Radium White Water Rafting

While driving to and from the RiverBase for your Kicking Horse whitewater rafting adventure, plenty of stops can be made en route. Some stops may take only a few minutes, others invite visitors to linger! Driving to our RiverBase from Radium or Invermere, please allow at least 1 hour 45 minutes. 

RADIUM ACTIVITIES AND AREA ATTRACTIONS 

There are plenty of things to do and see in the Radium area. Whether it is being out on a trail, playing on the water or enjoying galleries, shops and cafes, there is something for every visitor to enjoy. Close to the shores of Lake Windermere and surrounded by mountains (both the Rockies and the Purcells), Radium is a natural beauty nestled in the midst of the Columbia River valley. 

The area surrounding Radium is a lovely place to spend time either before or after a rafting trip on the Kicking Horse River. For ideas on a great regional road-trip itinerary, check out our Golden Triangle blog. 

RADIUM HOT SPRINGS: Have a soak and rejuvenate in the soothing, natural minerals waters found just outside town, in Kootenay National Park. Choose between the soaking pool (typically at 39C / 102F) or swimming in the ‘cool pool’. Open year-round. 

INVERMERE:  Just a few minutes’ drive from Radium, this charming town thrives on the shores of Lake Windermere (not really a lake but a widening of the Columbia River!). Galleries, boutiques and cafes abound. Be sure to wander through the open-air summer farmer’s market, held every Saturday. 

PANORAMA MOUNTAIN RESORT: If looking for easy access to the alpine, to either hike, bike or saunter, hop aboard the chair lift and be whisked to the top. With jaw-dropping panoramic vistas, there is no reason to hurry back down! 

KOOTENAY NATIONAL PARK:  At Radium’s doorstep lies this stunningly beautiful national park that brings peace to the people. It’s easy to spend a day or more in this protected natural area. 

Whitewater rafting near Radium involves travelling two remarkable sections of highway. Radium connects to Golden via Highway 95; a gently winding roadway heading north along the magnificent Rocky Mountain trench.  

GOLDEN: A charmingly, cozy mountain town with a quaint downtown area, twice-weekly Farmer’s Market (Wednesdays and Saturdays) and Canada’s longest freestanding timber frame covered bridge!  

Eastward from Golden, on TransCanada Highway #1, the Kicking Horse Canyon is notorious not only for rafting and kayaking but for cars and trucks, too, with near-vertical elevation above and sheer drop-offs below. It is an incredible marvel of nature. 

East of the canyon stands another marvel, a man-made marvel. The Park Bridge towers almost 300 feet above the river, and 1,200 feet across. It is a sight hard to miss. Pull over at the Kicking Horse Rest Area and saunter down the old highway, passing directly underneath the modern structure, and see where you’ll be rafting later in the day! 

Just a few minutes’ drive beyond the RiverBase is Wapta Falls, in Yoho National Park. A gentle 20-minute trail leads to a thundering river-wide drop that is spectacular at any time of the season. This is the Kicking Horse River, but not a section of the river that we raft! 

PLEASE ALLOW AT LEAST 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES FOR THE DRIVE TO THE RIVERBASE 

The beauty of our RiverBase is its location: It is close to the TransCanada highway and close to the Kicking Horse River. For rafters driving from Golden and more western points, we are perfectly situated on the doorstep of Yoho National Park for further Rocky Mountain explorations.

From Radium, drive north on Highway 95 to Golden, then east on TransCanada Highway #1 towards the town of Field. After 10 kilometres or so, after the tight and winding canyon section, pass the Kicking Horse Rest Area on your left. After another 5 kilometres or so, pass the 10 Mile Hill Brake Check. Shortly after (but before entering Yoho National Park), take the right-hand exit onto Beaverfoot Road, noting the Wild Water Adventures billboard at the exit with two Canadian flags flying on top. Immediately make a hard-right turn onto our gravel driveway, continuing downhill to the spacious guest parking area and RiverBase DayLodge.