Two pools, not one

There is a hot mineral pool and a separate cool pool. The mineral water sits somewhere around 39°C, and unlike most hot springs it carries no sulphur smell at all — the mineral content is different here.

Hours change with the season

Through summer, roughly May to September, both pools run daily from 8:30 am to 10 pm, with last entry at 9:30 pm. In winter the hot pool opens late morning — around 11:30 am on weekdays and 10:30 am at weekends — and closes at 9 pm, while the cool pool runs a reduced schedule and is closed early in the week.

Hours do shift, so it is worth calling Parks Canada on 1-800-767-1611 before you drive up, particularly in shoulder season.

You need a park pass as well as pool admission

The pools sit inside Kootenay National Park, so you need a valid park pass to be there at all — either a day pass or a Parks Canada Discovery Pass. Pool admission is a separate fee on top of that.

Admission is first come, first served and sold in person at reception. There is no advance or online booking, so on a wet August afternoon or a cold January weekend you may queue.

When to go

Mid-week and early is quietest. In winter, going after dark is the better experience — steam, snow on the canyon walls, and far fewer people than a Saturday afternoon.

From most of our homes in Invermere it is about twenty-five minutes each way, which makes it an easy half-day rather than a full outing.