After leaving the turquoise waters of Marble Canyon behind we moved on to the Paint Pots. From Marble Canyon we followed the trail along Kootenay River. The big wild fire from 2003 has given this area its characteristic look with tall scorched trees and a bright green forest floor. It was such a stunning landscape to hike through and very different from Banff National Park where the forest generally is very dense. Kootenay is the only national park in the Canadian Rockies where we have seen moose, the new open areas are ideal for this large animal.
We reached the first ochre bed after about 3.5 kilometres. The orange soil and water was impressive and the colours got more impressive the further along the trail we got. I can understand that Indian tribes were attracted to this area in earlier day to harvest from the ochre beds. The Paint Pots site is still considered a sacred site by First Nations today and should be treated with respect.
In earlier times Indian tribes from the mountains and prairies travelled here to obtain the “red earth”. The yellow ochre was cleaned, kneaded with water into walnut-size balls and flattened into cakes. The cakes were baked in a fire, then ground to a powder. The red powder was mixed with fish oil or animal grease for use in painting bodies, tipis, clothing and pictures on rock.
After passing the first wet area of the ochre beds we came to this dry patch that was bright yellow and orange. The colours from the beds, forest and snow capped mountains were amazing. In this area there were also some remnants from newer harvest of the ochre beds and interpretive signs telling the story of the ochre beds.
In the early 1900s the ochre beds were recognised as being of commercial importance and were actively mined. The ochre was dug by hand, sacked and hauled by horse-drawn wagons to the C.P.R. line at present day Castle Mountain, 24 kilometres away. It was then shipped by train to Calgary to be used as a pigment base for paint. In the 1920s, a more elaborate extraction method was used. Rail cars, horse-drawn scoops, clay tiles, and grinding machinery was used to collect, roast and grind the oxide.
We continued up towards the Paint Pots by following the orange stream that was feeding the ochre beds. The stream seemed to have the Paint Pots as the source. It was a bit absurd to think that these colours were all natural. I hadn’t seen anything similar before.
When we got to the Paint Pots we found they were bright yellow and green. There was a clear transition between the two colours in the water. The pots are formed by the accumulation of iron oxide around the outlets of three cold mineral springs. The green colour is the result of mixing with fresh water from a small streams that empties into the pool.
These paint pots are the source of the ochre which was used by the Indian and the Early White Man. To the Indian there was a big animal spotter, a thunder spirit in the springs. They used to hear something here, like a flute or war songs. According to the Stoneys, the spirit talked to them but they could never see anything.
Before returning to our car, that we had left at the parking lot at Marble Canyon, we took a lunch break at the bank of Kootenay River. The bridge you see in the background is new. During the flood of 2013 the original bridge was destroyed and to visit the Paint Pots you had to follow our route, i.e. park at Marble Canyon and hike down. This season the new bridge is open and you can again use the parking lot at the Paint Pots for a much shorter walk. But shorter doesn’t always mean better!
Thanks for reading. Please feel free to leave a comment, we’d love to hear what you think!
They are beautiful your photos, ocher always been used,
home there are also sites or ocher was extracted to make the paint …
The reflections are magnificent. Thank you for sharing.
Have a nice day.
Thank you so much Hervé. I guess it makes sense that indigenous people all over the world would use these areas as source for their colours. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, it is always appreciated.
Thanks for the history and explanation on how the substance was dried and transported. That is very interesting to me. It seems like a wonderful place to hike and visit. It looks like a very pretty place to hike as well.
Thank you, I found it very interesting as well. I was thinking back at the 6000 year old rock carvings in my home city. Scientists believe the indigenous people who did the carving used some sort of red paint to colour them with and I always wondered where they would get the colour. Could have been some local ‘paint pots’ I guess. The hike was also very nice, a bit different than what we normally do as we would typically go for a summit. A nice change:) Thanks for commenting!
That little orange river looks so alien! nice place to paint.
Yes doesn’t it look alien? It was thrilling to think that this was all natures own colours. Thanks for commenting!
Very pretty photos and area. Great post with all the history. Thanks, Jim
Thanks Jim! I thought it was pretty interesting how they travelled here to extract the colour. Also interesting to think about how they later on managed to transport it all the way to Calgary by horse. Thanks for commenting!
Thank you for your fascinating photos! I was very interested in your notes, too .
I didn’t even imagine there were such colours in nature; forests , ochre beds and orange soil …..all new to me.
Thanks for the share!
All these colours were news to me as well. I also found it fascinating, not only that nature is producing these colours naturally, but also thinking back at the indigenous people travelling here every year to extract the colour. Thanks for commenting!
I always knew there were pools in Yellowstone NP that were called paint pots but never knew why. It came to me as one of those “Duh” moments. Thanks again for the information. Jim
Thanks for this. I had no idea such a site existed. I wonder how far south those colors were traded? In my area, ancient pottery is mostly black, white, red, and a kind of rusty clay color. What a lovely hike you had!
Thanks Emilie, me neither so I am glad we hiked here. I definitely learned something new this day. It would be interesting to know where the colour was traded. Maybe I have to do some research on it:) Thanks for commenting!
Wow! That looks fantastic! I’ll have to see if I can get there on my days off next week! We were really lucky, we saw a moose behind the fences of the Trans-Canada Highway in Banff last week, but weren’t able to stop to take a photo! 🙂
Yes you were definitely lucky Rob, I have never seen moose in that area! I believe I read somewhere that there used to be a lot of moose in Banff, but the forest has become a bit too dense for their liking. You should definitely stop by the Paint Pots, the colour are wicked! Thanks for commenting.
Yes there aren’t so many about because there aren’t enough wetland areas now and the forest is too thick, and the elk can carry a parasite which is very harmful to the moose. Hopefully I might get time tomorrow to go to the paint pots 🙂
Reminds me of Yellowstone with the bright colors. Have you been?
