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Village of Radium Hot Springs
—  Village  —
Coat of arms
Location of Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia
Coordinates: 50°37′3″N 116°04′20″W / 50.6175°N 116.07222°W / 50.6175; -116.07222
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
Region	Columbia Valley/East Kootenay (Canadian Rockies)
Regional district	East Kootenay
Incorporated	1991
Government
- Governing body	Radium Town Council
- Mayor	Greg Deck
Elevation	808 m (2,651 ft)
Population (2006)
- Total	735
Time zone	MST (UTC-7)
Highways	93 95
Waterways	Columbia River
Website	Radium Hot Springs

Radium Hot Springs(50°37′14″N 116°4′22″W / 50.62056°N 116.07278°W / 50.62056; -116.07278) is a village of approximately 800 people situated in the East Kootenay of British Columbia, located 280 kilometers (174 mi) west of Calgary, Alberta. The village is named for the hot springs located in the nearby Kootenay National Park. From Banff, Alberta, it is accessible via Highway 93.

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.^[1] The radiation dosage from bathing in the pools is inconsequential; approximately .13mrem from the water for a half-hour bathing. The air concentration of radon is about 23pCi/L which is higher than the level (4pCI/L) at which mitigation is necessary at residences; but is also inconsequential (about .7mrem for a half-hour bathing) from a dose impact perspective. ^[2] For the sake of comparison, we all normally get about 100 mrem per year from background radiation and another 200 mrem per year from atmospheric radon.

The hot-water pool at Radium Hot Springs.

Amenities

Several golf courses are located nearby, along with 600 hotel and motel rooms.

Hot springs

The hot springs complex itself contains two large pools, one with hot water for soaking (usually around the temperature of 39°C (104°F)), the other a 2/3 Olympic swimming pool that is usually around 29°C (84°F). There is also a hot-tub sized pool that has been dubbed the "Plunge Pool", because the water can be hot - right from the source at 44°C (114°F) - or cold, right from a creek running beneath the pools.

Geography

Radium is located 16 km north of the tourist town of Invermere, and 105 km south of Golden, British Columbia. It is located at the junction of Highway 95 and Highway 93, in the Columbia River valley, between the river and Kootenay National Park.

Wildlife in the area includes mule deer, grizzly bears, black bears, Mountain goats and Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep.

References

External links

• Village of Radium Hot Springs Town Webpage
• Radium Hot Spring Pools
• Radium Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce/Visitor Centre

Subdivisions of British Columbia Subdivisions Regions · Regional districts · Forest Regions and Forest Districts · School districts · Land Districts Settlements Municipalities · Cities · Ghost towns Urban centres Vancouver · Victoria · Kelowna · Abbotsford · Kamloops · Nanaimo · Prince George Villages Alert Bay · Anmore · Ashcroft · Belcarra · Burns Lake · Cache Creek · Canal Flats · Chase · Clinton · Fraser Lake · Fruitvale · Gold River · Granisle · Harrison Hot Springs · Hazelton · Kaslo · Keremeos · Lions Bay · Lumby · Lytton · Masset · McBride · Midway · Montrose · Nakusp · New Denver · Pemberton · Port Alice · Port Clements · Pouce Coupe · Queen Charlotte · Radium Hot Springs · Salmo · Sayward · Silverton · Slocan · Tahsis · Telkwa · Valemount · Warfield · Zeballos

Coordinates: 50°37′3″N 116°04′20″W / 50.6175°N 116.07222°W / 50.6175; -116.07222 (Radium Hot Springs)

From Wikitravel

Radium Hot Springs is a city in the East Kootenays. It is famous for its hot pools.

For visitor information you can visit:

• Radium Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Information, Main Street East, ☎ +1 800 347 9704 or +1 250 347 9331 (info@radiumhotsprings.com, fax: +1 250 347 9127), [1].   edit

Get in

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

• Bugaboo Provincial Park, (accessible via a 50 km dirt road from Brisco, 27 km north of Radium on Highwy 95), [2]. 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 $22.00/person or $44.00/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: $5.00/person.  edit

• Radium Hot Springs, (Just north of Radium in Sinclair Canyon at the entrance of Kootenay National Park), ☎ +1 250 347 9485, [3]. mid-May - mid-Oct: 9 am - 11 pm; otherwise: Sun-Thurs, 12 pm - 9pm and Fri-Sat, 12 pm - 10 pm. Radium's most famous attraction. There is both a hot pool and a cool pool for swimming. $7.50/adult, $6.50/youth(3-17), $6.50/senior.  edit

• Black Forest Restaurant, [4].  edit

Melting Pot Eatery

• The Chalet Europe, [5]. Gorgeous Views of the valley from high atop the mountainside.  edit

• The Chalet Europe, [6].  edit

• Visit one of the nearby ski resorts: Panorama (Invermere), Fairmont (Fairmont Hot Springs) or Kicking Horse (Golden).

• Head along Highway 93 into Kootenay National Park and continue along Highway 1, entering Banff National Park and Yoho National Park. Make it a day trip and circle back along Highway 95.

• Go south and visit Fort Steele near Cranbrook