Paint Pots Kootenay National Park Trail Guide

The Paint Pots are one of the top attractions in Kootenay National Park, not far from the western edge of Banff National Park. This short, easy hike follows a beautiful ochre-coloured creek to a series of brightly coloured natural pools.

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Is the Paint Pots Hike Right for You?

How Long is the Paint Pots Hike?

The round-trip distance of the Paint Pots hiking trail is 2.1 km.

How Hard is the Hike to the Paint Pots?

Due to the short length and low elevation gain, we rate the Paint Pots hike as an “easy Kootenay National Park hike”.

Besides needing to balance on the occasional log to avoid getting your feet wet and/or stained a deep orange colour, there are virtually no physical challenges along the Paint Pots hiking trail. Aside from the puddles, the Paint Pots trail is very easy.

How Long Does the Paint Pots Hiking Trail Take?

If you were to walk the complete Paint Pots trail without stopping for pictures or to enjoy the views, it should take most people around 30 minutes. Of course, with such amazing scenery along the trail, you’ll want to spend more time taking pictures and enjoying the experience.

Alternatives to the Paint Pots Trail

As you can see, the Paint Pots hike should be doable for most visitors to Kootenay National Park. If you are looking for additional easy hikes nearby, check out out post with the best easy hikes in Banff National Park.

Paint Pots vs Ink Pots

It’s worth mentioning the existence of the Ink Pots in Banff National Park as they are often confused.

The Paint Pots, described in this post, are brightly coloured pools of water which feed ochre coloured streams. The Paint Pots are just outside Banff National Park in neighbouring Kootenay National Park.

The Ink Pots, on the other hand, are also beautiful pools of spring-fed water, but these are located near the Johnston Canyon hike in Banff National Park. If required, we also have a full post on the Ink Pots hike.

What to Expect on the Paint Pots Hike

Crossing the Kootenay River

The walk from the Paint Pots parking lot begins through a lush, dense forest with a vibrant carpet of moss. The old man’s beard lichen dangling from the evergreen trees gives this section an almost spooky feel.

Within a few minutes you’ll reach the Kootenay River, where a beautiful, gently curved bridge crosses over the milky green water. While you are on the bridge, pause to soak in the excellent Rocky Mountain vistas down the river valley.

The Meadow

After crossing the Kootenay River, the Paint Pots trail leaves the creek and enters as beautiful evergreen forest. Enjoy it while you can as the forest soon gives way to a large open meadow.

This meadow can get quite swampy, even in summer, and the hiking trail through can be muddy and damp. It’s swampy as the small stream from the paint pots flows through this meadow. Look at the soil – all of a sudden it’s a deep, rusty orange colour. Do yourself a favour and DO NOT wear your best white shoes on this easy hike!

In days past, companies would commercially mine the ochre for paint production. You’ll see rusted old remnants of their equipment along the Paint Pots Trail.

The Ochre Stream

At the far side of the meadow, the Paint Pots Trail meets up with the creek that created the swampy meadow you just walked through. Look at the soil under the water, it’s the most beautiful, rich ochre colour you’ve ever seen. On a sunny day the ochre just pops and the crystal clear water just sparkles. It’s a magical place in the Canadian Rockies.

Thankfully, the Paint Pots hiking trail continues to follow the ochre stream. The small cascading waterfalls are so pretty that it can be hard to watch your step.

The Paint Pots

At the top of the ochre stream you’ll reach the Paint Pots, which are a series of deep pools of water. The deep bluish-green water beside the orange ochre creek, with dense green forest all around, is an amazing sight. Look for little frogs on the fallen logs in the Paint Pots as well as colourful dragonflies zooming around the reeds.

Paint Pots to Marble Canyon Connector Trail

The Paint Pots and Marble Canyon are two of the top attractions within Kootenay National Park. In fact, they are only a 4 minute drive apart. You could drive, but why not enjoy the beautiful short, easy hike between the Paint Pots and Marble Canyon instead?

The 3 km long connector trail between the Paint Pots and Marble Canyon follows the path of the beautiful Kootenay River between these top Kootenay National Park attractions.

In addition to the amazing creek views, you’ll get to walk through a section of old burned forest. I always enjoy walking through a regenerating forest. The new growth is so dense and healthy, it’s wonderful to see life returning!

Paint Pots Trail Map

The hike to the Paint Pots is well marked with signage and is easy to follow. If you’d like to learn more about this trail, or would like to extend your hike on some of the connecting hiking trails, you can use the Paint Pots Trail Map on the AllTrails app.

I use AllTrails to track my hikes enjoy around the Canadian Rockies and around the world, but unless you also wish to record your hike, you won’t need it for navigation. The trail is so well marked and popular enough that you’ll have plenty of people to follow.

A recent App of the Year winner, AllTrails is also one of the best apps for visiting Banff! Enjoy map downloads and many more premium features with a 7-day free trial of AllTrails+!

Paint Pots Trail Logistics

On-leash dogs are allowed on the Paint Pots hiking trail, but e-bikes and mountain bikes are not. There are toilets in the parking lot, but none on the hiking trail.

You won’t get cell service for the entirety of your hike, so don’t count on it for your safety.

It’s always a good idea to check the Parks Canada trail report before you go to check trail conditions, closures, etc.

What to Bring to the Paint Pots

This is a very short and simple walking trail in Kootenay National Park, so you should only need basic hiking gear. The weather can change quickly in the Canadian Rockies, so dress in layers that are easy to add or remove.

Because there’s a good chance your feet could get wet or muddy, I wouldn’t wear white trainers. I’d recommend water-resistant hiking shoes if possible.

A very unique walk through a striking natural phenomenon, a visit to the Paint Pots in Kootenay National Park is sure to be a highlight of your visit!