No, but we are planning on going to Yellowstone late summer/fall this year. Is there a special spot in Yellowstone where you find these colours? From what I have read and seen of pictures from Yellowstone so far it seems we have a lot to look forward to! Thanks for commenting (even with you left hand!).
What a coincidence! When I made that comment I’d no idea that the WP photo challenge would be Vivid and that I would post pics of Yellowstone. You will LOVE it! There are colors and pools and geysers and wildlife EVERYWHERE!
PS They even have Paint Pots.
Gorgeous shots of the paint pots.
Thank you very much! I had no idea they existed so this was quite a treat to discover:)
Such a great post. I love learning about other parts of the world and you’re doing a wonderful job of introducing me to the Canadian Rockies. I also often marvel at the colors produced by nature. Although we try to imitate the colors, we really don’t come close to the real thing. Breath taking!
Thank you so much! Appreciate your generous feedback. I fully agree, I am stunned with these colour that nature produces all naturally. It like something out of this world. Even after living here for 3 years I didn’t know about this astonishing area, there is so much to discover in the Rockies!
What amazing colours to find on a hike. I’m so glad the yellow and green are from natural sources as I’ve seen some vibrantly coloured water that was the result of pollution. The landscape pictures are beautiful too.
Thank you Jane. I am also glad the colours are all natural. Is it not astonishing what amazing colours nature is able to develop as long as it contains some iron oxide. The orange river was almost alien like. Thanks for commenting!
What an amazing place. I love the colours of the rich earth.
Yes wasn’t it? I was pretty amazed by the fascinating colours that nature had developed in this area. Thanks for commenting!
Great essay and photos. I esp. like the historical stuff. Well done. 🙂
Thanks Frank! It definitely made the hike more interesting for us to read and understand some of the history and science behind the wicked colours so I thought it would be good to include some of it. Imagine all the work hauling the ochre back to Calgary first by horse and then train. Interesting stuff to learn about. Thanks for commenting.
The colors are amazing. Great photos.
Is it not amazing what wicked colours nature is able to produce? A great place to stop by and check out if you ever drive by. Thanks for commenting!
We saw the paint pots at Yellowstone and were amazed by them. It is amazing what occurs in nature without our help.
Thanks for the explanation, it’s fascinating indeed. It’s a bit like thermal pool, the colours are natural and seem so surreal. Same here. I love it.
Yes it is very fascinating. I initially thought the orange and yellow ochre beds were stunning. And when we got further on to the orange stream I was definitely amazed, it almost looked alien like. I am impressed nature is developing all these colours, I am happy we decided to go here. Thanks for commenting!
Beautiful photos, what a unique geological feature!
Thank you Amanda. It was very unique for sure. I have never seen anything similar before. Some of the colours were wicked!
I really hope to see these someday. Thanks for sharing!
I hope you get to see them LuAnn. You guys have been to Yellowstone so I am sure you have seen some impressive colours there as well? I have been to some paint pots before but hadn’t seen anything as wicked as that orange stream. Thanks for commenting!
We have seen some special thermal features in Yellowstone but I am always fascinated by new ones.
You have convinced me a road trip is in order. Fabulous colors and so interesting about the use in paint in the early days! I had no idea.
This was news to me as well. I am glad we stopped by, it is definitely worth a visit. You can park just at the paint pots which makes it a walk rather than a hike. I enjoyed the wooden signs telling about the story and some of the science behind the colours. I have been to the paint pots after Johnston Canyon, but it was nothing like this wicked orange stream. I am impressed the stream is all natural colour! Thanks for commenting:)
I enjoyed this hike to the Painted Pots, Inger. Geothermal activity is always so fascinating and unique. I wonder if it had the sulfur scent?
Thanks Jet. It is very fascinating how some iron oxide and natural streams are coming together creating these wicked colours. I cannot remember any sulfur scent when we walked around the area. I can definitely smell the sulfur when we go to the hot springs, but I don’t think there was any from these sources. Thanks for commenting!
The colours there are pretty crazy from my memories and the photos.
They definitely are Kyle. The yellow ochre bed were stunning, while the orange stream coming down from the paint pots were almost like something alien. Never seen anything like it before:) Thanks for commenting.
So how long is the hike from the parking lot at Marble Canyon? Thx for this post, I didn’t know about the Paint Pots. Very intriguing.
The hike from Marble Canyon parking lot was about 3.5 km. This would have been a nice trail to bike as well, had it not been for all the large fallen trees that are scattered over the trail. But if you prefer you can park at the designated parking lot for the Paint Pots further towards Radium and the hike will only be a couple of kilometres. I quite enjoyed the hike from Marble Canyon down to the Paint Pots. Thanks for commenting Jean – you should definitely stop the Paint Pots next time you are in the area.
amazing colors of the earth! your photography is stunning! 🙂
Thanks for your sweet comment on the photos. I was also pretty impressed with the colours nature has developed in this area! Thanks for commenting:)
Wow~! This looks like an awesome place for hiking! LOVE the photos !
This was definitely an area worth visiting. I was impressed by the yellow and orange colours – wicked! Thanks for commenting:)
Very cool photos. Hidden places with Native American connections are always so intriguing.
Thanks for the generous comment on the photos! I agree, these old places with native history are always interesting to learn about. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment.
Just returning from a trip to Kootenay/ banff/ jasper. Hiked paint pot yesterday. The ochre yellow was simply stunning! Even one tree had the color to its bark!
Absolutely the best and most informative posting on the Paint Pots and Ochre.
Excellent work. Thank You.
Sir … could I please bother you for the source of the incredible Quotations you have used here. I am putting up a post on the Paint Pots and this information would be valuable to me.