of the year grazing around the Village. The entrance of Radium starts at Sinclair Canyon and is surrounded by the Canadian Rockies and Purcell Mountains. Additionally, Radium is bordered by the Columbia River Wetlands which is the largest continuous wetlands in North America. Radium has a population of only 1,000 year round residents with many out of town residents making it a second home.
We arrived at the Radium Hot Springs Visitor Centre and were greeted by the very friendly staff. This Community Visitor Centre is the only one in the province open 363 days a year and ranked the 6th busiest in the province of BC. The Centre is open 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily and every Friday and Saturday in July and August it’s open until 9 p.m. in support of Market & Music on Main.
I spoke with Jeff, one of the staff who took care of our needs and provided us with plenty of valuable information about Kootenay National Park and popular activities in the area. One large poster that folded out had a ton of information regarding Trails of the Columbia Valley. The booklet Bears and People gave some valuable advice in big bold letters – “AVOID AN ENCOUNTER: THE BEST APPROACH.” Ya! I agree wholeheartedly. I’m petrified of bears and if I were camping in a tent, I’d be sleeping with my bear spray just in case! Seriously, this booklet had detailed information on Bear Safety so I would recommend asking for it in print or download the PDF here.
Before settling in, Toni and I drove to Tim Horton’s in the neighboring town of Invermere BC to get some coffee and tea prior to embarking on two days of exploration in Kootenay National Park.
Inspirational Quote:
“Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.” Albert Einstein.
PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4 PART 5 PART 6 PART 7 PART 8 PART 9
The post MOUNTAIN GOATS, RADIUM BC, PARKS CANADA AND TIM HORTONS DONUTS – DAY 1 PART 2 appeared first on Guarantee RV Blog.