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Liard
River Hotsprings Provincial Park
Photo: Kathleen Anderson Smith |
One of the best
stops on the entire Alaska Highway is the fabulous Liard River Hot
Springs, located in the Liard River Hotsprings Provincial Park north
of Muncho Lake. Relaxation seeps into your body as you ease into the
second largest hot spring in Canada. There are two hot springs at
Liard, with water temperatures ranging from 42°-52° C (107°-126°F).
The nearest is the Alpha pool, and half a mile beyond that is Beta
pool, which is larger and deeper, and is likely to have few other
people there.
The hot springs
complex is of national ecological significance and is well known
for its natural setting in a lush boreal spruce forest. A boardwalk
that leads to the hot spring pools passes through a warm water swamp
and boreal forest that supports rich and diverse plant communities,
as well as mammal and bird species. Watch for moose feeding in the
warm water swamps. Due to the lush plant life influenced by the
warmth of the springs, the area was originally known as the "Tropical
Valley". Unlike most other thermal springs in Canada, Liard River
Hot Springs does not flow directly into a nearby river or creek,
but into an intricate system of swamps. Due to the continual inflow
of warm water, the swamps never freeze in winter, despite being
extremely shallow and located at a latitude of nearly 60° north.
The first written
recording of the hot springs on the Liard River was made in 1835
by Robert Campbell of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Following Campbell’s
exploration, the Liard River was used as a trading route to the
Yukon, but was abandoned in 1870 as the rapids along the upper Liard
River were too treacherous.
This is one
of the few provincial campgrounds along the Alaska Highway that
remains open all year round, and with good reason. Even in the depths
of winter, which lasts eight months here, the hot springs provide
relief to weary Alaskan bound travellers and adventurers after a
long day on the road. It
would be crazy to bypass this natural phenomenon without popping.
The park is such a popular stopover for tourists that the campground
fills up early each day during the summer months. The park has a
day-use/picnic area and offers campsites with fairly rustic facilities.
There are two lodges close to the hot springs.
Caution: Beware
of bears, even in areas where groups of campers are bathing. If
there are warning signs posted about bears, please heed them!!
Location
The Liard River Hot Springs are located in Liard
River Hotsprings Provincial Park in the Liard River Valley,
at kilometer 765 of the Alaska Highway 97, approximately 38 miles
(60 km) north of Muncho Lake Provincial
Park and 3 hours north of Fort Nelson.
Contact Information
Kootenay Forest Resources
Phone: (250) 427-5452
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| Nearby Services |
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Liard Air Limited, Muncho Lake |
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Liard Air Limited offers daily floatplane tours and floatplane rental and charter for flightseeing tours and fly-in fishing. Serving Northern BC, northern Rocky Mountains, and the Rocky Mountain Trench areas, with services at Fort Nelson. Explore mountain tops, valleys, lakes and rivers in Northern BC, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon with your group's own bushpilot. Bushpilot Flight Training available. |
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Northern Rockies Lodge, Muncho Lake |
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The Northern Rockies Lodge on beautiful Muncho Lake at Mile 462 of the Alaska Hwy is the ideal overnight stop halfway between Dawson Creek / Fort St. John and Whitehorse. Daily fly-in fishing trips, outpost cabins and Nahanni National Park Tours. Choose from a variety of daily guided activities: hiking, boating, canoeing, visit the Hot Springs, and wildlife viewing. Complete packages including airfare available from Vancouver. |
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Northern Rockies Vacations, Muncho Lake |
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Explore Canada's Northern Rockies and the Muskwa Kechika with one of our incredible tours, including fly-in fishing adventures in the Northern Rocky Mountains, where very few anglers have been before, wilderness log cabin getaways, wildlife viewing safaris, wilderness canoe trips, Liard Hotsprings, and Nahanni National Park. Relax at our magnificent lakeside mountain retreat, close to the land of the Midnight sun. |
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