Banff-Windermere Parkway
BC 93Castle Junction to Radium Hot Springs · Alberta
Distance65.2mi · 105 km
Drive time2 h 10 minon the road
DifficultyModerate
MountainForestValleyGorge
Historic mountain road through Kootenay National Park.
Opened in 1923 as the first motor road across the central Rockies, this 105 kilometre route runs between the Trans-Canada near Castle Junction and Radium Hot Springs. It crosses the Continental Divide at Vermilion Pass, then descends past Marble Canyon and the Paint Pots into Sinclair Canyon. Mind the wildlife, two mountain passes and post-wildfire rockfall.
Where it runs
Castle JunctionStart · Alberta
Radium Hot SpringsEnd · Canada
Character
Corners50bends
Tightness5of 10
Max gradient8%≈ 1-in-13
Hairpins0tight bends
Climb669 mtotal ascent
Summit1743 mhighest point · 5719 ft
SummerAutumn
Elevation
887 m rangeKnow before you go
- Wildlife on road
- Rockfall in burn areas
- Sudden mountain weather
Along the road
- viewpoint Castle Junction Bridge Viewpoint
- viewpoint Hector Gorge Viewpoint
- viewpoint Kootenay Valley Viewpoint
Sources
In these collections
Nearby roads
The closest great drives to Banff-Windermere Parkway.
