A tropical oasis lies hidden deep in the forests of Canada's northern British Columbia. This magical place is known as Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park. It is located about 180 miles west of Fort Nelson, BC and about halfway between Seattle, WA and Girdwood, AK. What a great destination to rest and relax before finishing off our trek.
On my first drive north to Alaska in 2001 I had traveled the Cassiar Highway, which is a more westerly route and does not pass by the Liard Hot Springs. Back then, Mauri and I considered backtracking the 120 miles from Watson Lake but ruled against the idea. This decision has always been a small regret I have harbored about that trip. As such, I was not about to make that mistake again and Liard Hot Springs has been a much anticipated destination ever since.
We eased into the parking lot of the restaurant across from the hot springs campground following a leisurely drive from Fort Nelson. After a satisfying buffalo burger, we reserved a campsite for the night. Kipp Cavalier, a friend of Jacob's from Tennessee, was supposed to be meeting us here so we tried to find a visible spot. Kipp and his dog Frank were traveling a separate route through Canada and entered a media blackout when Kipp forgot his cell phone in Grande Prairie, Alberta. We hadn't heard from him since, so we weren't sure if he'd make it.
We wasted no time changing into our swim trunks and headed for the pools. It's about a mile walk from the campground along a wooden boardwalk to the springs. Wow, what a dream come true! Liard Hot Springs lived up to – and surpassed – all of my greatest expectations. So relaxing, soothing and delightful. I was in heaven.
We marinated for 2.5 hours before slogging back to camp. It wasn't long before Kipp and Frank showed up and we were once again on our way back up the path for an evening soak. That night we all slept like logs with a heavy case of "Jacuzzi Bones". In the morning we ate breakfast and made one more trip to the pools. The hydrotherapy session was great for the mind, body and soul and we hit the road revitalized and refreshed.
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| The campsite at Liard. |
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| Kipp and Frank. |
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| Jacob and Kipp, a couple of joke-offs. |
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| Beautiful sunset over the swamp. |
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| Morning swamp shot. |
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| A Canada Goose enjoys the warm waters of the swamp. |
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| The upper end of the pool is the hottest. Try to stack a rock on the pile. |
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| The waterfall to the cooler lower pool. |
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| Sweet hot spring panorama. |
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| The wooden boardwalk. |
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